“Use the sand as you would soap and cloth,” Yukihyo advised in his deep monotone. Doing as he had suggested, I washed. Then, I floated for a little while. “Eight of the hybrids are unaccounted for. Eric, Kane, and Eli search for them. It is the true reason for our visit here. No one can come in or out of the mountain range without the clans’ knowledge. As long as one of them remains at large, they may intend to take you from us. The blizzard has made our home even safer.”
Water dripped from me making soft sounds as I walked toward Yukihyo. The fire crackled as he wrapped me in towels and sat me near the fire. He began to dry my hair. “How can they surrender to me if I am hidden?” He said nothing. “Are they mine, or aren’t they?”
“I don’t know. I can feel emotions from them where you are concerned, but their empathic and telepathic abilities far surpass my own. Isidora is stronger than I am.”
“And everyone is stronger than me, so how did I bind them to myself?” The fire warmed my back, and the tension my questions had created within me lessened.
“We don’t have the answer to that question either. We have suspicions, but nothing more,” Rozz said from the entrance. The warm air began to escape into the hall behind him. Rozz closed the door and clasped his hands behind his back. “The strongest of us will not be caught no matter what attempts Inquisitor Beck makes to discover their locations. It would be wise of you to support our service to Teagan,” Rozz said to Yukihyo. Rozz stepped toward me and kneeled at my feet. “Allow us to serve as the strength to your will. With us, no one will control you again. A guard loyal to you who obeys only your commands is what we offer. Never again will you feel like a puppet. Never again will you suffer physical or emotional harm. You are the daughter of the Emperor. We will protect you and your family with our lives.”
Through his eyes the truth of his words seared my soul. Each of them felt the words. “I accept you into my service.”
Relief poured through Rozz and into me with a bond that seemed to grow like a living thing. My veins almost seemed to expand within me as my awareness reached out. I saw Neema laughing delightedly with Isidora who looked at her with an evident deep affection. They were in the living room. I saw Nico as he pulled a pan from the oven using a long shovel like tool. I watched Eli Beck as he prepared an injection. The wrists that I looked down at were bound by metal bands to the arms of the chair.
“Eli, stop. Please.” Eli paused and looked up. “They have surrendered to me, Eli. Papa gave them that choice. What are you doing to him anyway?”
Eli’s dark eyes came nearer to those with which I saw him. “What trick is this?” Eli asked.
“I know. It’s weird, right? It isn’t a trick, though. I see you. Are you on Kane’s ship?” Eli moved and adjusted the settings on the injector. “Aren’t you listening? Do I have any authority at all? Don’t give him whatever that is.”
Eli turned a set of dispassionate eyes back to mine. “I won’t be fooled by your ploys, nor will I tolerate any threats to the Princess.” The injector came closer to flesh.
“Eli, you wrote that you only wanted to please me when you sent me the flowers. They were the same colors as the ones in the necklace I picked out that Quaid purchased for me in the store. You sat outside a café at a table. What I like most about those flowers is that they’ll keep growing. They won’t die and forever leave me. Eli, the man in front of you is bonded to me. He has promised to protect me the same as you.”
Eli paused and took the needle away. “How do you know about that?”
“He didn’t. He doesn’t know what Abbie and Orson look like naked either, but we do.”
Eli’s eyes bored into mine. “Princess?”
“Eli, I just finished my bath. Call me in a few minutes, and I’ll try to describe to you what I just saw. Please, don’t hurt them, Eli. They’re only here because of me.”
Rozz slumped his upper body against the knee not pressed into the stone floor. The bathroom door opened. Isidora stood there with Neema in her arms. “She has taken them to her like the soil takes rain. You aren’t their mother or their sister,” Isidora puzzled aloud.
“Mommy,” Neema said as she reached for me wanting to be fed. Isidora brought her over to me and exchanged a look with Yukihyo. Izaac, Zam, and Traviz followed them inside and kneeled to the sides of their brother.
“Mother, sister, seductress, or queen, it matters not. Your will is ours,” Traviz said.
With damp tangled hair, a towel wrapped around me, a daughter who had decided it was time for her milk, and Yukihyo sitting dumbfounded beside me, I remained quiet. Neema greedily made up for lost time. When I put her to my shoulder to burp, I felt some milk sliding from my shoulder and down my back. I sighed and switched her to the other side.
“All of you, out. Now. Give her some privacy,” Isidora scolded. Eight black eyes looked to me for instruction. Fire light glinted from the onyx stones of my bracelet just as it did in their eyes.
I nodded. Yukihyo dampened a towel in the pool and wiped at my shoulder and back. The others reached for me through Izaac, Traviz, Rozz, and Zam. It was as though my senses expanded as my lungs might after holding my breath. Some were near me while others were far from me like the faded lights of distant stars.
“Isidora, is what just happened normal?” I met her eyes.
“Once, I had heard of an injured clan mother, who woke after being in a comatose state for many months. When she woke, she pulled her children back to herself.”
Without dropping my eyes from hers, I asked, “What about any stories of it happening with people who aren’t related?” Isidora shook her head.
“He allowed something to be done to you,” Yukihyo said. “What else could explain this?”
“Who?” I asked.
“Nathan Green,” Yukihyo answered. He got up and walked out.
“Come. Let’s get you dressed,” Isidora suggested.
Once I was fully clothed, she brushed my hair and put it up for me. “Isidora, what does this mean for our family? Do you feel them? Does Simon?”
Her hands rested on my shoulders. “Yes, we do. Although they are males and young, each of them is stronger telepathically than I. They are also stronger than the thought readers.” I turned a questioning look to her. “It is what we call the other race. They call us empths. These hybrids are all seeing. For our family, they are a blessing. Much danger follows Imperial princesses. Often, Simon fears for you. Now, when you must be on Parvac and away from home, he will know that you have all the protection possible. These new brothers will keep you safe.”
I blushed. “Izaac kissed me this morning and wanted more.”
Isidora made a scoffing noise. “After last night, half of the men here feel the same. Perhaps they will learn to shield your projections from others. Don’t worry. I shielded my husband.”
My stomach growled. I carried Neema, and we went to the dining room. Yukihyo, Quaid, Phillip, and Zam were having a serious conversation. Nico gave me a big grin and helped me get seated on a bench. Gary held his hands out for Neema who went to him and immediately began messing with the pockets on his vest. I felt Izaac watching me. After Nico was satisfied that I had eaten enough, I told him that I needed to have a talk with Izaac in private. Nico nodded but gave Izaac a look. I walked over to Izaac and held out my hand to him. He took it, and serenity spread from our hands to my heart. I smiled at him. Izaac stood and allowed me to lead him through the dining room and living room to the sitting area near the entrance of the bathing pool. It looked like we were alone.
“Izaac, we need to talk.”
He grinned at me. In my mind, he said, “We can have a private conversation in a crowded room.”
I didn’t know how to begin. “Izaac, why did you kiss me? Everything is way too complicated as it is. I have plenty of those kinds of relationships. I don’t….”
“I understand. Forgive me. The emotions are confusing. The affection that I demonstrated was not what a brother shows to a sister
. I will express my tender feelings toward you in more appropriate ways in the future.”
Relieved, I smiled. “Thank you. Hugs are okay.” Holding my arms open, I put them around Izaac’s neck when he drew near. I felt the fingers of his hands spread out across my back.
“Excuse me, Princess?” Gary appeared with Neema.
“Hey, Gary.” I removed my arms from Izaac.
“Um,” Gary said as he wrinkled his nose and scrunched his eyes.
“I understand.”
I took Neema and carried her to my room. Her diaper was filled with poop the color of ceshoosh. While gaining experience changing the diapers of my nieces and nephews on Parvac, I had learned that although it was unpleasant, it was normal. Izaac had followed us and took the full diaper and used wipes to the incinerator. Gary waited at the door. Once she was all cleaned up, spitefully, I gave her a rattle before handing her back to Gary. Neema laughed as she whacked him with it. I went to the restroom and washed my hands. Izaac waited outside for me and followed me to the kitchen. Since Yukihyo had remained deep in conversation, I went to Nico and sat in his lap.
“Did you get everything sorted out?”
“Yes, everything is good between us now. Thank you for….”
Nico’s hands were over my stomach. “For?”
“For not becoming upset about this. Nico, do I have any authority?”
“Yes, however, could you please explain?”
“I asked Eli not to do something that he was about to do. Will he respect my wishes?”
“What was he about to do?” Nico jostled me a bit when he adjusted his leg.
“He was preparing an injector and was about to give it to one of my new brothers. I asked him not to. Is he hurting them? I want it to stop. I don’t know what to do. It’s wrong. They aren’t criminals.”
“Let’s call Eli, sweetheart.”
“Okay, but I did ask him to call me.” Nico pulled out his communications device. Eli answered.
“Inquisitor Beck, the Princess wishes to speak to you.” Eli’s dark hair, eyes, and coat were exactly how they had appeared to me moments ago.
“Eli, did you hear me earlier?” He stared at me in silence. “Eli?”
“How do you know they aren’t controlling you?”
I raised an eyebrow at him and said, “I’m not being controlled by anyone. I don’t like what you’re doing, and I want it to stop.”
“I have postponed my activities.”
“Activities? Eli, they have pledged themselves to me. I haven’t even met them all, but I can sense them. Their lives and mine are bound.”
“They may be a threat to you, Princess.”
I thought back to my time with Arlo when I had fought against Jazon and won, and how they hadn’t interfered with my escape. “Eli, they’ll never hurt me or anyone for whom I care. Isn’t that something they have in common with you?” Eli’s dark eyes were riveted to mine. “They haven’t fought you for that reason. They know you’re my friend. Eli, they have surrendered themselves to me and sworn themselves to my service. Can’t they be given crew quarters? Please?”
“As you wish,” Eli said with an incline of his head.
“Thank you. I hope you will travel with us on Kane’s ship on our journey to the next planet. There’s a room available in our apartments. I’m sure it will be a relief to Abbie to know that you are with us.”
“I would be honored, Princess.”
“Eli?”
“Yes, your highness?”
“Will you check on them for me? I’ve been worried about poor Zeth.”
“Yes, your highness.”
“Thank you,” I gave Eli my sweetest smile.
Nico said, “The Princess orders her men to be given crew quarters, but I still want them under watch. They will have to earn our trust.”
“Yes, General Cassian.”
Nico powered down his communications device, and I kissed him. “Thank you, husband.”
“If you say we can trust them, I believe you, but we can’t expect our other men to be so accepting. This will take time.”
“Okay.” I ran my fingers through Nico’s short blonde hair and smiled at his dark brown eyes. “We still haven’t told Papa what we are naming him. I wonder if he’ll have your eyes.” Nico kissed my nose.
“I don’t have that kind of equipment here. I’d need to be on the Hadrian or Kane’s ship in order to formulate any working theories,” Phillip said.
I clenched the fabric at Nico’s shoulder as I listened. What were Phillip, Yukihyo, and Quaid discussing? “Nico?”
“How can a woman with a predominantly Parvac heritage bond seventeen hybrid Laconian males like moths to a flame? Could this have happened by design?” Quaid asked.
“That’s where the others have gone. We are to keep her safe at any cost,” Zam said.
Nico locked his eyes on Zam’s black eyes and asked, “Where have they gone?”
“They hunt our sire,” Rozz answered.
“Jazon and Zared will find the answers,” Traviz stated assuredly.
“Are they the ones who are so far away? The distant ones?” I asked.
“Yes, your soldiers waste their energy searching for our elder brothers in these sectors. They hunt elsewhere,” Zam told us.
Growing pensive I said, “They are in two groups of four searching for the man who created them. He isn’t my father. I know my Papa and who my mother was. I have a grandmother, uncle, and cousins.”
“Yes, Cupcake. Don’t worry about any of that. The scientist could have easily posed as a doctor in a hospital. He could have enhanced various children.”
“Father never took me to doctors. I had to stay inside when I was sick.” I hid my face against Nico’s neck. When my arm broke, father had braced it with two flat pieces of metal and trapped them in place with thick grey tape. I hadn’t been allowed to leave, but he had left me alone for weeks. I had been too afraid to disobey. Being ignored had been lonely but better than the alternative. “Can we open the door and look out at the snow?”
“Yes, lady wife. Please, first allow me to get your coat,” Yukihyo said as walked from the room.
Hiroshi began heating kettles. He grunted and said, “I know you want a cup of coffee.”
“I do.” I began to worry what Consul Bosh would think of my new brothers. Would he ask Quaid to divorce me when he found out?
“Teagan,” Quaid said. I had hidden once again my face against Nico’s neck and didn’t want to come out.
“What?”
“He would never entertain such a thought, and I would never agree to such a thing. I could never be happy without you,” Quaid said. I looked up at him.
“Do you worry constantly? You’re as bad as Jazon,” Traviz said. I lifted my head again just to frown at him.
“I don’t worry constantly.”
“Yes, you do. You’re a fathomless pool of fear and worry. However, wiping it from you makes you confused and lost,” Traviz said as a matter of fact.
I resisted the urge to throw something at him, mainly because Quaid would admonish me about setting a good example. Traviz gave me a one-sided grin, and I caught sight of one or two of his teeth as he did. His scalp had another day’s growth of black hair.
“Young Traviz, Lady Bosh is in the introductory stages of learning how to have fun. For her, it remains a fairly new concept,” Quaid said.
“We have tried to convince her to go hunting with us. However, she prefers to sit inside with Phillip and watch the news,” Nico added. Quaid laughed.
“As I recall, you and Eric got diplomatic commendations after Teagan spoke to those reporters,” Phillip said in my defense.
Yukihyo returned and bundled me up. Kaoti wore a coat and gloves as did Yukihyo. Giving me his arm, Yukihyo led me through the dining room and small sitting room where a few soldiers sat and cleaned their blaster rifles in front of the fires. Kaoti closed the door behind us and opened the one to the main entrance. I frowned. It
was noticeably colder in this room. Yukihyo pulled my hood over my head.
“Are you ready?” Yukihyo had a mischievous grin on his face.
“I guess.” Yukihyo put an arm around my back as two soldiers lifted the wooden beam that was across the thick heavy door. I drew in a shocked breath as the cold swept inside as they opened the door. Snow had crept up the steps and underneath the high stone walls and beamed roof. What I could see of the sky was full of snowflakes. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”
“Yes, and too cold today for my lovely pregnant wife.”
A roar sounded in the distance, and I turned my head toward the frighteningly savage noise. It looked as though one bank of snow slammed into another. I strained to understand what I was seeing. Yukihyo picked me up, turned, and carried me back into the dining room. Yukihyo’s excitement had propelled us forward as though we were carried along on a wave. “Nico, there are two large males in my front yard fighting for dominance!”
All eyes were on Yukihyo. The men had already begun gearing up. Yukihyo sat me on a bench, removed my coat and gloves, and kissed me. Hiroshi placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of me and dashed off.
“Full protective gear, goggles, weapons, and an emergency kit. You also might want to bring those portable heat sources. It’s cold out even by my standards,” Yukihyo told the men.
“Yukihyo, those huge things out there are ice bears?” He grinned at me with his beautiful mouth, and his white eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Those things are enormous and dangerous. You could all be killed. Don’t go out there.”
“If we don’t kill them, they might kill us. You, Neema, and Isidora would not be safe within a transport if one of them were to attack. An ice bear can destroy a transport in minutes.”
“But you’re going out there?”
“Woman, you’ll have two new rugs out of this and plenty of steak. Kaoti, protect the princesses and prince while I’m gone,” Nico said. Kaoti saluted. Nico gave me a kiss. Then, he began to walk with Yukihyo toward our room. I followed.
The Parvac Emperor's Daughter (The Space Merchants Book 3) Page 30