Lady Sidero smiled and stared at the fire. The flames’ reflections gave them their only color. “Sometimes it is best not to question a gift but to share it. I have enjoyed meeting the Lady Ponidi. May the snowflakes glitter in your path and your fires always glow warmly.” She and her family members rose to leave.
When I went to Yukihyo to escort them out, Lady Sidero held her hands up palms toward me. Hesitantly, I placed my palms to hers. When her forehead touched mine, peace filled me. She stood straight, opened her eyes, smiled at me, and spoke her farewells to the others in the native language of Chione. The Sidero clan had plowed a path for our transports all of the way to Tora.
The soldiers agreed that they would have no trouble lifting off in their fighter ships. We prepared to leave. Yukihyo and the others made certain the fires were out. I packed with Quaid’s help. He had woken up in a terrible mood. “What’s wrong?”
Quaid didn’t answer. I went behind him and placed my arms around him. I rested my head between his shoulder blades. He rubbed my hands and wrists. “I woke up alone in bed with General Cassian.”
I held my lips firmly between my teeth and held my breath so as not to laugh. “His snoring woke you up, too?”
“No, his dreams of you did. Waking up next to an aroused giant Parvac soldier is unnerving.” I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I laughed and laughed. Quaid picked me up, gently laid me on the bed, and kissed me until all thoughts but those of him had abandoned me. Quaid rolled pleasure through me, and I responded in kind. “I already regret the two days we will be apart as we travel to Sinope.”
Someone cleared his throat from the doorway. “Sister, are you packed?” Hiroshi asked.
“Yes, I just need to get Neema changed and bundled up.”
“I’ll help with that,” Phillip said as he followed Hiroshi into the room. Quaid helped me up and to the restroom.
Shortly, we all loaded up into the large land transport and returned to our ships. Neema, Isidora, Simon, Nico, Kaoti, our four new friends, and I were safely deposited on Tora. Then, it took Phillip two more trips to get all of the soldiers, ice bear, supplies, gifts, and luggage moved. I wasn’t sure what to do with our four visitors, so I showed them the kitchen, relaxation, and recreation rooms before showing them our sitting room and the bathroom in it.
Chapter Seventeen
Traviz made himself at home in our sitting room by examining all of our family pictures. I went into my room, put Neema down to crawl, and changed into soft pants and a shirt. I did Neema the same favor. However, her pants had rows of ruffles in navy blue and matched the little Galaxic Militia T-shirt that Eric had given her. I giggled and wondered what Kane would do to compete with Eric.
“Let’s go play!”
Bending at the knees, I managed to catch Neema and carried her to the sitting room while kissing under her soft chin. Nico had Zam, Izaac, Rozz, and Traviz all seated. Kaoti stood at attention with his back to the wall, a fierce expression, and the return of his cold dead eyes.
“Oh, Neema. This will never do. What’s wrong with our friend? He looks grumpy. What? You think he needs kisses because he’s sad that Violet isn’t with us? I agree.”
Neema gave a gleeful yell and grabbed Kaoti by the ears. Then, she gave him a sloppy kiss on the nose. He had no choice but to take her into his arms. I had to squeeze into a space on the couch in between Traviz and Rozz so that I could catch my breath from laughing. I wiped my eyes on the inside of my shirt’s neckline. Kaoti had lifted a corner of his mouth but gave me a look that said he was working.
“Teagan, Kaoti is on duty,” Nico admonished.
“But we’re at home, and Tora is off of the ground.” Kaoti brought Neema over to me. “Just put her down, please. We are going to play ball.” I scooted to the edge of the couch and used Rozz’ leg to help ease myself down to the ice bear rug. “Nico, will you roll us a ball, please?” He rolled us a striped one. Neema crawled over to it and patted it with her hands. “Roll it to Mommy.” She laughed at me and crawled to Nico.
“Our little princess is tired of being kept off of the floor,” Nico said.
Soon, all of Thunderdrop’s balls and transports were all over the place. Minutes later, Zam, Nico, Rozz, and I were sitting on the floor taking turns amusing Neema whenever she came our way. Once we had arrived at the land port, she had worn herself out.
Yukihyo bundled us up in our coats and boots. Then, Hiroshi drove the eight of us to Kane’s ship in the large land transport. I felt my weight shift as the transport rolled up into the transport bay.
“We will see you on Sinope. I have already made our dinner reservations so don’t make other plans,” Hiroshi informed me.
“Awesome!” I was excited. Dinner with Hiroshi was always memorable and fantastic. “I love you. Be careful,” I said as I kissed his cheek.
“I love you, too, baby sister. I will see you again on Sinope in two days.”
Kane waited for us. Nico picked me up and carried me to the lift. Yukihyo carried Neema. The lift doors closed as soon as we were all inside. “Nico, you can put me down now.”
He grinned at me. “I know. I don’t want to.”
As soon as the door to the Imperial quarters opened, ecstatic chirping and clacking greeted us. “Thunderdrop, my spider baby! I’ve missed you so much!” Nico hadn’t even put me down before Thunderdrop had wrapped his front legs around my neck. I stroked his back. “I love you. Oh, how I’ve missed you. You would love Yukihyo’s castle. Next time, you should come with us. There are high ceilings with wooden support beams, stone walls, and several rooms and halls to explore.”
“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!”
Cass crawled along my leg to perch on Niklos. It had been decided that he would remain with me until we arrived on Sinope. “Hello, Cass. I’ve missed you, too. Did you enjoy your visit here with Thunderdrop and Sue?”
“Chirp click click!”
“I’m glad to hear it,” I said as I stroked his back. Nico helped me out of my coat, and Yukihyo took Neema to her bed. Pierce and Lorca were glad to see us. “Thunderdrop and Cass, we have some new friends. They are Zam, Rozz, Traviz, and Izaac,” I said while pointing to each man during the introductions. The spiders blinked at the hybrids. “Please, sit down.”
Zam stood looking at our first baby pictures of Neema and Niklos that Papa had framed in white and hung in the sitting room.
“I’m glad you enjoyed your visit, tiny cousin,” Kane said.
“Thank you. Did you enjoy it?”
“I enjoyed getting to know some of the inhabitants,” Kane said with a wink. Then, he noticed Neema’s Galaxic Militia T-shirt.
Chef brought me a cup of coffee and asked if he could get anyone else anything. They shook their heads. I gave Chef a bright smile. After a few sips, someone signaled for entrance, and Pierce admitted the person.
“Eli! Come in! It’s so good to see you,” I said as I carefully stood and walked over to him. Eli bowed to me. I laughed at his formality and hugged him.
“Princess Teagan, thank you for your gracious invitation to join your entourage on the voyage to Sinope.”
“I’m very glad that you agreed to come with us. Do Abbie and Orson miss us yet?”
“Very much. Abbie loves you as though you are her own daughter.” Eli became still and serious. “Princess Teagan, as per your request, we have released from custody the men captured on Nephele.” Eli turned to the side and admitted two men into the room. At the moment I set my eyes upon the first man to enter, I knew him for my new brother who had shared his eyes with me.
Traviz and Zam jumped up with smiling faces to hug and pat the man on the back. I didn’t know the language they used while greeting him. “This is Vawn,” Zam said to me.
Vawn extended his hand to me, and I shook it. His deep black eyes stared into mine. “Princess Teagan of House Probus, it is most gratifying to meet you in person.”
“I must say, Vawn. Although we have only just met, I feel that I like you
very much. I believe you to be a brother who I was always meant to have.”
Vawn smiled and said, “Better late than never.”
The man behind him had brown hair cut in a standard military style. Rozz seemed particularly relieved to see him as though he saw the slightly older man as more of a father than a brother. Sensing my thoughts, Rozz nodded to me. The man bowed deeply to me. “I am Xander. Thank you for welcoming our younger brothers into your home and all of us into your service. For those of us who have lived in the shadows, to serve the Princess of Parvac means a new life. I will devote myself to proving to you that I am worthy of your trust.” Then, Xander went down on one knee before me.
I blushed at the formal gesture which continued to seem odd to me. After all, I had spent more time as a reclamation worker than as a princess. “You don’t need to hide any longer. The Galaxic Expanse may not welcome you, but the Parvac Empire does. As loyal citizens of the Empire, you may go freely wherever I can go. Well, not right now. The legal documents and stuff might take a while. You don’t mind being shady a bit longer, do you?” I asked apologetically and with a scrunched brow. Izaac laughed in my mind, and the others smiled. However, they seemed wary of Yukihyo, Nico, Eli, Kaoti, and Kane. Thunderdrop and Cass leapt to my shoulders. Knowing they had reason to be wary, I said, “Don’t do anything to annoy or anger them, and you’ll be fine. Although, Isidora is the one you should fear.” I looked over at a certain someone’s nose. “I may think of you as new brothers, but the rest of my family considers you first year cadets. I’m staying out of it.”
I raised my hands in surrender. Nico and Kane had my complete trust. My new brothers had a lot of work ahead of them if they hoped to earn the trust of my Parvac family. I hoped they could get it.
“It is kind of you to kneel down so that my lady wife can see you, but the furniture when sat upon produces the same effect,” Yukihyo said.
“Hey, really? You have short jokes for me today?”
Yukihyo winked at me, pointed at the chair he wanted me to sit on, and then after I had, covered me with a blanket. The light flashed above the door, and then, the Chief Medical Officer escorted three more men inside.
“Zeth!” I tried to rise, but Yukihyo placed his hand on my shoulder. He wanted me to rest. Instead, I held my arms out to hug Zeth. Warily eying Kaoti, Zeth cautiously approached and gently hugged me. “I’m so glad to see you up and walking without the effort making you pale with pain.”
Zeth sported a fresh haircut and a shave. His black eyes competed with his shiny black hair. I blushed at the memory of him rushing from the infirmary when Neema had ground down on my breast while nursing. Involuntarily, I flinched at the remembered pain. I never would have dreamed that my tiny little adorable princess could inflict so much damage.
With Zeth were Zergio and Jezzie, whom Kaoti had disabled and apprehended. Kaoti had taken down Zeth and Zergio, who appeared to be around thirty years old and formidable, along with Jezzie, who had a red scar across his throat. Jezzie seemed to be the same age as Rozz, Izaac, Zam, Traviz, and me. It had taken Yukihyo, Nico, and Captain Eric Alaric to capture two of the hybrid mercenaries. Kaoti must be even more dangerous than I had thought.
Zeth caught my attention with his eyes and said in my mind, “Your body guard is the most treacherous and challenging opponent we have ever encountered.”
Smiling, I sent Zeth an image of Kaoti laying on his back, softly laughing, as my baby crawled all over him. Zeth raised an eyebrow at me.
“I have granted you permission to travel in your starship. Captain Valen has sent you the exact coordinates you are to follow along with the berth in which you will dock on Sinope. Do not veer from Captain Valen’s directions unless he orders you to do so. Understood?” Nico asked.
“Yes, General Cassian,” Zeth said with a bow.
I let out a breath that I hadn’t realized I was holding. Zeth turned to Izaac and then back to me. “Izaac wishes to remain with you.”
I looked to Yukihyo and Nico. Nico shrugged. However, Yukihyo turned his attention to Izaac. “If you make another attempt at seducing my wife, I will break your legs. I have not forgotten how you kissed her in my bedroom,” Yukihyo said slowly and clearly in his deep monotone.
Izaac sent his thoughts to Yukihyo. “I regret my actions. I did not understand how to comfort her. It was instinct. I now know that such behavior toward my bond sister is inappropriate. Should she need comfort in the future, I will hug her or rub her back.”
Yukihyo stared at Izaac for a moment before saying, “That is acceptable.”
I turned to Kane during the silent exchange. “Are there any available quarters nearby for Izaac? With Pierce, Lorca, Eli, Kaoti, and us, we’re out of room.”
Kane smirked at me. “Yes, however, why don’t you just take the larger bedroom?”
My eyes widened as I looked toward the room in question. “No, way! That’s Papa’s room.” I sighed. “I miss Papa and Grandmother. I even miss Dr. Fotri.”
Kane grinned at me. His green and gold eyes held mischief. “I’m telling.”
“If you do, I’ll pay you back double.” I gave him my sweetest smile, so he would know to be afraid.
Kane rubbed the top of my head, messing up my hair. “You’re so cute. My first officer and a security detail will see you to your ship,” he said to the others. Each of the men bowed to me before leaving. “We will depart for Sinope as soon as Captain Alaric signals,” Kane said as he tapped at his vid-screen. “Izaac, is it?” Izaac nodded to Kane. “A crewman will arrive for you in a moment. He will take you to pick up your uniforms, toiletries, and show you to your assigned quarters. Understood?” Izaac bowed. “Understood?” Kane asked again with the same look Uncle Kagan got when he was angry.
“Kane, Izaac doesn’t communicate verbally. Does he have permission to answer telepathically?” I felt amusement from my cousin. I smiled at him. Standing, I went to Kane, put my arms around his chest, and pressed my cheek to his sternum. “I love you.”
Kane hugged me back. Sensing Kane’s feelings was new. While I had been leery of Simon and Eliot when we had first met because of the connection between us that I hadn’t understood, I had been terrified of the Valens. However unintentionally, my fear had shut them from my heart. Now, I realized how deeply my fear had gone. Had Kane and Uncle Kagan been able to sense my feelings since the moment we had met? I shared closer blood ties with Kane and Uncle Kagan than with my Arachnean family. Had I been shutting Grandmother, Papa, and my uncle out just as I had my cousin? I wasn’t sure about Papa. He had no Laconian blood of which I knew.
Kane moved his hands up to my shoulders which had Thunderdrop and Cass scampering to the floor. Kane moved back to look into my eyes. “You’re not afraid of me anymore,” he said in a whisper. He kissed my forehead and hugged me to his chest. I felt waves of love and protectiveness coming from my cousin. Kane loved me. To him, I was his little sister.
My throat began to ache, and I cried against his chest. “Kane, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“You don’t need to explain any of it to me, Teagan. I’ve been with you. I know.”
“I must have hurt you. I was so cold to you and Uncle Kagan.”
“You were a sniveling little thing, weren’t you?” I looked up at Kane in shock. However, his eyes twinkled mischievously at me. “Please don’t get snot on my uniform. Have a square. Cousin Eric gave me a supply.” I took the silk square, blew my nose, wadded it up, and shoved it in his pocket. “You would never treat Eric like this.”
“Do you have connections to Eric, Eliot, and Simon like I do?”
“Yes, but I get along best with Eric. We have everything in common. However, I’m much more handsome than he is. You feel closest to Simon. Speaking of Eric, I should go to the bridge.”
“Can we talk later about our feelings?” Kane moved back to look at my face. He looked like I had just thrown up on his shoes. “Never mind.”
Kane smiled, winked at me, and lef
t. A soldier came for Izaac. Chef, seemingly happy to have us back, began placing dishes on the table. I took my seat and enjoyed everything he brought me. While we ate, Nico and Eli began discussing my new brothers.
“The Constantine arrived at the weapons stash revealed by the hybrid mercenaries. Thirty thermo-resonator missiles were stockpiled at the site. The Militia has confiscated the weapons and continues to investigate,” Nico said.
I exchanged looks with Yukihyo. I was completely over my head involving myself with mercenaries. I would need to begin kicking my feet hard to keep my face above water long enough to take quick gulps of comprehension. I closed my eyes in thought. The mercenaries had on Arlo Dano’s orders, taken Neema and me, fought Yukihyo, Nico, Kaoti, and Phillip, and attacked Militia, Parvac, and private ships such as Tora and countless others. Now, these destructive and dangerous men were my responsibility.
Yukihyo placed his hand over mine. When I opened my eyes and saw his, something like camaraderie flowed from him to me. “Our responsibility, lady wife. You will never carry any burden alone. Why should you when you have me?” Yukihyo grinned and made his pectoral muscles jump. I dissolved into laughter.
“Chirp! Chirp!”
“I need to stretch my legs. Let’s put Neema in her stroller and walk around the ship’s corridors. I’ve been cooped up for days.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
“Princess Neema enjoyed some mashed bananas and now is asleep. Please, allow me to watch her while you enjoy your walk,” Pierce said to us.
“Thank you, Pierce,” Yukihyo said as he helped me up.
Nico and Eli stood when I did. Nico gave me a nod and a peck on the cheek. Then, he and Eli sat and returned to their conversation. Holding hands, Yukihyo and I strolled along the corridors and ended up on the observation deck. The viewports were open, and I scanned the stars until I caught sight of the Hadrian far off in the distance. A smaller ship was between us. Zeth and the others knew I watched their starship. It looked a little smaller than Tora. I imagined their crew quarters to be less luxuriously spacious. Yukihyo and I sat and gazed at the ships. He pointed Tora out to me. Hiroshi angled Tora into position between the Hadrian and the smaller ship. A second Parvac warship flanked ours.
The Parvac Emperor's Daughter (The Space Merchants Book 3) Page 32