Izaac glared angrily at him.
“Why are they being allowed to join us?”
“You saw the report. For the sake of harmony among our Castes, the Inquisitors have announced that they are allowing you to return to the Academy. Gestating females will not be dismissed but will be denied physical participation. Having been apprised of the situation, Consul Bosh and Consul Dano have approved the additional warships in their sector of space. Expect a formal and very public apology from Rovek. It will be recorded and broadcast within the Empire.”
Confused, I asked, “Why do the Inquisitors even care about the feelings of the Materfamilias Caste or anyone else for that matter? It seems out of character for them as a whole.”
Papa chuckled. Then, he chuckled some more.
“What?”
“Teagan, the Materfamilias Caste has their own way of influencing the Warrior Caste.”
“Angry speeches?”
“Rumors reached my ears, through a gorgeous blue-eyed female, that every married Inquisitor in the Empire had been warned that they would be lacking certain physical comforts until you were treated compassionately. After all, the Materfamilias Caste thought their agreed upon form of protest was only fitting since pregnancy is what they were led to believe caused your expulsion.” He grinned at me. “They have unified. They won’t be tricked and have insisted on visual confirmation of an apology to you before renewing conjugal spousal relations.”
I snorted at him. “Flavian had his arm taken off in increments, and he didn’t break. Are you telling me that withholding… um…?” I couldn’t be specific about it with my Papa and in front of the children. “Not doing that thing….”
“Daughter, the ladies of the Empire are cherished and protected. It is a matter of pride amongst us to keep them happy and pampered. To outsiders, it may appear that our females have no political influence. However, historically, whenever the Materfamilias Caste takes a stance, they can bring us to our knees in a matter of weeks.”
“Then, why didn’t they end the Bloody Wars?” The situation we had survived on Daphoene was still fresh in my mind.
Papa’s expression turned bland. “That was something entirely different. If only such things could end so easily.” He held my gaze for a moment, and then said, “Carry on, my darling.”
The screen went blank but for the little blue smudges upon it that Neema had left.
Izaac made a run for it. The lift doors closed before I could get my pregnant body up from the floor. “Lorca, will you be a dear and take over for me here?”
“Yes, Teagan.”
Peter held his little clawed hands up to him and said, “Goo.”
Smiling, Lorca kissed his forehead and helped my adorable little prince with his clay. Thunderdrop was amusing himself by sticking his claws into his green blobs of clay. Leaving them happy and content, I washed my hands and went in search of Izaac. My husbands wisely said nothing. Rozz had said that Izaac was jealous. Why would he be jealous? He and the rest of my Omnes Videntes had already graduated from an accelerated program as a formality. All of them far outranked me within the Warrior Caste. I was only an ensign. By the time I found Izaac on Deck Three staring out at space through a viewport, I was tired.
“What the hell?” I asked as I came up behind him.
He knew that I had been searching for him. Izaac didn’t acknowledge me or turn away from the viewport. He held his hands behind his back. He had a view of the stars, and I had a view of his black uniform and the back of his head. His dove-grey hair was cut short in the style of a Parvac soldier.
I tugged on his sleeve. “Why are you ignoring me?”
Into my thoughts, he said, “I am ashamed of my behavior.”
“You captured my entire team? You locked them up? Why? They’re my friends. I thought they didn’t want anything more to do with me.” Again, I tugged on his sleeve.
Turning, he stared down into my eyes. “They don’t all want to be only friends with you. A few of them might be in love with you, but I’ve loved you truer and longer than any of them. Yet, you toss me aside in favor of shiny new toys.”
I stared at him in shock as waves of hurt, frustration, and anger rolled over me. “I haven’t tossed you aside. We are always together and always will be. We are family.”
The black depths of his eyes burned. “I don’t love you as a sister or as a clan mother. You know how I love you. Do you remember when I kissed you on Chione?” He pulled the memory forth in my mind.
The room had been dark. I had woken up afraid and disoriented with memories of the underground room where I had been briefly imprisoned on Malta playing tricks with my mind. The door had opened, and I had thought Yukihyo had come to chase away my fears. His soft lips had found mine, comforting me, but the pleasure he had spiraled through me had proved that assumption to be wrong. The memory caused phantom pleasure to sweep me along with such intensity that I came where I stood without his touch. Only then did Izaac reach out to steady me with his arms around my waist.
Into my mind, he said, “I love you. It isn’t something I have the power to stop, and it isn’t Zared’s love which I feel for you. It is my own.” Slowly, he lowered his face to mine. Soft lips gave way to a hard passion.
His emotions cried out to me. Through the bond we shared, I felt what he had been keeping hidden from me, the longing and pain. Just as quickly as the kiss began, it ended, and my knees gave out. Izaac caught me with an arm behind my knees and carried me over to a seat.
“I know you feel for me what I feel for you and that you believe me worthy. I am as good as your other husbands and older than this newest one of yours. I can protect and provide for you and the children. I will do anything and give anything to please you. However, the one thing you asked of me, I don’t have the strength to accomplish. You asked me once to keep male suitors distracted and away, but I can no longer distract myself from you. My need for you consumes me. Say something. Say anything,” he begged within my mind. “In locking them away, I was only obeying an order you gave me long ago. I know it was wrong of me, but my better judgement abandoned me. Had they made their way aboard your ship, they would have begged attention of you. Please, forgive me.”
“You know how I feel. You know my mind. Manipulative behavior annoys me. It is the boys to whom you should apologize.” I knew it was cowardly of me to avoid his true question.
Firmly in my mind, Izaac said, “I will not apologize. They were weak and allowed themselves to be captured. They aren’t worthy of your consideration as mates.”
“Who said I was considering accepting them? You had them at a disadvantage, and you know it,” I scolded.
“They had me outnumbered.” Feelings of defensiveness seeped into me through our bond. “You love me. I know you do. I felt it so strongly before we left on our mission to free Flavian and Maxim that it was difficult for me to think of anything else.”
Some of the darkness left his eyes as I gazed into his. It was true, and I couldn’t deny it. I had loved Izaac from the moment I had looked down at him as he had laid bound with his brothers on the thick wooden table in our clan home on Chione. Some part of me had acknowledged it, even if I hadn’t been brave enough to do so.
Angry chittering filtered to my ears from nearby and became louder the closer Thunderdrop came. I tore my eyes from Izaac’s of solid black. Zared followed behind him. Thunderdrop jumped onto my lap. A few unfortunate globs of clay had three of his eyes sealed shut.
“Oh, my baby! What happened?” Carefully, I started to pick it off of him.
“I tried to calm him and convince him to allow me to help, but he wanted you,” Zared said apologetically. His eyes bored into Izaac’s.
“Chitter chitter!” He showed me an image of Poppy giving him hugs and kisses. Her baby love had come with clay-coated little hands.
“Oh, she loves you. She didn’t mean to upset you, or blind you. There. Is that better?” Zared, Izaac, and I had picked it all off of him.
“The two of you have his approval,” Zared said.
Feeling overwhelmed, I said, “Excuse me,” and ran after Thunderdrop and into the lift.
“Chirp?” Thunderdrop asked while showing me an image of Izaac and me in bed together.
I gaped at him while my heart pounded with some emotion which I couldn’t identify. Seeing Yukihyo once the lift doors opened, I ran to him and flung myself onto his lap. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I hid my face against him and tried to calm myself.
“He finally admitted everything?” Yukihyo asked in his deep, calm monotone.
“Explain what you mean by everything.”
“Lady Wife, we all know he loves you. He wants to squeeze the necks of Flavian and Cedrenus out of jealously.”
Xavier said, “When you accepted young Gravy Flavian, Izaac went berserk.”
Sparrow said, “Stay out of it. You’re biased.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Xavier said.
Meeting his eyes, she said, “I want spaghetti and lots of it.”
“Neema wants getti!” she said as she looked up hopefully at Xavier.
“Me, too!” Niklos said. He asked Poppy, “Do you want some?”
She nodded her little head and kissed Niklos on the cheek. He patted her back. Laughing at how cute they were, I got up from Yukihyo’s lap and went to help Xavier in the kitchen. However, Chef soon ran both of us out again, so I returned to the safety and comfort of Yukihyo’s lap.
He nuzzled my cheek. “Explain to me these jumbled feelings which seem to match your thoughts.”
Lifting my feet, I pushed my toes between his legs and beneath his right thigh. “Well, I do love Izaac. I always have. I just didn’t realize he loved me in that way.”
Someone gave a disbelieving snort. Looking up, I traced it to Walter who stood guard near the lift.
“Why are you on guard duty while we are in space?” I asked with my forehead scrunched up in annoyance.
He and Rozz exchanged looks. Walter said, “We aren’t on duty.”
“Then, why are you standing there?”
“To see what happens next.”
I hurled purple pillows at them. They dodged them and laughed.
Rozz said, “Come on, Princess. We’ve been waiting for days for you to find out what Izaac did. Can’t we enjoy the show?”
Fitz said, “Allow me to clarify. Each telepath aboard this ship knew that Teagan’s team had been captured and imprisoned by Izaac, but none of you reported it. Is that correct?”
Rozz grinned at him. “No, Lord Jiri, that is not correct.”
Sparrow said, “Jazon and Tracy aren’t onboard, but they knew, too. Is my spaghetti almost ready?”
“Oh, we’re having pasta?” Violet asked as she exited her quarters on Kaoti’s arm.
“Mommy! Look what I do!” Poppy said as she ran to her with globs of clay.
“Oh, it is so very pretty! What is it?” Violet asked as she tried to figure out what it could be.
“Is Daddy. See?” She pointed out a rounded blob on top which I imagined might be a head.
“Oh, Poppy. You’ve made Daddy look so handsome.”
Poppy held her hands up to Kaoti. He picked her up, and her little baby legs wrapped around his side made him appear far less intimidating.
Fitz said, “Are you saying that the Omnes Videntes were knowledgeable of this forced imprisonment of ensigns?”
Rozz sighed. “Yes, Lord Jiri.”
Kaoti asked, “Did they finally manage to escape?”
Nico asked, “Did you know about it, too?”
Kaoti shrugged. It made Poppy laugh.
Fitz asked, “Why didn’t you report it?”
Kaoti gave him a blank look. “They had food, water, and were safe on Parvac. It was good practice for them and an important lesson. They need to know what just one of Teagan’s guards can do. Izaac is one of the youngest and least experienced. It will make them work harder.”
“Is that so?” Violet asked.
Kaoti said, “Yes, and if I were them, I would have spent the time plotting my revenge.”
“But, weren’t they trapped for days?” Violet asked.
“Yes, but it wouldn’t have taken me days to escape. I’ll lock them up again and see if they can improve.” Nodding to himself, he carried Poppy into the kitchen.
“I want duce, Daddy.”
“Juice?”
“Yep,” she said while sticking her big toe inside of his jacket.
Nico shrugged at me, and Fitz seemed to have given up in light of Kaoti’s revelations. Izaac avoided me for the remainder of the day until we arrived in Chione’s space. Then, after we had docked, he tried to postpone our inevitable conversation by remaining with Eli, Drex, and Quaid. They had returned during the night but had no new information to share. I found them on the Command Deck. Sparrow was making last minute inspections to her probes.
Seizing Izaac’s elbow, I said, “Oh, no you don’t. You aren’t running away with them to investigate. The two of us have things to sort out between us.”
I blushed at Quaid, Eli, and Drex. My Parvac husbands thought nothing of me accepting any males I wished. To them, it was expected. Quaid, Yukihyo, and Zared were the ones who worried me. They were Laconian males. In their society, it was common and acceptable for males to take all of the wives they could support.
Quaid sighed. “When you bound the hybrids to yourself, I feared you would take all of them as husbands. I don’t mind this little pup.”
Izaac bristled with anger at Quaid. I took his hand and pulled him away toward the lift. “Eli, Izaac can’t go with you. He and I have some things to sort out.”
Xavier exited the lift just as we approached the doors. “I’m going with you. I sense something. It’s vague, like when you go to the kitchen for something but then forget why you are there. We all feel it.”
Izaac nodded.
The implications frightened me. If my Omnes Videntes sensed something, no matter how vague, it was out there. “Quaid….”
He stopped my words with a kiss. “I sent a coded report to Eric. He knows all that we know, and we are being careful to keep all of our intelligence about this mission secure.”
Drex said, “Don’t worry, dearest one.”
Xavier said, “Sparrow, keep yourself, the children, and the ladies safe at our clan home. You know what to do.” He kissed her forehead.
“Do what?” I asked.
Xavier winked his white eye at me. Within it, I had seen worried striations of orange and grey.
Quaid said, “So, you are all in agreement that my suspicions of this sector are correct? My Captain was unable to convince our superiors of the wisdom of expanding our search here.”
Into our minds, Izaac said, “It could very well be that they are being subtly influenced to turn their attention elsewhere.”
Xavier nodded. “We’ve done that ourselves a time or two.”
Eli and Drex exchanged weighted looks. Eli asked, “Is everything in order, Sparrow?”
“Yes, and I’ve boosted them as much as I can.”
“Keep them safe,” Xavier said to Izaac.
He nodded and escorted Sparrow and me into the lift.
Chapter Seventeen
We found Yukihyo and Neema in the midst of their own serious conversation. “It is time for you to get dressed. We will dock soon on Chione, one of your home worlds, where with the coming of Spring, there are many little animals who are wishing for nothing more than a loving home with a sweet little girl.”
Neema’s eyes had gone wide. “Like me, Daddy?”
He nodded. Her breathing quickened, and she pushed against his arms in her excitement to get down. Laughin
g, he lowered her feet to the floor, and she ran to the room she shared with her brothers.
“Are you sure she’s old enough for a pet?” I asked.
“She’s older than Poppy. We haven’t had any problems with her and Puff,” Violet said.
Thunderdrop jumped onto the back of a chair, jabbed a front leg out to point at the pots of modelling clay in the play area, and said, “Chitter chitter chitter clack!”
Violet smiled sweetly at him. “She can’t help it. She’s half Arachnean. Her love for you is in her blood. What’s a little clay between friends?”
Thunderdrop blinked his eight eyes at her and lowered his leg.
Yukihyo said, “Our Arachnean friend will find the hunting to be superb this time of year.” He ran his hand down Thunderdrop’s cephalothorax.
“Chirp?”
“Yes, you can hunt, but only within the perimeter shielding which our soldiers will erect. It will keep you, the children, and the ladies safe from dangerous predators, like ice bears and wolves. I trust you will protect them from whatever remains within the shielding?”
Thunderdrop blinked at him and then demonstrated his fancy footwork. He remembered how to fight like Yukihyo and Hiroshi in the ring. Then, he hissed.
“There is no need to drip venom on the upholstery,” I said as I slid a napkin under him.
“Chirp!”
“Yes, you are fierce, and I trust you to protect them while I hunt for large game,” Yukihyo said as he patted Thunderdrop.
I went to help Pierce and Lorca with the children. After changing Peter’s diaper, I kissed his little feet. Laughing, he said, “Mama.”
Farowyn had ordered special shoes made for Peter, himself, and his men. They were rather ingenious and fashioned after footwear the Eloneave had worn long ago. They hadn’t wasted resources on such things during their many years in space. The entire front of the shoe opened. I placed Peter’s heel and ankle inside and then closed the front. The toe boxes of the shoes were made of a thin, flexible rubber that allowed for movement and gripping with their toes and claws. The uppers were made of leather and closed with magnetized strips along the front. I took a picture of Peter once he was all dressed up and sent it to Farowyn. It would be a few days before he received it. I hope everything was going well for him.
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