Mahoney’s face turned grim and she put her hands on her hips as she demanded, “Please tell me that you did not name that wolverine in panda’s clothing after me. And what were you thinking buying a pet anyway? I thought you were determined to go home at the end of the month. There’s no way you’ll be able to take it with you.”
Jessica stalled on answering as she settled the creature inside its crate and out of the line of sight. She shrugged with her back turned to her friend and replied evasively, “Who knows? Maybe I might stay, after all. Even if I don’t stay, I can leave her in good hands with Enahara. She’s having a baby soon, and bimbops are fiercely protective of babies. Besides, what better name could I give such a loyal and aggressively violent animal?” she teased her warrior friend.
Mahoney studied her shrewdly as she sipped from her container of water. They had been sparring for well over two hours already and Jessica was already tiring. Abruptly changing the subject, she announced, “I saw that you and Korian disappeared from the party last night together and were gone for about an hour. You want to tell me what that was all about?”
Jessica struggled not to let the blush sweep up over her cheeks, but it was a losing battle. “I don’t really think that’s any of your business,” she replied, her tone peevish.
She jumped when Mahoney clapped her hands and shouted, “Ha! I knew it! You and the king were knocking boots, weren’t you? As soon as I saw his face last night, I had this feeling.”
A huge grin broke out over Jessica’s face and she capitulated. “Okay, okay! Yes, we had sex, and it was passionate and amazing. It was even better the second, third, and fourth time when he came to my room last night after the guests had left. You happy now?”
Mahoney arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “It all depends on what his intentions are towards you and what yours are toward him. If you are both just enjoying each other’s company while you’re here on T’Kala, that’s one thing. I’m just afraid that one or both of you are going to end up hurt at the end of the month, and that would piss me off to no end. I really don’t want to have to either commit regicide over your broken heart, or assault with a deadly weapon over his.”
Jessica made a rude noise. “Bitch, please. You love me too much to hurt me and you love your husband too much to hurt his king. I know how to spot your empty threats by now, Mahoney. Besides, I’ve only been here in the compound for less than a week, so how would I know if I have feelings for Korian? The only thing I know for sure is that he can make me come-“
“Stop right there!” Mahoney interrupted her, holding her hand out in warning. “I don’t need the gritty details of your sex life with my king, thank you very much. I just worry about you, Jess, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Jessica’s eyes dimmed as she replied, “I guess it doesn’t matter if I do get hurt, though, does it? If I decide not to stay, they’ll modify my memory before returning me back to Earth and I won’t remember any of this. Not T’Kala, Mikael, Zandar, my bimbop, or Korian. It will be like it never happened.”
Mahoney looped her arm around Jessica’s shoulders and pulled her in for a side hug. “Don’t worry about that right now. If the worst happens and you want to go back home, I’ll make sure that your memories stay intact if that’s what you want. I just happen to know the Captain of the T’Kalan army, and I’m pretty sure I can convince him to look the other way.”
Jessica squeezed her back with an arm around her waist and rested her head on Mahoney’s shoulder as they walked toward the door. She scooped up the little pet crate as she passed by and replied, “You’ve always got my back, Mahoney. Thank you for being the best friend I’ve ever had.”
“You’re not too shabby yourself, Red,” she replied lightly, as she nodded a stiff hello to Mantor as they passed him in the hallway. “By the way, Mikael told me that your schedule has already been booked up for the next two weeks with social gatherings thanks to Rox’Ana Ful’Tera. I can’t tell you much about what was found by our spies, but I can tell you that she is a nasty piece of work. You need to be on your toes and watch your back at all times, you hear me?”
Jessica pressed her palm to the sensor outside her bedroom door and Mahoney followed her inside. “Seriously, Mahoney, after all the agents, publicists, paparazzi, bitchy costars, and Hollywood hangers-on, do you really think that I can’t handle her? I’ll have her eating out of the palm of my hand in no time.”
Mahoney cautiously watched as Jessica retrieved her new pet from inside the crate, and eyeballed it for any imminent attack. When the little fur ball just followed her friend around with a happy trot, she turned her attention back to the conversation at hand. “I know that you know how to talk to these kinds of people, but we’re talking about politics and revolutions here, not blockbuster movies and top billing. The greed for power can make people do desperate, and sometimes violent, things. You’ll be taking a warrior escort with you, right?”
Jessica rolled her eyes and turned to her dresser to assess her reflection. “Geez, Mom! No, I will not be taking an escort. The whole point of this charade is to find out what she’s got up her sleeve. How am I supposed to do that if one of the king’s men is at my side all the time? I’ll be fine, Mahoney. I promise.”
Her friend didn’t look appeased at all. “I would still feel better if you take someone you trust with you. What about Zandar? You two have been quite chummy lately, and I know he would jump at the chance to be your escort. With his sister being married to a noble, he would be able to blend better than any other warrior.”
Jessica dropped her gaze and picked up her hairbrush to run it through her long, scarlet waves. “It’s not fair to keep Zandar from his duties every time I need to go to a party. Rox’Ana has nothing more nefarious planned for me than squiring me around P’Hartha to parade me before her noble friends. The only thing I’m in danger of is being bored out of my mind.”
When Mahoney didn’t reply right away, Jessica finally met her friend’s exotically-slanted Asian gaze in the mirror. She could see the steel of determination in her eyes, and she had a feeling that Mahoney was getting to her real point. “You know that Zandar’s falling for you, right? I’ve seen that look in his eyes reflected back at me from Mikael’s, and the only thing holding him back is the fact that you are under his king’s protection. Don’t lead him on if you don’t think you can feel the same way, Jessica. It’s not fair to him, especially if your heart is leading you in a different direction. He’s a good man and a strong warrior, and I would hate to see him get his heart broken or incur the wrath of the king.”
Jessica turned to face her warrior friend and braced her hands on the shelving behind her. “I know you’re right, Mahoney, but I care about him, too. He is so warm and funny and courteous.” Jessica’s face dissolved into sadness as she whispered, “I wish I could love him. He would make any woman a wonderful lifemate.”
Mahoney stood to her feet and walked over to her friend and squeezed her arm in understanding. “But he doesn’t make your pulse race or your body burn, does he? Not like Korian does.”
Jessica shook her head miserably as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. A sob caught in her throat and she threw her arms around her athletically-toned friend. “What am I going to do, Mahoney? Even though Korian is passionate and possessive, I have no illusions that he’ll want me for more than the month. He already told me that he couldn’t afford to split his attention at this crucial point in his reign. What if I am just a pleasant diversion for him? Why couldn’t I have been attracted to Zandar? He’s already made his intentions clear, and at least I would know what to expect from him.”
Mahoney patted her gingerly, her embrace awkward. Jessica knew that her friend was uncomfortable with affection, but she couldn’t contain her own need to touch those she loved and seek comfort from them in return. Mahoney cleared her throat and pulled the actress away from her body so they could look eye to eye. “Jessica MacGregor, you need to pull yourself together. The question
you should be asking yourself is not what Korian or Zandar wants, but what do you want. What happened to the young starlet that hounded the director for months until she landed the part in Taking Heat? What happened to the fiery redhead that demanded a salary equal to her male costar and got it? All you need to do is figure out what you want and don’t let anything or anyone stand in your way. You may not carry a blade or know how to fight, but by God, you are a warrior in your own right. Now, put your big girl panties on and make shit happen.”
Jessica laughed and wiped her face until her tears were gone. “You always know just what to say, Mahoney. You’re absolutely right! I need to decide what it is I want from each of them, and make sure they fall in line. You’re the best bestie that’s ever bested! I could just lay a big kiss right on you.”
Mahoney took a big step back and held her hand up. “I’d rather you didn’t. I don’t know where those lips have been, but I do know where mine have been, and you’d probably rather not know where.”
Jessica cracked up as she waved her friend out of her room. She felt energized and full of purpose once more. She had let herself doubt and worry, but no more. She was proud and stubborn as only a Scottish woman could be, and she was going to get what she wanted. She just had to figure out what that was first.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jessica had groaned aloud the first time she viewed her schedule that Rox’Ana had sent over via transmission. Every single day, Rox’Ana and her daughter had her booked from midday until well past sunsdown. While seeing more of the alien world and meeting new people every day was exciting, the additional burden of having to deal with the sly noblewoman and her spoiled, shallow daughter made for a lot of biting her tongue and laughing falsely when she’d rather be snatching the woman bald.
The first time she heard Rox’Ana drop a nasty comment about Korian was the very next day after her pep talk from Mahoney. The noblewoman had sent her conveyance to the king’s compound to pick her up right after breakfast. Apparently, her foray into T’Kalan noble society was to begin with a delegates’ meeting there in P’Hartha. From what she had been able to gather, the delegates from each major province on T’Kala had elected representatives that all met in the capital city once a month to propose new laws, discuss any important issues that may affect the planet, and conduct business with one another. In other words, they did a lot of hobnobbing. Jessica may have been a new player, but she was no stranger to the game. Even though it centered on politics, it was still familiar territory for Jessica. The subject may not be movies, Oscars, and box office receipts, but it was still the same rich, entitled people making deals under the table and backbiting those in power until they were present and then unceremoniously kissing their asses.
The event reminded her of a mixture of a board room meeting and a cocktail party. Her attention was riveted when the delegates present, including a warrior from the warrior class, all sat in a circle at a table and began to discuss the concerns that pertained to their province. Jessica was enthralled to hear about the civil unrest in a city called Funija from a faction of citizens that were unsatisfied with the lack of reliable access to medi-beds and corrective treatment for their rural farmers. Yet another province, this one located by the sea, requested a contingent of warriors to come to their city and help them slay something called a jorlunk. From what she could gather, it was a water-dwelling creature roughly the size of a whale that was indiscriminately snacking on the natives and tourists when they entered the water.
Then the warrior delegate, an older, bronzed god of a man with pale amber eyes and salt-and-pepper long hair, stood to his feet and addressed the whole congregation. “As most of you know, my name is Rojan Var’Mor, and I am the king’s hand-chosen delegate. He has heard rumors of unrest and discontent with his rule, and he bade me deliver a message to the esteemed delegates of his kingdom.”
Jessica looked around the room as noblemen and women gasped, looked shocked, and even scandalized. She could only deduce that a direct message from the king was not commonplace. Her nerves ratcheted up as she caught snippets of the surrounding conversations. Taking the moment of shock that his announcement afforded her, she turned to her hostess and whispered, “Why is everyone so unsettled by a message from the king?”
Rox’Ana’s nose was flared and her lips turned white with distaste. “Because it simply isn’t done, Jessica. Warrior kings for the past century have allowed the delegates to dictate the course of their own provinces, and only step in to rule on those matters when there is no consensus on a course of action from a vote by the delegates. By addressing the delegation this way, he is asserting his authority where it doesn’t belong. He should focus his concentration on his band of soldiers and keep it out of the delegation process.”
Jessica furrowed her brow in confusion and asked, “But isn’t it his job as king to direct the path of his people? I thought the delegates all answered to him.”
The noblewoman made a rude noise. “Please. The warrior kings have nothing more on their mind than clanging swords and fighting like younglings at play. Korian is a mere youngling himself, and has no idea what he is doing as king. He makes a mockery of T’Kala with his bumbling inexperience.”
Jessica’s eyes widened at the blatant animosity the woman held for her king. She silently sat back in her seat and waited for the warrior delegate to deliver the king’s message. Once Rojan had the attention of the entire room, he touched several buttons on the sensor pad of the table and a 3D projection of Korian filled the center of the table. Jess couldn’t hold back the shiver of awareness that flooded through her body as she remembered the feeling of being held up by those powerful arms as he had taken her body.
“Delegates of T’Kala,” the image of the king began, “I come before you today with a matter of utmost urgency and seek your assistance. It has come to my attention that many of you are unsatisfied with my rule as your king and seek to either dethrone me or do away with warrior kings altogether.” There was an audible gasp of shock throughout the room, and Jessica was surprised at how many of the delegates were honestly taken aback at the news. “I admit that the past three years have been a learning experience for me, as I had not anticipated having to take the throne until much later in my life. I had foolishly assumed that I would be training at my father’s side for many more years, but he was taken from me, from all of us, while defending our world from attack. It is my wish to be the king that you deserve, and I humbly come before you to seek your assistance and guidance in matters that affect your provinces so that I may be better equipped to provide the resources our people need in order to be both safe and prosperous. To that end, it is my intention to take over the task of warrior delegate and will be attending all future meetings. I will also be traveling to each of your provinces at least once a year in order to meet with your people, hear their stories, and familiarize myself with their cultures. I ask for your support in this endeavor and request that you bear with me as I learn how to be the king that T’Kala deserves. I may be a warrior, but I am first a T’Kalan citizen, and my priority will always be to ensure the happiness and safety of all our people. Thank you, and may the stars shine down upon you in blessing.”
As the transmission came to an end, the silence in the room was thick and heavy. Jessica watched the reactions of each of the delegates and made mental notes on who looked impressed, who looked pissed, and who looked scared. She didn’t have to guess at what Rox’Ana felt, because she immediately stood to her feet to address the stunned delegates.
“Pretty words from a desperate man,” her deep voice boomed across the room. “Do you not see his trick? He appeals to your vanity in order to gain your compliance as he infiltrates the very heart of the delegation! He is a barbarian warrior born and bred, and he seeks nothing more than to conquer those that would rise up against him. Do you truly believe that you will be allowed to speak as freely as you do now when the king is in attendance? He is nothing more than a young boy who seeks to cling to
his tired throne through any means necessary. Do not say I didn’t warn you when he shows you his hidden daggers and you find them buried in your back.”
Rojan jolted to his feet, and his swarthy face was a mask of rage. “How dare you speak about your king with such disrespect? Have you no honor, delegate? You speak of hidden daggers while slinging your own with your words.” Turning to face the entire company of delegates, he continued, “I have known Korian since he was born waving his fists at the stars, and watched him grow into the compassionate, honorable, and intelligent man he has become. He is a man of his word, and does not understand the concept of deception. It took great courage for him to admit his failings and seek your knowledge and patience while he grows into his role as leader of T’Kala. Rox’Ana Ful’Tera would paint him as a bloodthirsty barbarian and uses fear to instill distrust in your hearts. I only ask that each of you stop to think what she seeks to gain with such vitriol, and ask yourselves if you are willing to pay the price.”
Jessica’s body was strung tight with stress at the tension in the room. She had seen plenty of angry women in her life, but nothing compared to the icy determination and contempt that showed on the noblewoman’s face. “Are we to ignore the laws of our delegation, or do we now blindly bend to the will of the king? Every delegate must be voted upon before entrance to the delegation is granted. I urge each of you to vote against the king’s appointment. You will see for yourselves his reaction should he be denied entrance to these halls.”
Rojan pressed more buttons on the table sensor before addressing the congregation again. “Korian would expect no less than your cooperation and adherence to your statutes. Should you choose not to accept him as delegate, he will abide by your decision. However, I would say that making a friend of your new king can only be an advantage for your provinces. What better way to ensure the needs of your people are met than by holding counsel with your regent each month?” He met and held the gazes of each delegate in the room before adding, “I have cued up the vote for each of you. Should King Korian be our new warrior delegate? Cast your votes now.”
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