“No, Queen Adorissa. I wished to see something of this planet. I did not intend to be gone for long.”
For a moment, Lizabet thought that the queen was about to speak; however, before she could say anything, T’kol returned.
“We will wait out here,” he agreed.
Adorissa rose gracefully to her feet and led Lizabet into the bedroom. She had thought that her new bedroom was elaborately decorated, but it was nothing compared to Adorissa’s room. Every inch of the surface was covered with decorative touches, and the bed would easily have slept ten people.
“This is very… elaborate,” she managed, still a little stunned by the array of color and glitter assaulting her eyes.
“It is satisfactory,” the queen said. “I wish that you could see my residence on Icluthia. It is a setting truly befitting a queen.” She eyed Lizabet speculatively.
“I’m sure it’s very nice,” she said politely.
Adorissa led the way to another one of the low couches, this one angled across the corner of the room. To Lizabet’s surprise, she curled up on the couch, her posture surprisingly relaxed. Lizabet mimicked her position.
“We’re alone now. What is it that you want to tell me?”
“It is a question of breeding,” Adorissa said, and Lizabet had a hard time keeping her face calm.
“Yes?” she asked cautiously.
“It seems that the Saviji also have queens.” For the first time, the queen’s composure vanished. “I find the idea most distressing; however, our spies have established this beyond a doubt.”
Uncertain what to say, Lizabet maintained an encouraging silence.
“Of course, there are many differences between an Icluthian queen and a Saviji queen. The primary difference is that while they have only a few queens, those queens do not lay a small clutch. Instead they produce thousands of eggs at a time.”
“Thousands?” She knew she sounded as appalled as she felt. She had heard enough about the Saviji to know that they were both deadly warriors and a distinct threat to the galaxy.
Adorissa nodded grimly. “Yes, and it appears that this is why they are sending out scouts. The main swarm has divided. The Yehrin are aware that the Saviji appear to be looking for a new place to swarm, but it is much worse than we originally assumed. We believe they have produced multiple queens and each queen is looking for a new place to lay her eggs and produce warriors.”
“Is there anything that we can do to prevent it?” she asked desperately, the vision of the vicious bug-like aliens taking over the galaxy sending a chill down her spine.
“Perhaps. Based on their knowledge of Icluthian breeding…” her throat pulsed to indicate her embarrassment, “…our scientists have theorized that the new queens are most vulnerable at this stage. It appears that they travel to a temporary location and wait there until their scouts return. They cannot remain with the main swarm or the original queen’s warriors will destroy them. But their resources will only support them for a limited time. If they do not find a new world on which to lay their eggs, they will die.”
“So, if we can find where they are waiting, we can block them or possibly even destroy them at that point?”
“Exactly. We believe we have identified a pattern which indicates their locations, but we do not have the resources to handle all of them.”
“You know that the Yehrin will assist.”
Adorissa nodded slowly. “Yes, I believe that they will.” Her statement did not seem to make her happy.
“But there is something else, isn’t there?”
Instead of answering her immediately, Adorissa picked up one of the embroidered cushions and began playing with the fringe surrounding it. Lizabet waited in silence.
“This is surprisingly difficult,” Adorissa said at last. “We are a proud race, with a long and proud history.”
“I know that you are,” Lizabet agreed. “And there is much about your people that I have come to admire.”
“Or at least as represented by one young and rather reckless warrior?” Adorissa raised a brow ridge, and Lizabet laughed and nodded.
“We do not want the war to resume,” Adorissa said at last.
“What war? If we defeat the Saviji, there will be no war.”
“No, I meant the war with the Yehrin.”
Lizabet frowned at her. “I don’t understand. You have had a treaty with the Yehrin for many generations now.”
“You are correct, of course. But the Yehrin are a warlike race. We are concerned that having had this taste of battle, once their opponents have been eliminated, they will turn to us.” Her face darkened. “The Yehrin have conquered many worlds and they have many races from which to select if they choose to fight. We have kept to ourselves, and now some amongst us consider that a mistake.”
Lizabet thought about her response while the queen waited patiently.
“It is true that the Yehrin are warriors,” she said at last. “But you also bring up your males to be warriors. Perhaps it is somewhat ironic for me to say this, considering they conquered my planet, but I don’t believe that the Yehrin seek out fights. I also think their code of honor would prevent them from engaging in battle with an ally. Of course, I’m speaking only from my personal perspective.”
“And that is why I trust your words.” The queen hesitated. “It is a difficult situation.”
“You know that the Saviji must be defeated. Is there anything that the Yehrin could do to reassure you?”
“We would like a new treaty, assuring us of their continued interest in peace between our races.” She shrugged. “I know that all agreements can be broken, but I agree with your assessment as to their sense of honor. As part of the agreement, we would also like permission to travel into Yehrin occupied space. I believe both species would benefit from the interaction and it would open up new trade opportunities.”
Lizabet nodded. “It seems reasonable to me; however, I do not speak for all of the Yehrin.”
Adorissa raised her brow ridge again. “You should. You are a queen.”
“A very new one,” Lizabet admitted.
“That is irrelevant for this purpose. You will present our proposal?”
“I will.”
Adorissa’s body relaxed back against the cushions. After a moment of silence, she gave Lizabet a speculative look.
“I understand that you are a new queen, so I hope you will not take offense.”
“Offense?”
“I wish to make use of Hisst,” Adorissa said bluntly. “He has the most enticing mating scent and I believe that he would serve me well.”
Lizabet stared at her, not entirely sure that she had heard correctly. “What do you mean by use?”
“I wish to make use of his body, of course.” Adorissa frowned. “Do your queens not share?”
“Under no circumstances whatsoever.” She sprang to her feet. “He is mine.”
“As I said, I did not wish to offend you.” The queen sighed. “But since I noticed that you have not claimed him nor he you, I thought you might be open to the prospect.”
“What do you mean, claimed? We have most certainly claimed each other.”
Adorissa stroked her hand across the ring of raised red dots surrounding her neck. “These are the results of a claiming bite, one from each member of my brace. In return, each one of them wears my mark.”
Lizabet stared at her. “Are they required to form a brace?”
“It is certainly traditional.” Adorissa eyed her speculatively. “And usually, unavoidable while in a mating heat. But perhaps human females do not experience that level of heat?”
“I assure you that lack of heat is not an issue.” Her cheeks flamed as she remembered their encounter of the previous evening.
Adorissa nodded in approval. “It is well that you reflect your desire on your skin.” She hesitated. “So Hisst is not available?”
“No, he isn’t.” Curiosity got the best of her. “May I ask why you are intereste
d? I mean, I know that he’s wonderful, but you have many warriors to choose from. And he said that you did not seem interested in him previously.”
Adorissa sighed. “It was a mistake. I told his dam that I would consider one of her offspring for my brace. Rasster is the elder and seemed to be a better choice.”
“Although I have only met him twice, I’m pretty sure that he would never be a better choice.”
“You’re quite correct. My use of him was… disappointing, to say the least, and he has neither the intelligence nor the charm to compensate for the lack. I had intended to send for Hisst before we left the ship, but unfortunately, he disappeared.” She sighed again. “Perhaps it is just as well. As much as I would like to add such a fine young warrior to my brace, he is, perhaps, too impulsive.”
Despite Adorissa’s words, Lizabet suddenly realized that the pink stripe up the front of Adorissa’s body had deepened to a rosy hue. The damn female was getting aroused by thoughts of her male.
“As I said, he is taken.” She could hear the hostility in her own voice, but to her relief Adorissa only laughed.
“I remember those first days with a new brace. I envy you.” She rose gracefully to her feet. “I will let you carry my message back to the Yehrin.”
“I’m sure that they will listen,” she said hopefully.
As they turned towards the door, Adorissa placed a hand on Lizabet’s arm. “A word of advice. I believe that your brace is meaningful for you, but you should demonstrate your commitment. You should claim them and let them claim you.”
Lizabet couldn’t decide if the advice was intended as a warning or as an encouragement, but she nodded. Whatever it took to make this relationship work, she was willing to do it. And in truth, the thought of both Hisst and T’kol marking their claim upon her caused a low ripple of arousal. Sarah had a mating bite and she had always envied that red circle, such an obvious sign of her warrior’s claim upon her.
“Thank you, Adorissa,” she said sincerely.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Although T’kol managed to keep his face impassive, the conversation between L’zabet and the Icluthian queen had his mind racing. Apparently, the Icluthians did not realize the sensitivity of Yehrin hearing, although from the occasional look H’sst shot in his direction, he suspected his brace mate was not fooled.
When L’zabet finally emerged from the queen’s bedchamber, she seemed quite relaxed, although he couldn’t help but notice the speculative glance that she shot at both him and H’sst. Was she also considering a claiming bite?
“Thank you for the visit, Queen Adorissa,” L’zabet said formally. “I will let you know as soon as possible the results of my discussion.”
“Thank you, Queen Lissie. I look forward to hearing from you.”
While the females had been sequestered in the bedroom, H’sst had been engaged in a low voice conversation with one of the Icluthian warriors. As he came to join them now, T’kol thought that he looked worried, but this was obviously not the time to discuss it.
As soon as they emerged from the queen’s residence, T’chok came striding towards them.
“What did the queen want? Is she willing to talk to us?”
“Yes,” L’zabet said slowly. “But there are conditions.”
“Then we should include T’lan and T’gana in this discussion.” T’chok hesitated, looking at L’zabet. “Do you wish to change first?”
She rolled her eyes. “Is my appearance more important than ending a war?”
T’chok shrugged. “I suspect that five additional minutes will not make much difference.”
L’zabet looked at him then shook her head. “Queen Adorissa chose to speak to me because she regards me as a queen of equal stature. This outfit represents that, and since I am in that position, I think I should continue to wear it.”
T’kol could see the argument raging in T’chok’s head, but he finally inclined his head in acknowledgment.
“Perhaps you’re right.”
Together the four of them went to T’lan’s office.
The meeting with T’lan and T’gana went better than T’kol had expected. L’zabet had provided Queen Adorissa’s conditions clearly and concisely, speaking with an air of authority that both surprised and impressed him. While the idea of allowing Icluthians to travel freely into the Yehrin Empire might be a difficult concept for some Yehrin to accept, as a practical matter the Icluthians had been moving through the Empire on a routine basis during the ongoing battles. T’lan promised to pass the information on to the Earth commander who in turn would address the Supreme Council. He expected a rapid decision, especially given the imminent threat of the new Saviji queens.
As they stepped back out into the cold, T’chok turned to L’zabet. “You did well, my daughter.” He gave her a rueful smile. “It is difficult to accept that one’s children do grow up.”
“It’s good practice.” She smiled up at him. “Remember that you have three more to go.”
T’chok growled. “B’nji is already a fine young warrior. S’phia and J’nnie are but children.”
“For now,” she teased.
“For many years to come,” he said firmly. “But speaking of your sisters, do you have time to come and visit with them?”
“I’d like that.” She closed one eye in that odd human gesture. “And I’m sure they’ll love my gown.”
“And I am sure that you have other clothing in your room.” T’chok looked over at him and H’sst and frowned. “I suppose you had better pack some of them.”
L’zabet squeezed his hand. “Yes, my place is with my mates now.”
Warmth filled his chest, and he saw H’sst smile. Despite T’chok’s presence, she kissed each of them before she left with him.
As they walked back to their domicile, he noticed that H’sst appeared to be deep in thought. He didn’t press the matter.
The domicile seemed oddly empty without L’zabet and he briefly toyed with the idea of returning to his office. However, T’lan had not ordered him to return to his duties so he had no real excuse to be there. After pacing restlessly for a few minutes, he pulled out his woodworking supplies and began working on a new carving. H’sst maintained his thoughtful silence, gazing out the window with rapt attention, although T’kol suspected he wasn’t really looking at their surroundings.
“There is something I wish to discuss with you,” H’sst said at last.
“I am listening.”
“You may have noticed that I was talking to Nosstra.”
“Yes?”
“He believes that Queen Adorissa is going to request that Lissie accompany her back to Icluthia.”
“What?” he roared. “That is unacceptable. I do not care if it kills the negotiations. I will not allow her to leave us.”
“No, no,” H’sst said quickly. “We would accompany her, of course. No queen would travel without her brace. It would mean that the three of us would travel to Icluthia.”
Leave not only Earth, but the Yehrin Empire behind? And his career, he realized. There would be no hope of advancement if he were the sole Yehrin on a foreign planet. As he contemplated that rather dismal future, he noticed that H’sst did not seem any happier.
“I thought you would be happy to return home.”
“It might be nice to see Icluthia again.” H’sst shrugged. “But it is of no great consequence. The day I accepted Lissie as my queen, I knew my path would be tied to hers.”
“This way you would have both,” he pointed out.
It was H’sst’s turn to pace. He prowled around the room twice before he finally blurted out. “I do not want to take Lissie to Icluthia.”
“Why not?” T’kol scowled at him. “Are you ashamed of her?”
“Ashamed? Of course not. She is everything that I could want, and that is the problem. What if I am not the only one to see her beauty? What if other warriors approach her and ask to be added to her brace?”
“Under no circum
stances is she going to add any more males to our arrangement,” he snarled. “I have learned to accept you.”
“Why, thank you.”
“…but that is my limit. Surely, you do not want additional males in our brace?”
“No, of course not. But it is the queen’s decision and on Icluthia, surrounded by other queens… What if she decides she needs to enhance her status?”
“She may be your queen, but she is also my L’chka. A L’chka does not have the option to decide to take another mate.”
H’sst gave him a half-smile. “Perhaps there are some advantages to this barbaric custom of yours.”
Despite the smile, the distress was obvious on H’sst’s face.
“I do not think you have anything to worry about. L’zabet chose us because she felt a connection with us. She has no interest in status and I do not believe that she would ever change to the extent where she felt that she needed additional males to enhance her standing.”
H’sst’s shoulders finally relaxed. “Perhaps you are right. I should know better than to assume she would react according to Icluthian tradition.”
He made another turn around the room, but this time he seemed thoughtful rather than stressed. “Do you think Lissie will require assistance with her clothing?”
T’kol hid his smile. “In other words, you wish to see her and reassure yourself?”
“Perhaps,” H’sst acknowledged. “Do you think she would mind?”
“T’chok might object, but I am sure that our mate will not.”
“Then I will go to assist.” He was already halfway to the door.
“H’sst?” he said quietly.
“Yes?”
“I am… glad that L’zabet chose you.”
H’sst dipped his head. “Thank you, my brace mate. I, too, am most satisfied.”
“Go on now,” he said gruffly, surprised by the depth of emotion sweeping over him.
H’sst grinned and slipped out of the door.
T’kol’s words had reassured Hisst and he hummed happily to himself as he went to find his queen. His olfactory sensors flared tasting the cool mountain air, redolent with plant life. He could detect the lower musky notes of the Yehrin, interspersed with brighter scents of the humans. And one particular human… He smiled as his queen’s fragrance drifted through the air, but then it changed, taking on the tang of… fear? He took off at a run.
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