Sheffrou Betrayed
The Color of Treason
Can an Earth woman and an alien male save a dying race from extermination?
It's been six months since Tamara fell through a wormhole and landed in an alien world. After being seduced by a powerful Sheffrou, Lord Maashi, she resigns herself to the fact that this fantasy world is her new reality. The more time she spends with her alien lover, the less concerned she is about finding a way home.
Then everything changes. Enemy attacks leave Tamara's new alien friends dead, kidnapped, and fighting for their lives. A deadly plague is killing the young alien offspring. The best hope for everyone's survival is Sheffrou Maashi. If only they could find him....
Tamara joins forces with Maashi's allies and an alien with a shady reputation to find the missing Sheffrou. Can Tamara and her companions expose the traitor and save Maashi and his offspring before it's too late?
"Sheffrou Betrayed" an edge-of -your seat sci-fi romance thriller is the second book in The Sheffrou Trilogy. Escape into this adventure today!
Sheffrou Betrayed
The Color of Treason
Can an Earth woman and an alien male save a dying race from extermination?
It's been six months since Tamara fell through a wormhole and landed in an alien world. After being seduced by a powerful Sheffrou, Lord Maashi, she resigns herself to the fact that this fantasy world is her new reality. The more time she spends with her alien lover, the less concerned she is about finding a way home.
Then everything changes. Enemy attacks leave Tamara's new alien friends dead, kidnapped, and fighting for their lives. A deadly plague is killing the young alien offspring. The best hope for everyone's survival is Sheffrou Maashi. If only they could find him....
Tamara joins forces with Maashi's allies and an alien with a shady reputation to find the missing Sheffrou. Can Tamara and her companions expose the traitor and save Maashi and his offspring before it's too late?
"Sheffrou Betrayed" an edge-of -your seat sci-fi romance thriller is the second book in The Sheffrou Trilogy. Escape into this adventure today!
Tamara contemplated a future spent with Maashi, her alien friend and lover, as her hopes of returning home to Earth had almost vanished until, a few weeks agoâŚ.
She paced the length of her small receiving room and pondered the recent events. Over six months had passed since she fell into a wormhole and landed on this desolate planet called Chitina. Aliens called Chamranlinas, or Chamis as she liked to call them, rescued her, and brought her to their underground realm of caves and tunnels embellished by holograms to create a new reality indistinguishable from the real one.
She played with the gold bracelet on her left wrist, a gift from Maashi, a symbol of his everlasting affection, and stared at her reflection on the granite wall of her room. Slim and fit, she appeared younger than her forty-four years. Wearing her khaki shirt and pants, she pulled both ends of her turquoise sash with its cobalt blue wave, showing her status as a young Sheffrou, and secured its knot. In an alien world so thoroughly linked with colors, only the sash confirmed someoneâs occupation or rank.
Tamara shook her head in disbelief as she thought about Maashi and their first official âmeetingâ. She had been conflicted about the âmeetingâ because she thought it was some type of alien intercourse but was pleasantly surprised when she found out it consisted of exploring each otherâs body and a joining of minds only. The powerful Maashi proceeded with respect and kindness and seduced her with his unique charm. Tamara became infatuated with the Sheffrou. She shook her head in disbelief. She had never imagined becoming physically and emotionally involved with an alien such as him, a most unlikely partner.
A chime rang.
The two-paneled door slid open, revealing Chopa, Maashiâs close companion, or Chowli, right on time as usual. The wiry Chopa, over seven and a half feet tall, wore Sheffrou Maashiâs standard colors: a chocolate-brown shirt with a salmon tear-drop pattern and gray pants.
With thumbs hooked in his sash, milk chocolate with a thin pink wave, indicating a character defined by precision and accuracy accompanied by a gentle disposition, he executed a slight bow and said in perfect English, âChimitanga, good day to you. Are you ready to see the Sheffrou?â
âYes. Is Maashi in a good mood today?â
âSheffrou Maashi is calmer,â said Chopa in a low voice, âhowever, he has not ingested food for two days.â
Tamara pursed her lips. Maashiâs depression wasnât improving.
Twenty-five days ago, on the night of the Great Eclipse Celebration, a time of joyful reunion to celebrate the orange sunâs eclipse by its two moons, Ara and Kori, and the beginning of the season of renewal, the Krakoran had attacked the Chamis. They suffered a horrendous loss of life. The enemy targeted four Sheffrous, all close friends of Maashi, two were kidnapped, one seriously injured, and one killed. The news had overwhelmed Maashi, and he had sat for hours in a daze without saying a word. Losing Sheffrou Shoban, his mentor for over fifty sequences, had been especially difficult to bear.
Day after day, Maashi silently mourned his friends. He escaped in his private encounter room where he could hide and express his grief away from the ever-present monitors. Since the attacks, the population was on edge and reacted swiftly to any sign of disturbance. Any public expression of distress by a high-ranking Sheffrou such as him elicited an intense response from his entourage; his Chowlis Rahma and Chopa, the guards, and even other Chamis in the vicinity would converge at his side to protect him and offer support. In the Chami world, Sheffrous were precious, and everything was done to ensure their comfort and well-being.
Because of this situation, Maashi stayed in his quarters like a recluse and didnât associate with anyone except his Chowlis and Tamara. He didnât engage in swimming, his favorite activity, and often refused to eat, which exasperated everyone.
Tamara glanced at Chopa and saw his wide brow darken, a sign of grave concern. He harbored a strong affection for Maashi, and she knew he was worried.
âChopa, donât you think itâs odd that all these Sheffrous were attacked the same night at the same time? I canât imagine something like this happening.â
âIt was a sorrowful night.â
Tamara frowned, hands on her hips. âPerhaps someone betrayed them? I can see that. A high-ranking Chami who loathes the fact that only Sheffrous can mate develops an intense hatred against them. In a fit of rage, he gives crucial information to the enemy.â Pacing the room, she added, âAfter all, Maashi confirmed the Purples, the Blacks, and the Reds were furious at the last Council gathering when the Elders refused to hear their requests to change the mating law.â She looked up at Chopa. âThat law has been in effect for over fifty sequences. Hasnât it?â
Chopa snapped his head sideways. âTamara,â he said in a sharp tone, âalthough the Multis and the Pure Colors often clash over the mating decisions by the Elders, the notion that someone could act in a disloyal manner against the Sheffrous, or their entourage cannot be entertained. As you know, Sheffrous fulfill a crucial role in our society.â His eyes narrowed. âAnd the word you are using, âbetrayalâ does not exist in the Chamranlina language because that type of behavior does not occur.â He headed for the door and said, âLetâs not keep Sheffrou Maashi waiting.â
Miffed by his response, Tamara huffed in frustration. She understood his reluctance to accept such a foreign concept, but the facts pointed in that direction. She trusted her instincts. They were usually right.
She followed Chopa down the hallway wide enough for two Chamis to walk shoulder to shoulder. The ceiling was twelve feet high, and the mocha brown granite walls veined with gold lit by oval sconces glowed with a soft, soothing light. A small engraving like a coat of arms located beside each double-paneled door down the hall identified the Pure Color in charge. Tamaraâs quarters were near Maashiâs in the Central Compound, the largest among the fourteen compounds of the colony. Maashi, First Lord and proud member of the elite third gender, the Sheffrous, governed the Central Compound. His people loved and cherished him and his unique skills and exclusive capacity to father female offspring.
Tamara couldnât stop replaying the details of the attacks on the night of the Great Eclipse Celebration in her mind. The three attacks happened right as the celebration was winding down and the departing guests were at their most vulnerable, intoxicated by the intense and pervasive holoma, the mind-altering fragrance radiated by the Sheffrous. Drunk with pleasure from close contacts with various Pure Colors, Sawishas and Sheffrous, and Multicolors, the guests left the Rashandomora Cave in high spirits unaware they were headed straight into an ambush.
The enemy struck in narrow tunnels, in groups which included at least one Sheffrou but few guards. The Chamis were aghast when they discovered the carnage: one Sheffrou and eight guards killed, another Sheffrou severely injured, and three guards and two Sheffrous kidnapped.
She shuddered at the thought of all those lives lost or altered forever. She had witnessed many a time the grief and distress inflicted upon the ones left behind. As an Emergency Room physician, she knew how death could destroy families and loved ones.
Chopa stopped and nodded to the guard standing in front of the ten-feet-wide metal door. The guard turned, pressed on his wristband, and the door chime rang. The two panels slid apart, and they entered Maashiâs receiving room.
Tamaraâs heart leaped with joy as soon as she saw him. Sitting on a couch, dressed in a plain outfit, khaki shirt, and pants with a short cobalt blue sash, Maashi still looked stunning. She loved his golden skin, wavy chestnut hair, broad shoulders, and wide chest. His warm amber eyes held a dignified sadness and though burdened with grief, showed pride and grace. As they entered, he raised his hand and with one swift wrist signal made the multi-colored virtual screen hanging in mid-air in front of him disappear. He nodded to Chopa who greeted him with a hug and kissed his left shoulder. Chopa then sat on a couch opposite Maashi.
The two wide couches with reclinable backs sized to accommodate eight-foot-tall individuals overflowed with large, royal blue cushions with gold trim. Apart from the couches, the sparsely furnished room contained only three small, C-shaped black granite tables. The slate gray encounter room, an egg-shaped room within a room, was set at the far end, and contrasted with the bright granite walls, which were the color of warm sunsets.
Maashi called in a low voice, âCome, Tamara.â
âHow are you Maashi?â she asked in a concerned tone. She strolled over and sat beside him. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. Maashi wouldnât easily accept her betrayal theory. She needed to wait for the right moment to tell him, but she couldnât wait too long. He was Sheffrou. Therefore, his life was also at stake.
âI am as well as I can be under the circumstances,â Maashi said, looking straight ahead. âAnd you? I sense youâre disturbed. Is it because we found that spaceship with the two humanoids on board?â
Two weeks ago, the aliens intercepted a distress call from a ship in a decaying orbit around a planet in a nearby solar system. They retrieved the ship, which contained two human males. Tamara had accepted the fact she might never see her children again and she refused to get her hopes up and think these humanoids were from Earth. The probability of finding humans so far from her world was infinitesimal.
âYes, that and something else.â Her mouth went dry.
Before Tamara could react, Maashi extended his long arms and picked her up.
âMaashi, please put me down. I donât want you to kiss me.â
Ignoring her protest, Maashi enveloped her with his arms. âI wonât kiss you, Tamara. I just want to hold you.â He gently slipped his fingers into her silky hair and caressed her scalp. âIâve noticed that talking about your feelings helps to release tension and makes you feel better.â
Tears welled up in her eyes. The stress of the last few weeks and the fear his life could be in danger troubled her. She couldnât utter a word.
Maashi bent down and with his long, slender middle finger tilted her chin upward. âI can hold you close, but I canât kiss you, Tamara. My kisses would transfer the sadness and grief I feel.â
âIâm worriedâŚabout so many things.â
âWhy are you so worried? It would seem finding humans is a most fortunate event.â
Tamara turned away from his searching gaze. âIâve been pondering different scenarios.â She cleared her throat. âAt first I was confident we would locate the wormhole which brought me here. Then I lost hope and accepted the idea that I could live here, happy and content with you. But it seems neither will happen.â
Maashi said, his voice soft, âAll isnât lost, Tamara.â
She shook her head. âYour people found two humanoids. Are they actual humans like me or some other type of alien? Are they from Earth? My head throbs just trying to understand what this implies. I must see them. I have so many questions. My whole life may change because of them.â Her voice faltered.
âI donât know if Iâll ever see my children again. If these humans came through a wormhole like me, I might return to my family, but I fear they are from the future. In the twenty-first century, humans travel only to the space station and back. If they are from the future, my family is already dead.â She couldnât say another word. Her eyes brimmed with tears. She turned her head away.
Maashi hugged her. He held her gaze with gentleness. âTamara, we will greet them together. This is a complex situation and requires careful consideration. I will accompany you and nothing will be decided without your consent. You will always be welcome here.â He paused, waited till she settled. âCome, I want to show you something.â
Maashi rose. A few inches shorter than Chopa with a leaner frame and more elegant features, he clicked something to his Chowli who left. He exited into the hallway, and she followed. The guard posted at the door stayed one step behind.
âWhere are we going?â said Tamara. She swiped at a lone tear rolling down her face.
âSomething on the surface will happen shortly. If leave now, we will be there just in time.â
Tamara raised her head with questioning eyes, but he added nothing.
They soon reached an underground tunnel. About six feet wide, lit by sconces high on the walls that turned on and off automatically after they went through, the tunnel was much darker than the hallways and not recommended for travel without adequate protection because the enemy was often spotted here. Accompanied by the guard, after a quick trip of only ten minutes, they arrived at their destination, a large empty room with several wide doors.
A Silver Guard in charge of internal security opened one door, scanned the inside with a hand-held device, and stepped aside to let the Sheffrou and Tamara in the elevator. Maashi clicked orders to the other guard who had accompanied them in the tunnels. He nodded and quickly left.
âMaashi, where are you taking me? Why all the secrecy?â
âPatience, little one. Youâll soon find out.â
The elevator, powered by anti-gravity, swiftly brought them to the surface. They stepped out into the thin, cool morning air. Tamara shivered in the light breeze. Little puffs of dry soil disturbed by their steps floated about, then dispersed behind them. A small moon shone high in the indigo sky amidst the stars and spread its pale glow on the barren landscape. The other moon, the bigger one, was barely visible above the horizon.
Tamara took in the view. She shuddered at the memory of her first few days in Chitina. This surface was the same as the one where she had arrived months ago. The land was bare, with no signs of life, a palette of browns and rusts with a few hills and boulders the size of big vehicles. The ground, covered with fine dust, smelled like burned toast. Without water or shelter, after days under an unforgiving sun, she had lost all hope and was close to death when the Chamranlinas found her.
A loud snort a few feet behind startled her. A musky odor spread through the air. Tamara turned her head and wrinkled her nose at the potent smell. The guard from Maashiâs quarters stood holding the bridle of a tall creature that towered two feet above him.
Tamara had seen those creatures before, but only from a distance. The long-legged shoshan appeared to be as tall as a giraffe with a graceful neck. It snorted and pranced around when it saw Maashi. He clicked, extended his arm, and caressed its cheek. The creature settled under his calming touch.
âLet her smell you, Tamara, so she will know you,â said Maashi.
Tamara brought her hand close to the shoshanâs nostrils, and it delicately sniffed her hand and her arm. With a long, thin head and a soft muzzle, it kept its eyes locked on her but didnât make any aggressive move.
âCan I touch her?â
âYes, she is gentle.â
Tamara stood on her toes and touched the side of the creatureâs head. The hair felt coarse and dry. âSheâs got a fine head like a horse,â she grinned. âBut long straight legs like a giraffe.â Her color, blonde mane and golden fur, reminded her of a palomino horse.
âShe is a beauty among her kind,â Maashi said, his voice soft. He stepped close to the shoshanâs flank and in one swift bound, sprang atop the animalâs wide back with the agility of a feline.
Tamara shook her head in disbelief as she watched him sitting bareback on the beast. Maashi removed his shirt to allow his skin to soak up the energy of the early morning light and set it on his right thigh. Tamara gasped as the guard grabbed her, lifted her high, and handed her to the Sheffrou. She sat on the shoshanâs wide back in front of Maashi. He immediately put his arm around her waist to steady her.
She clung to his arm. âOh. This is much higher than on horseback.â
âStay calm, little one,â said Maashi in the musical voice Tamara loved. âIâm holding you securely.â
She relaxed her shoulders and reclined against his bare chest.
Maashi clicked, and the shoshan advanced in long, easy strides.
âNo racing, right?â Tamara said. The shoshan was only walking, but it already felt like it was gathering speed.
Maashi chuckled. âNo Tamara, just a stroll. This female is quite old and canât run even if I try to coax her.â
She looked back and saw the guard was following a short distance away to avoid the cloud of dust billowing behind the beast. Once she got used to the shoshanâs swaying pace, she relaxed, forgot the pungent smell, and concentrated on admiring the view. The area was hilly with fewer boulders as they progressed, a desert landscape like she had often seen in documentaries on Earth. All the way to the left, the tall peaks of the Chizoo Mountains reached the thin clouds. A few were covered with white caps.
âIs that snow on the mountains?â
âYes. In the coldest months, it snows for weeks at a time.â
âWhere does the water go when it melts? Thereâs no water on the surface.â
âThe water will flow above ground for a few hours every sequence, then it evaporates quickly under the blazing sun. Closer to the mountains, it gushes down deep gorges to produce fast-flowing underground rivers, lakes, and streams. We harvest this water for irrigation for the plants and trees we grow under the four domes spread out on the surface of the colony.â
They arrived at the top of a hill and stopped. From that viewpoint, they could marvel at the first rays of the orange sun on the horizon. The sky, dark blue moments before, turned to a light purple while the remaining gray clouds thinned, then dissipated altogether. The light quickly spread over the valley below, chased away the shadows, and bathed the barren landscape in a remarkable rust color.
A sudden popping sound on the ground close to them made Tamara jump. âWhat was that?â
âLook.â Maashi pointed downward to an area on the right where the first orange light hit the ground.
An eggplant-colored stem had popped out of the reddish soil. Tamara watched wide-eyed as the foot-tall stems popped all around them, and within seconds, the movement spread all over and covered the valley below. One by one, each plant opened a single bud and revealed delicate lavender petals with a lemon-yellow center, just in time to catch the first warm rays of the rising sun. The pale carpet covered the ground as far as one could see where there was only dry soil moments before.
âWow,â she said. âThis is incredible. I never thought there would be anything growing here.â
âNature can surprise us. We must always hope for a better future.â
âAre they from Chamtali, your home world?â
âNo. They are indigenous to this planet. We call them tellisha.â
âTheyâre lovely.â She turned and dropped a kiss on Maashiâs smooth bare chest. His body glowed a warm golden color under the orange sunâs rays, which provided life-giving energy for him. His amber eyes grew bigger. For the first time in a long while, Tamara saw a timid smile. His holoma, his fragrant, alluring body odor, hung around them like a veil, a sign he was pleased.
Tamara took a long breath and said, âMaashi, Iâm worried all the crazy things that occurred on the night of the celebration might happen again.â
âYou mean the attacks?â
âYes.â
Maashi raised his head and stared at the horizon.
âDonât you think what happened that night was odd? Iâve thought about this over and over and these attacks were not a coincidence.â
Maashiâs brow darkened. âExplain what youâre saying.â
âAll the attacks happened at the same time. They all involved groups which included a Sheffrou. The enemy couldâve targeted other groups like the Sawishas or the Fanellas. Even the young Sheffrous, who didnât possess the same security coverage as the older ones, werenât attacked.â
âThe enemy usually targets the more mature Sheffrous because they serve their purposes.â
âWhat purposes?â
âThe amoeba-like Krakoran live in a parallel dimension and have followed us even after we left Chamtali, our home world. Weâve been hunted without mercy for centuries by these horrible creatures. They target Sheffrous because we can share our sensations with others, especially pleasure while they cannot experience this sensation on their own.â
âCanât you fight back? You must have weapons against those creatures.â
âWe have developed ways to track their ships and retrieve the ones kidnapped, but the attacks are unpredictable, and we have few effective weapons against them.â
Tamara shook her head. âYou told me before the Chami population is declining. If these attacks persist, your population will soon reach critical numbers.â
Maashi lowered his head, spread his hands on his knees, and stared at his fingers.
âI think these attacks were planned.â
âOf course, Tamara. The Krakoran planned the attacks.â
âWhat Iâm trying to say is: this was an inside job.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âSomeone worked with the enemy to get rid of Sheffrous,â Tamara said in a firm voice. âYou have a traitor among you.â
Maashiâs face and neck paled. âThatâs not possible. We are Chamranlinas. We are not disloyal to each other. Each individual has a role to play in the colony. An act such as this would bring unforgivable shame and dishonor to the perpetrator. A Chamranlina who dared to attempt such a deed would be banned forever from the colony.â
âSomeone informed the enemy about the locations of those Sheffrous.â
Maashi froze. Tamara saw doubt creeping in his mind.
She glared at him. âIt happened,â she insisted. âDonât you see? Denying it is precisely the type of thinking that lets the traitor get away with it.â
âI cannot believeâŚâ
âMaashi, any other explanation wouldnât make as much sense. Iâm convinced itâs the most probable scenario.â
Maashi signaled the guard and as soon as he was close, handed her back down to him, and jumped off his mount. The shoshan lowered its head, snatched a mouthful of flowers, and munched happily.
Maashi paced, stomped the ground, producing clouds of dust, and hissed his displeasure. After a few minutes, he scrutinized the horizon and said, âItâs not possible. I could never believe it.â He hissed again. âAnd yetâŚâ
Strengthened with newfound determination, Tamara seized the moment. âWhich Chamis would gain the most from eliminating Sheffrous?â
Maashiâs eyes were now black slits, his chest and face as pale as alabaster.
âThink about it. Itâs important.â
âThe Sawishas.â He crossed his arms on his chest as if to protect himself. âThe green and purple Sawishas, also the Reds who have been clamoring for changes in the mating laws for many sequences. The Elders would allow them to mate if there were no Sheffrous.â He shook his head to one side. âBut to think they would betray their own people is preposterous.â He produced a loud and prolonged hiss.
The guard moved closer and clicked to the Sheffrou. Maashi didnât respond.
âWhat about the Outcasts? You said yourself those Chamis were enemies of your society, and they were banished from the compounds.â
âThey rebelled before but swore to the Council of Elders they would never attempt that again.â
Tamara followed right behind him; hands fisted, rigid, relentless. âMaashi, youâd better start believing someone betrayed you before itâs too late. There are only a few Sheffrous left. At this rate, your people wonât survive.â
Maashi gazed at her without seeing her. With an icy voice, he said, âWe should leave now. The sun is getting higher, and your skin will burn.â He hopped back on the shoshan. The guard picked Tamara up and put her on the shoshan. They went back in silence to the elevator as the orange sun grew bigger and glared over the landscape.
I want to preface this review by saying that I did not read book one of this series and are going into this based on Book two only. Now that thatâs out of the way letâs get into my thoughts of Sheffrou Betrayed.
Readers are thrown directly into Tamaraâs POV as she navigates the alien planet. The descriptions are vivid and the author truly brought the fantasy world to life. The plot line was decent and thereâs something to be said about an alien race with no knowledge of treachery amongst their people.
The layers of lies, deceit and mayhem made for an entertaining read. On top of all this backstory of constant kidnapping there seems to be a mysterious illness killing the young- which are prized due to their breeding practices.
I will say the author pulls no punches using men as cattle for breeding fertile females to populate their planet as only certain races can reproduce. She takes it a step further by introducing an almost asexual race who feeds on the euphoria produced by the fertile men.
There are darker undertones of abuse both mental and sexual in the book that arenât really explored so much as mentioned based on circumstances.
The storyline seemed slightly monotone and I think an injection of personality would liven up the dialogue. Tamara and Maashi are on two extremely different ends of the spectrum and their communication- while understandably different based on the species was strained.
I am still trying to wrap my head around Maashi and his mannerisms. I appreciated the sensitivity to emotions and feelings but I wanted more dimensions from him during the novel. He seemed to lack any real character development which I tested for.
This book certainly isnât a happily ever after but more along the lines of- this happened and we made the best of it.
Thank you to Reedsy Discovery for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review