What kind of draconian society was this? He was almost afraid to ask— “And the private part?”
One of the serving crew came into the dining room, both Zenon and Jessa turning abruptly towards him. The man stopped in his tracks, looking at each in turn. “I’ll come back later.”
Once he disappeared back into the galley, Zenon turned to Jessa. “And?”
“Alazne believes in fated mates,” Jessa said.
He could see where this was going. Since he was her fated mate, she didn’t find him in time—
“She’s the sole heir to the throne and they thought she was getting too old to have babies. Alazne never picked a suitor, so they arranged a marriage for her.”
“Who are ‘they?’”
“Her parents,” Jessa’s tone suggested he should have that one figured out.
Zenon couldn’t imagine his parents doing that to him. Too old to have babies? Alazne wasn’t that old—
“The guy is a complete asshole,” Jessa continued, lip curled in disgust. “He’s barely even a Prince. Just some mogul from a barely populated ship-building outpost that calls himself a Prince. I don’t even know why her parents would arrange for Alazne to marry such a man. She didn’t know either. She agreed to meet him, just in case he was her fated mate, but she hated him the moment she saw him. Said she would never marry him, so they said they’d disown her if she didn’t.”
Zenon could feel his eyes growing wider and wider.
“So, she did one better,” Jessa continued. “She disowned her place as royalty, so she wouldn’t have to suffer the humiliation of disownment. She told me right before she did it. Her parents didn’t even know until it was done and she was gone.”
Zenon sat in complete silence as Jessa gave her accounting. He had no words. Anger set him on edge.
So, he was correct in his earlier thought that her desire not to marry was so strong, the power to create portals to run away from such a situation manifested itself. But it was more than that—
What her parents did was an unthinkable betrayal. What he said to her on Keia’s ship, about how it was stupid for her not to go immediately to Adamar to get a healer for his mother simply because she didn’t want to marry—
It hit him square in the gut.
No wonder Alazne wanted to run away. She was the daughter of the rulers of Adamar and all her life she was told she had to find her mate. But she wanted her fated mate and didn’t find him in the time they considered. So, she was being forced to marry and have kids to carry on the royal family—
Zenon had the overwhelming urge to get on the intercom and tell Captain Selman to turn the ship around. He walked over to the intercom unit mounted on the wall, finger raised to punch the code to the bridge—
“I think they regret it,” Jessa said. “They’ve sent people out looking for her.”
He remembered Keia saying something similar. A sardonic smile lifted his lips. Fitting that it would be hard to find someone who could open doorways to other worlds, exactly the way Alazne wanted it. They deserved every bit of anguish that likely caused them.
“Your mother wanted me to tell you what I know,” Jessa said.
Of course. And Jessa just dealt a big hand without knowing it, orchestrated by his mother.
Zenon lowered his hand away from the intercom. The part of him that was his mother wanted to let all this play out. The part that was his father? A good mystery meant everything else could wait.
Zenon stood with Jessa and several crew members in the viewing bay beneath his spacecraft, blast doors fully open, revealing panoramic views of star-studded space surrounding them, the planet of Adamar growing larger as they approached.
Deciding to play along with his mother’s scheme, whatever the result was supposed to be, he told Captain Selman to report to the planet’s traffic control that they were returning a wayward Princess to her home world. Good thing Alazne wasn’t around for that conversation.
Said Princess glided into the room and his heart beat faster. This was his Lifemate. She was royalty. They could be together after all. And the Fates chose well. His mother was going to be so pleased.
Alazne didn’t judge him for being royalty, because she was as well. Yet, she didn’t tell him she was, even after finding out he was. Why? Did she believe that renouncing it meant she was no longer fit to be with him?
Semantics.
When his mother got better, she would be there for the wedding. Zenon’s heart was full.
The robot, a constant presence on Alazne’s shoulder these days, held his gaze when Alazne wouldn’t look at him. That piece of tech got creepier by the minute.
As they got closer to the planet, Zenon was surprised by how much of it was a dark, industrial city.
“I never understood why Adamar is so industrial,” Alazne said and he wondered if part of her magic was the ability to read his mind.
“Sometimes opposites make the most sense,” Ariad responded, still watching Zenon.
“What is your industry?” Zenon shifted under that creepy gaze, but he was curious. He expected to see more natural terrain. There were green spots here and there, likely large gardens.
“Ship-building,” Alazne said.
Not what he expected to hear at all. Maybe that explained her fascination with his and Keia’s ships. Having assumed it was because she hadn’t been around many space-faring vessels, he was reminded why assumptions should never be made about anything. Or maybe she meant the sea-faring kinds of ships—
“When you say ‘ship-building,’ you mean—”
At that, she turned a smirk on him, complete with an eye roll. “Space-faring. Not everyone can live on a natural landscape like Karr.”
He didn’t push for anything more. Maybe her status as royalty didn’t allow for much experience with spacecraft, even on an industrial ship-building world such as this. At least she was looking at him.
Although, the idea that his mother was cooking a scheme was becoming more evident by the minute—
“There are cities beyond our mountains, with burgeoning industry,” he said. “We’re ship-builders, too.” He gave her a sidelong glance, lips twisting upwards. “The space-faring kind.”
Then it hit him. Perhaps he didn’t know what his mother was up to, but a scheme of his own was formulating. Knowing exactly how to manipulate his actions, he couldn’t help but think Queen Ariad orchestrated the hand he was about to play.
Bowing politely, he said, “If you’ll excuse me.”
Walking to the intercom panel on the far wall, he keyed in the bridge. “Captain Selman, I need you to send a message for me. Say exactly what I tell you—”
Chapter 19
Alazne looked over the surrounding walls of the ship as Zenon excused himself.
So, the Karrians built their amazing spacecraft. She didn’t pretend to know much about it, but her people could learn a lot about the advancement of space-faring vessels from the Karrians. Yet another reason an alliance with them was increasingly necessary.
But Karr had the upper hand. They had the army and tech to fight the Hunters and they had the more advanced ship manufacturing. What in the universe could Adamar offer in return? Magic could certainly serve as an enhancement, but would the non-believing Karrians consider that equal value?
Soon they were on the ground, Alazne standing at the top of the ramp. Zenon insisted she stand beside him as the ramp lowered.
Jessa stood behind them along with the Captain and Zenon’s head of security. What was his name? Oh yes, Trotter.
Alazne heard the sound of her mother gasping, but it was her betrothed that had her attention. Lych was every bit of what she remembered, crooked nose and all. Not an inherently ugly man, she’d find the crooked nose charming if he weren’t such an ass.
As they descended the ramp, he waltzed over to Zenon, hand outstretched. “You will bow to me, Sir.”
And there was the ‘ass’ part. The way he pronounced the ‘S’ in ‘Sir’ made h
im sound like a snake. What a vile person. The thought of this man touching her made her skin crawl.
Zenon took it in stride. “As the Crown Prince of Karr, I will do no such thing.”
When Zenon stuck out his hand to grasp and shake Lych’s outstretched one, Alazne’s mouth dropped open. The look on Lych’s face was priceless.
“Leach, is it?” Zenon said.
Alazne’s father stifled a chuckle and she knew her eyes had to be as wide as her mother’s.
“It’s pronounced ‘Lich,’” Lych said.
“I’m Jerryd.” Her father brushed Lych out of the way, grabbing Zenon’s hand, shaking enthusiastically with a smile.
“And I’m Lissa,” her mother said. Why was she being shy? She turned to Lych. “We can take it from here, dear.”
Alazne blinked, hands tingling. She’d never seen her parents openly dismiss her betrothed like this. And Zenon was showing no discomfort with the hand-shaking greeting he snubbed not so long ago.
Alazne turned to Jessa and mouthed, What is going on?
Jessa looked as confused as she was, shrugging with her hands in the air, head shaking, mouthing back, I don’t know.
The tickle of her familiar’s voice sounded in her mind, full of amusement, I know what’s going on.
Thankful the squirrel was in her pocket, out of sight, she ignored it.
Once Lych disappeared, her mother said, “We received your message, and we accept your terms. We have everything you need, but if you’d like to freshen up before you go—”
Everything you need? Message? Accept your terms? What in Goddess’s name?
“Yes,” Zenon said. “We’d like that very much.”
Reaching over, he pulled Alazne to his side, arm around her shoulder. She was so well and truly lost, she had no idea what to think, or say, or feel. The easy way he dealt with her parents and betrothed was mind-boggling.
“If we could speak to our daughter alone,” her mother said.
Yes, she would like that, too. But Zenon didn’t budge until she nodded her buzzing head.
Once he disappeared back into his ship, her mother broke down in choking sobs, embracing her. “We thought we’d lost you forever.”
Wrapping her arms around her mother, tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks. Her father encompassed both of them in a giant hug.
“We did not want you to leave,” he said.
“You were just taking too long to choose a suitor,” her mother added through the sobs.
“You didn’t allow me to choose,” Alazne cried. “There was no choice. You took the choice away from me.”
“We were wrong,” her mother said, backing away slightly to look her in the eye, holding her upper arms. “What we did was wrong.”
Alazne resisted to the urge to pull out of her grip. “You said you were going to disown me. That I was worthless without a husband to produce heirs with.”
“We acted on emotion,” her father said as her mother’s arms dropped, the look on Lissa’s face guilty and forlorn. “We didn’t really mean it. What we know now is we should have waited. It’s your choice.”
Should have waited? Choice? Alazne chest was so tight she couldn’t breathe.
“It’s your choice to marry,” her mother said.
“Getting married wasn’t the problem,” Alazne said when her constricted midsection loosened up enough to breathe again.
A very relieved sounding sigh escaped her mother. “So, you do want to get married.”
Seriously? How could they not know that?
“Of course, I want to get married,” Alazne said. “But, Lych? What were you thinking?”
Her father began pacing the floor. “His family builds ships that are slightly more advanced than ours. Combining that technology with ours—”
He trailed off, no doubt because of the incredulous look she knew was on her face. Though, she knew all along that the man she would marry would be an alliance between her world and another. She just never thought the choice of who to marry would be snatched from her.
“You do need an heir,” her mother continued.
Alazne blew out a breath, resisting an eye roll. “I’m 28 years old. There’s plenty of time for an heir. But there’s no way I’m marrying Lych. I decide who I will marry. No one can decide for me.”
“It is your choice,” Jerryd said, head slightly bowed.
“We will reinstate you as the sole heir to the throne,” Lissa said next. “It was only ever going to be you, anyway.”
Alazne could hardly believe what she was hearing. “What about the traditions?”
“We are the ruling family,” Jerryd said. “We decide the traditions.”
Mind a maelstrom, one thought surfaced above the others. Queen Ariad was right; she didn’t have to marry someone just because she was engaged to him.
The glint in her mother’s eyes made her head spin. “This Karrian Prince you found—”
“—Would make a grand ally,” her father finished, eyebrows raised as he looked at her from his bowed head.
Zenon? But Zenon had a Lifemate. Though she knew he would probably marry her, she would not take that choice away from him.
“Zenon already has a mate.” The words were hard to say, and she fought away the tears.
Her parents exchanged a glance, something knowing being communicated and unsaid. Brow furrowing, Alazne had no idea how to interpret that.
Zenon rode in the transport vehicle in silence. Alone, he left his ship and crew to prepare for the trip back to Karr. Jessa had gone ahead, to procure the potion from the palace, as was part of the arrangement in his message. Alazne had also gone to the palace with her parents. Having instructed the ship to leave without him, everything he needed was now in one spot.
The city-planet of Adamar was bright with twinkling lights, the vividness of shiny reflective, mirror-like buildings outlining the darkening twilight sky. When the transport reached the palace, he was struck with the contrast.
Red walls and black spires, the palace was gothic, dark, a tradition about it belying the glittering lights.
The vehicle stopping at a tall, black iron gate that seemed to be gathering fog, the door opened, no one on the other side. Unmoving, he thought the place more like something from the Dead World than Adamar.
A head popped in the frame of the door, his heart leaping. Ah, so someone solid did open it after all. No soul-sucking specters or bargaining light spirits to be seen.
“Welcome to Adamar Castle, Sir,” the young man said, opening the door of the vehicle, motioning for Zenon to step out.
The doorman led him inside, promptly leaving him alone. Ancient armor and swords lined the walls, candles hanging from the ceiling. There was an impressive display of modern weaponry, as well. But it was the models of ships that caught his eye; sea-faring boats, cruising vessels, and battleships to space-faring transports, yachts, and battle cruisers.
Wiggling free of the side pocket against his leg, Stick shot into the air and disappeared down a hallway. “Dammit, Stick, now is not the time to explore!”
A brush against his arm alerted him to someone’s presence and he looked down to see the fiery red hair of Alazne, green eyes studying him.
“Your family is the royal family of Adamar,” he said after a moment.
“I guess we’re both full of surprises,” she said with raised eyebrows.
Touche. He didn’t exactly advertise his status either.
“I didn’t want you to think less of me,” he said, turning towards her.
“Less of you?”
“Well, yea. You know what it’s like. Some people hold royalty in high esteem, others just as soon shit on us.”
She nodded her head. “I do know what it’s like.”
Staring at each other a moment, he shuffled closer when her eyes darted to his lips. The candlelight from the candelabra overhead cast flickering shadows against the walls.
“What did you tell them?” she said.
“Tell them?” All he wanted was to press his lips against hers.
“Yes, my parents, in your message. What did you tell them?”
Oh, right.
“I told them who I was. Then I proposed an alliance, that I had it on good authority that they were looking for ship-building collaboration and sent the schematics of my personal ship. I said I knew there was a society hunting them and that Karr would offer help if they accepted my terms.” With each sentence, he leaned further down, towards those soft lips, memory of how they felt against his tantalizing him—
“What were your terms?” Her eyes darted to his lips again and when her tongue momentarily swiped her bottom lip, his face heated up.
He leaned further, and was she leaning towards him too? “I told them all they had to do was give you the choice.”
Her chest bumped his and he felt the mounds of her breasts the moment before she pulled back slightly, as if the touch was too much. Sending a jolt down his spine straight to his groin, it was.
“That’s it?” she said.
“That’s what they said, too,” he chuckled. Did Alazne not know her worth? Did her parents not know? “But, no. They must also reinstate you as the Crown Princess of Adamar. Did they?”
His palms itched to grab her and pull her back against him.
“Yes,” she whispered, face reddening.
“It’s your choice to marry and your choice who to marry.”
Her lips were on his in the next instant, having lifted herself on her tippy toes. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her flush with his chest, reveling in the feel of her breasts once again. Stars, he wanted this woman in every way imaginable.
“And what did you choose?” he asked when his pants became too tight. This wasn’t really the time or place to act on his fantasies.
“I’m not marrying Lych, that’s for sure,” Alazne said.
The mention of the worm’s name was enough to lesson some of the heat, but every bit of desire he had remained. Curiosity winning out, he asked the question that would extinguish the fire—
“You haven’t been home in a long time. Why is that guy still around?”
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