“Grace,” his voice wobbled. A roar of desire came from him letting her know how close he was.
“Yes,” she cried out. “I want it all.”
She tightened her legs and ground against him. He reached between their bodies to press against her clit. Her body shook as her voice came out loud with the sound of her pleasure. His roar came after hers making her shake with aftershocks as she held him close.
“I love you, Grace.” He turned them, so she was lying on top.
“Mine to love,” she replied before she laid her head on his chest.
Chapter Nineteen
Grace woke up to find Joaquin sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. She rolled over until she came to her knees and moved over to him. Placing her arms around him, she hugged him not saying a word.
“Victor came past while you were sleeping.” He placed his hands over hers before he brought her around to sit on his lap.
“What did I miss?”
“He wanted to talk about ascending to the throne for both of us.”
“You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for.”
“I know, but I’ve lived here off and on for years. I’ve watched Victor, and I’ve watched the other Arbrin/Matra. I think the longer you wait to do what’s necessary, the harder it becomes.”
He leaned over and gave her a good morning kiss
“This isn’t just my decision, it’s ours. We do this together, or we don’t do it at all.”
“When does he want to do it?”
“Today. Victor says he has the perfect person, the only person who can do it.”
She reached up and kissed him again before standing up. “Can I have a few minutes to think about it?”
“Of course.” He gave her a smile as he watched her saunter off into the bathroom.
Queen. Hadn’t she been down this road before? It was one thing to think about it like one day it would happen, quite another to be faced with the reality of it happening today. How did she go from being cursed to becoming royalty?
Who was she to pass judgment over another person? She thought back to the witch who cursed her family making their lives a nightmare. She cast judgment over her, but that was because she knew what was right and wrong. She’d spent a lifetime learning what was right and wrong and fighting every day to come out on the side of righteousness. She also knew what it felt like to fail, to slip, and not to have faith in yourself.
So she wasn’t Sudir, which mattered but not as much as who she was and what she stood for. There was also the fact that she loved the Sudir king and refused to give him up. Huh, she was going to be a queen. She wondered what her parents would think about that.
Taking a towel, she dried herself off before walking back into the bedroom.
“So do I get a crown?”
The smile on Joaquin’s face told her she’d made the right decision.
“Only if I get one.”
They dressed and walked out the door walking to their destiny hand in hand.
The downstairs was in a complete uproar. Everyone was moving furniture or hanging up decorations. The dining room had been turned into a beautiful throne room.
“How did you do this?” Grace asked when she walked in.
“I asked some friends who don’t let space, and time stop them. I woke up, and it was like this,” Victor said with a bemused expression on his face.
“Of course, the House got into the act. If you go through that door, there’s a dining hall that may seat a thousand as well as a huge kitchen on the other side of it. I don’t know how many the house thinks are coming,” Selma said, the last part with a stern voice.
Grace shook her head and refused to consider that Selma was talking to the house. Instead, she looked around; there were tapestries behind the thrones as well as pictures of both the planets that were being represented. Way to the side was a table of finger food, and she went to pick a few up.
“I wonder what these are?” she said to the male who was standing by the table.
“This is Yatah; it’s a delicacy that both the Arbrin and the Matra love. This,” he pointed to a brown confection with a pink center, “is Lu’cah. It was very popular on the Sudir planet, and very few know how to make it.”
“Who made it?”
He stepped back and gave a deep bow. “My brothers and I made it. We are extraordinary chefs.”
“Is this what you do for a living?”
“No, we do it for fun. My name is Lucca.”
“Hi Lucca, I’m Grace.”
“The future queen.”
“Is it tattooed on my forehead?”
Lucca laughed and winked at her. “They told me that the Sudir Queen was beautiful.”
“Did they also happen to tell you my name?”
“They did, but they were right about the beautiful part.”
“Lucca, are you hitting on my soul-bonded?” Joaquin asked, but he was smiling.
“I would never make a pass at a queen,” he said laughter in his eyes as he walked away.
“I like him.”
“They are likable they are also the best warriors in the galaxy. Some simply call them killers but they get the job done.”
“I’d judge, but I spent too much time trying to control my flames.”
“I came over here for a reason; there’s a surprise for you on the porch.”
“You got me a gift?”
“No, I think this one is compliments of The Trialx.”
She looked puzzled and followed him out of the throne room after she grabbed a few more of the finger foods. She walked out on the porch to find her parents standing there.
“Mom? Dad?”
Her mother rushed over to her and took her in her arms. “I thought we would never find you.”
“You’re alive; I thought it was a dream.”
“No, it happened, we were there with you telling you about our past. We thought maybe you were just wishful thinking.”
“How did you find me?”
Her father came to her and wrapped her in his arms.
“The Trialx told us where to go.” His deep voice went through her bringing back feelings of being safe from when she was a child.
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
“We wouldn’t miss your coronation,” her mother said as she wiped the tear that slid down her cheek. “You made it baby, we made it, and you broke the curse over us.”
“We’ll always have fire mom and my children will have it although they won’t be cursed to turn deadly at thirty.”
“If you could get rid of your fire would you want to?”
Grace stop to think about it. Now that her fire was under control she would feel lost without it as if part of who she was, was missing.”
“No, I would want to keep it.”
“Your children will feel the same way. Now shouldn’t you be getting dressed?”
“Dressed?”
“No daughter of mine is going to her coronation in jeans. Come with me.” Her mother reached out and took her by the hand leading her back into the house. “Children,” she sighed.
Grace looked over her shoulder at Joaquin and her father asking for help, but they both shrugged and gave her looks that said they weren’t touching that.
Selma was being dragged up the stairs also. She looked behind her at Grace and smiled. “At least I’m not the only one they got.”
They laughed as they were led into an empty room.
*~*~*~*
Grace looked over at Selma. She was wearing a deep red dress with a full bottom that complimented her small frame. The red showed her black hair off to perfection. Paige did her make up making her look mysterious and ethereal at the same time. Grace was wearing a deep blue dress that also complimented her hair. She spent almost an hour at the mirror not believing the reflection belonged to her when they finished with her.
“This is happening, isn’t it?” she asked Selma while the butterfli
es in her stomach tried to fly away.
“It’s happening, and for us, it’s past due. I think it’s the perfect time for you and Joaquin.”
“Do you think he’ll like this?”
“Like it, no, he’ll love it. I’m envious; you’re gorgeous in that dress.”
Grace smiled her thanks as the music began to play.
The steps had a red runner going down them. Grace looked down at her silver heels and sent up a small prayer that she didn’t slip on the steps. She walked down the steps with Selma in perfect synch stopping when they reached the bottom of the stairwell.
To Grace’s left stood Raphael, a brother to Lucca that she had been introduced to recently. On Selma’s right stood Ash, the brother of Aran, someone she had also just recently met. They were dressed in uniforms she had never seen before, but she knew the origin. Raphael was dressed in the uniform of the formal guard on Sudir and Ash was dressed in the uniform of the formal guard on Matranian.
Grace reached out to place her hand on Raphael’s arm as he formally escorted her into the throne room. She gave a small gasp as she walked in. The transformation of the room was complete. It looked like she was standing in a throne room on a faraway planet.
The pictures, that looked like windows, showed a different planet surface and sky. One side was the Sudir planet that she had been privileged to see, and she was sure the other side of the room was the Arbrin/Matra planet. She smiled as she realized she had been blessed to see something this magnificent. Raphael took her to stand beside Joaquin who was kneeling on a small bench.
A look around the room told her Victor was also kneeling, beside him stood Selma and Vick. His brother, Cal, was also close.
She looked over to see Colun standing close to her. He would witness and become Joaquin’s advisor. On either side of the Kings, their guard lined up. Sergey and his brothers beside Victor, Mick and his brothers beside Joaquin. In the middle of the room was Voyager. She was still surprised she could figure out who he was. Voyager wasn’t his name, but she had a hard time thinking of him as anything else. He looked different than when he was in the trials. Selma said she thought this was how he looked, but she wasn’t totally sure. Beside him stood Aran.
The doors to the grand dining room were thrown wide open, and hundreds of beings looked out watching to see this historic event.
“Today we are here to do something that is unprecedented in the cultures that are represented before us. The first born Arbrin/Matra will take the throne.”
A loud went up as the room cheered.
“Today the first Sudir who is also Arbrin/Matra will take the Sudir throne.”
Another cheer went up. Joaquin and Victor had yet to raise their heads, but Grace was sure she caught the hint of a smile on both their faces.
“Victor Savon the XVIII, please rise,” Voyager said in a regal voice.
Victor rose standing to face Voyager.
“Today you are ascending the throne of your people. Do you solemnly swear to govern your people according to the laws of your land, allowing for change when it is needed?”
“I swear.”
Voyager looked at Selma who moved to stand by Victor, “I swear.”
He nodded and traded places with Aran.
“Joaquin Tre’mon, please rise.”
Joaquin stood facing Voyager.
“Today you are ascending the throne of your people. Do you solemnly swear to govern your people according to the laws of your land, allowing for change when it is needed?”
“I swear.”
Grace moved to stand beside Joaquin, “I swear.”
“When there is a need for judgment will you use the law and justice, in mercy and compassion for your people?”
“I swear,” Joaquin and Victor said in union to be followed by Grace and Selma.
“Within your leadership will you acknowledge the guidance of the council for how you shall act and who you shall consult? Will you do your utmost to continue in that vein and only to change if it is for the good of the people you serve?”
“I swear,” they said in union.
Voyager stepped back as Aran picked up a long heavy sword that was razor sharp on one side and serrated on the other.
He walked up to Victor.
“Your father was once handed this same sword as a covenant that he would protect and defend his people with his life. Are you willing to enter into that same covenant?”
“I am,” his voice rang out.
“Ascend your throne.”
Victor turned to walk to his throne taking a seat; Selma followed him taking the throne beside him. Aran placed the sword at the side of the throne. It would serve as a constant reminder of the oath he took.
Aran walked back and picked up an elaborate shield; it was silver rimmed in gold. On one small section was a blood red tear.
“This shield is the history of your people. It symbolizes your covenant to protect them, but it also tells of your willingness to fight for them. The one blood red tear symbolizes a king who broke that covenant. The fact that you will receive this shield today shows there is a belief that you are the true king. Joaquin, will you enter into a covenant with your people not only to protect them but to fight for them if need be?”
“I will.”
“Ascend your throne.”
Joaquin turned and approached his throne before he seated himself. Grace walked over and sat beside him on her throne. Aran took the shield and placed it beside the throne as an eternal reminder of his pledge.
Voyager came to stand in front of them.
“By ascending the throne you have shown a willingness to take on the responsibility for your people. Victor it has always been known that one day you would ascend the throne. Your people have waited for this day. Joaquin, very few knew that you would ascend the throne one day. Your peole are nervous and anxious. Both of your kingdoms will demand that you act with valor and bravery, honor and trust. I know that you will treat everyone with the dignity they deserve as well as giving them the equality to become who they were meant to be under your reign.”
Voyager stopped to look at each of them as if he were examining not only their physical bodies but their hearts. Breaths were indrawn as they waited for his verdict.
“You have faced the trials before you and have been found worthy of ruling your kingdoms. Rise and step into the power and authority that has been granted to you.”
There was a moment of silence as they sat and then they stood. There was cheering and yelling followed by people coming up to hug them. Their people were finally on their way to being whole again.
Epilogue
Grace stretched out on Joaquin’s lap as he lazily pushed the porch swing. The festivities had gone late into the night. Most of the people who attended left to make their way home while a few, like her parents, retired upstairs to their rooms.
“You’re a king,” she traced a muscle on his thigh.
“You’re a queen.”
“I just feel like myself, plain old Grace.”
“I think that’s a good thing.” He leaned down and placed a kiss at her temple.
“It is a good thing.” Voyager walked up the steps toward them. “I have a present for the two of you, but in the chaos I was unable to give it to you.”
He handed them a box. Grace sat up to be able to untie it. Before them was a plague, the word knowledge written on it with a fire burning its way around it.
“You have been honed in the fire of the trials but you still have much to learn and a long path to walk. Allow the lessons you learned in the trial to lead you, use your life to temper your hand and your judgement. If you do that you will find the path that was meant for you.
“I think he’s right,” Joaquin said before he kissed Grace. They would allow what had learned and were still learning to lead them.
Have you read the other books in the series?
Alien Mates Series
Soul-Bonded to the alien Book 1
/> Rylan’s Heart Book 2
Gabe’s Destiny Book 3
Colun’s Passion Book 4
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Joaquin's Saving Grace (Alien Mates Book Five 5) Page 12