by Kali Argent
“Xi?” She swallowed down her anxiety and released his hand. “Would you mind getting us some drinks, love?”
Considering she’d begged him not to leave her only moments before, she wasn’t surprised when his mouth turned down at the corners. She smiled, hoping to convey poise and certainty. His scowl deepened.
“It’s okay.” She inched closer to Cami and nodded. “I’m okay.”
Xi shook his head. “No. I gave my word not to leave you alone tonight.” He offered his hand. “If you want a drink, I will accompany you.” When she didn’t immediately reach out to him, he caught her wrist and tugged her back to his side. “You have nothing to prove, fayah.”
She pressed closer and sighed. “I’m…I just…”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Relief washed over her at his words, but she couldn’t help feeling as if she’d somehow failed. Xi had been wonderfully understanding so far, but it wasn’t fair to expect his patience to last forever.
Cami offered her a kind smile. “Sorry,” she said, wrinkling her nose as she tapped her temple. “I couldn’t help but overhear.”
Cynda blushed at the reminder of Cami’s telepathic abilities. Stars, she could only imagine what else the female had seen inside her head.
“You’ve got it all wrong,” Cami continued. “Watch.”
She took two steps to the side. Without even looking up from his conversation, Tariq moved as well, shuffling around the loosely formed circle of males.
Cami smirked. “See?”
“They can’t help themselves,” Jael said with a mischievous little grin.
She came forward, moving no more than three feet from where she’d been. Luke tensed, and his head snapped up, his bright blue eyes tracking her every step.
“Overprotective fools,” Jael muttered affectionately.
“And we wouldn’t have them any other way,” Cami added. Her gaze went to Tariq, and a dreamy expression came over her face. “It’s okay to need your mate, Cynda. That doesn’t make you weak.”
“Of course, not,” Jael agreed. “In fact, I’d say it takes a great deal of strength to place so much trust in another.”
Crap. If they didn’t stop, Cynda was going to start crying and ruin the makeup that had taken forever to apply.
“I hear you. I get it.”
Both females converged, tugging her away from Xi and into the circle of their arms. That did it. The tears finally overflowed.
“Thank you,” she hiccupped. “For everything.”
Cami patted her back. “That’s what family does.”
“We take care of each other,” Jael finished.
“You never have to be alone again, fayah.” Xi didn’t join in their group hug, but he did move close enough to brush the tears from her cheeks.
Luke appeared behind Jael and bent to kiss the top of her head. “We’re all here for you, Cynda.”
Tariq joined them, stopping just outside of their circle. “Everyone needs a little help sometimes. There’s no shame in that.” He patted Cynda awkwardly on the shoulder, then cleared his throat. “Okay, break it up. This is supposed to be a party.”
Everyone laughed as they broke apart and paired up once again.
Leaning into Xi’s embrace, Cynda tilted her head up to receive a slow, tender kiss that made her legs shake. She’d been alone for so long, depending only on herself, she had forgotten what it was like to have people who lifted her up rather than try to tear her down. She’d forgotten what it was like to have a real family.
“I love you,” she whispered against her mate’s lips. “So much.”
“As I love you.”
Suddenly, everything felt a lot less daunting, making it hard to remember what she’d been so afraid of in the first place. “Come dance with me.”
She expected a quick refusal, maybe some gruff line about how a royal sentry didn’t dance. She was prepared to convince him otherwise, but as it turned out, there was no need. Xi grinned devilishly before lifting her off her feet and spinning her in a circle. Clutching his shoulders, she shrieked and laughed, her heart filled with so much joy she feared it might burst.
“Are you happy, fayah?” he asked as he lowered her onto the illuminated dance floor.
“More than I’ve ever been in my whole life.” Everything had changed when her fathers had died, and ever since, she felt like she’d been searching for a place to belong. “This is where I fit.” Leaning in, she placed a kiss, right over his heart. “With you.”
It was one of those perfect moments she wanted to preserve and live in forever. So, of course, she should have known it couldn’t last.
“I guess they’ll let anyone into the gala these days,” came a familiar, cold voice from behind her.
Xi growled, but Cynda shook her head before turning to face the newcomer. “Hello, mother.”
Marilyn Vargas-Hale leaned close, her face a mask of unadulterated rage. “How dare you,” she hissed. “How dare you show your face here.”
“I have just as much right to be here as anyone else.”
“After what you did—”
“And what exactly is it that you think I did?”
“You know exactly what you did. You and that…that—” Her gaze darted to Xi. “—freak!”
“Easy, mother. Your bigotry is showing.”
For weeks, she’d dreaded facing her mother again. The fear had settled inside her like a living thing, growing and festering, but standing there now, she felt…nothing. She wasn’t afraid. There was no anger. Her life had changed a lot in the last few weeks, and so had she. No longer was she the scared little girl who desperately sought her mother’s approval. No longer was she willing to take whatever scraps of affection were offered to her.
She deserved more. She deserved better. Xi had taught her that, and though it had taken a little time, she finally believed it.
“You don’t belong here,” Anise said, stepping up beside her mother. “You don’t belong anywhere.”
“You try so hard,” Sage cooed, appearing on the other side of their mother. “A hand-me-down dress doesn’t change anything, though.”
Xi stepped forward, the markings on his skin pulsing dangerously as he vibrated with barely contained fury. “Watch your tone, female. Speak to my mate that way again, and I will remove your tongue from your wretched mouth.”
His threat of violence probably should have troubled her, but honestly, it was kind of hot. On the other hand, she really didn’t want to start an interplanetary incident in the middle of the party.
“There’s no need for that.” She looked her sisters up and down, ignoring her mother completely. “They’re not worth it.”
“Why, you insolent, spiteful, little—” Marilyn’s hand shot out, her open palm aimed for Cynda’s cheek.
Cynda caught her wrist before the blow could land, gripping it tightly and holding her arm aloft. They glared at each other, neither of them speaking, but they seemed to be garnering a lot of attention from nearby partygoers.
Suddenly, Cynda found herself surrounded. Xi pressed against her, his warning snarl vibrating her back. Jael and Cami bracketed her on either side, their mates right beside them.
“Is there a problem here?” Luke asked, his voice hard and unbending.
Her mother may not have recognized him specifically, but she couldn’t miss the four gold bars on his dress uniform. “No,” she said, adopting a simpering tone and a fake smile. “There’s no problem, Commander. I was just saying hello to my daughter.” She nodded to the twins. “We’ve missed her. Haven’t we, girls?”
Anise and Sage bobbed their heads obediently.
“I wasn’t speaking to you.” Luke gave all three a withering glare in turn. “Cynda? Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” Cynda agreed, letting Marilyn’s hand fall away. “My mother and sisters were just leaving.”
Despite everything they’d done to her, everything they were, she didn’t want to s
ee them hurt or even humiliated. She just wanted them to leave and never contact her again.
“What is the meaning of this?” Tall with broad shoulders and lean waist, Marius Irati strode up to them, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Why are you harassing my daughter?” His gaze bored into Cynda. “Answer me.”
She stared into those fathomless blue eyes for a full minute before turning her back on him.
“Don’t you dare walk away when I’m speaking to you.” He faltered when Xi took a menacing step toward him but rallied and continued in a more hushed tone. “I will not have you embarrassing our family on this day of celebration.”
“Family?” Cynda exploded. She rounded on him, jabbing her finger at her mother and sisters. “They made my life a living hell for eleven years, and you—” She swung the accusing finger toward her grandfather. “—ignored me for twenty!”
“Now, Cynda,” her mother began.
But Cynda wasn’t finished. “I cooked for you. Cleaned. I did everything you ever asked of me, mother. I even moved into the staff quarters so the twins could turn my room into another closet.” A sizeable crowd had started to gather, and murmurs of shock and disgust swept through the onlookers. “I never complained. I never asked for anything from you, but it was never enough, was it? I was never enough.”
Her grandfather gaped throughout most of her speech, but he eventually pulled himself together and straightened his spine. “Those are very serious accusations, Cynda. Do you—”
“No,” she said, cutting him off. “You don’t get to speak to me. You never gave a damn about me before, and I don’t care what you have to say now. You are not my family.” She shook her head, her temper subsiding as quickly as it had flared, leaving her drained. Numb. “None of you are.”
The mutterings around them grew louder, some of them even clear enough for her to pick up a few words.
“… something wrong with that family.”
“…hardly ever saw the girl.”
“…dressed in those rags.”
“Spoke to her once…”
“…seemed so sweet.”
“Despicable…”
It probably should have made her feel better, or at least, vindicated, but she didn’t know these people. None of them knew her. They had no reason to believe her. They were just interested in the scandal, and as soon as something more exciting came along, they’d forget all about this little scene.
Trying to block out the noise around her, she turned and hurried through the crowd. She didn’t know where she was going, and she didn’t care. She just had to get away.
“Cynda, wait!” Heavy footsteps rushed closer, and strong arms caught her around the waist. “It’s okay,” Xi soothed. “Shh, easy.” He gathered her into his arms, clutching her close as he stroked his fingers through her hair. “Breathe, fayah. You’re okay.”
As the adrenaline ebbed, other emotions bubbled to the surface. Hurt. Embarrassment. Anger.
Freedom.
More than anything else, she felt free.
The clack of heels against the tiled floor drew her attention, and she looked up just in time to see Cami and Jael rushing toward them.
“Oh, my god!” Cami exclaimed. “That was amazing!”
“You were so brave,” Jael agreed.
She hadn’t thought of it like that, but just a few weeks ago, she’d have never had the courage to stand up to her mother like that. “Yeah, I guess I was.”
“You were incredible,” Xi whispered as he brushed a kiss against her temple. “I’m so proud of you.”
She was pretty damn proud of her, too. “Thank you.”
“Do you want to go home?” He stared at her, his gaze filled with concern and understanding.
The old her would have nodded meekly, run home, and hidden herself away. She wasn’t the person anymore. She wouldn’t let her mother or anyone else dictate her life ever again.
“Actually…” Taking his hand, she backed away, pulling him with her. “I never did get that dance.”
CHAPTER TEN
“I’ve never met royalty before. Then again, I’ve never been off Earth, either.” Cynda gripped the edge of the ship’s window and leaned so close her breath fogged the glass. “I can’t believe I’m actually in space!”
Grinning, Xi closed out the report he’d been reading and set the comm glass aside. Stars, his mate was adorable. For three days, she’d been bouncing around the ship, her excitement so infectious that he’d even heard Syrie laugh—twice.
When he’d first broached the subject of them returning to Xenthian, he admitted he’d been worried. By her own admission, she’d never left Earth before. Hell, she’d barely even been out of Light City. It would have been natural for her to be hesitant about traveling several lightyears across the universe to an unfamiliar planet.
Especially when he hadn’t been able to give her a clear answer on when they might visit Earth again.
As always, though, she had surprised him. She’d had questions, of course, but not the ones he’d expected. Would she be able to breathe the air on Xenthian? Did all the females wear dresses, or could she bring pants? What kind of food did they eat? Did they have shuttles, or did everyone just transport to wherever they wanted to go?
The last question had been of particular interest since she’d expressed worry that she might not have an aptitude for magic, even after they were officially bonded.
He’d enjoyed answering her inquiries and allaying her concerns. Telling her about his world reminded him just how much he missed it. Seeing the way Cynda’s eyes lit up when he described his home on the Southern Isle made him realize how much he took for granted.
However, their relocation wasn’t entirely because of homesickness.
After much discussion and consideration, Luke and Jael had decided it was time to leave Earth and make the long journey to Xenthian. With the birth of their child fast approaching, their revelation hadn’t really surprised him. He knew Jael wanted to have the baby on Xenthian, just as he knew there wasn’t anything in the galaxies Luke wouldn’t give her.
Well, that, and Luke had confided in him that he worried about how the shield around Earth might affect the delivery. The frequency blockers Jael had secured for them had helped tremendously, but their magic would never be the same that far away from home. The use of it still made them tired, weak, and spells still had the potential to go sideways just as often as they went right.
Luke and Jael still had business to complete in Light City that would take another week or so, but Xi had been eager to reach Xenthian and start planning his bonding ceremony with Cynda. Jael had encouraged his early departure, and she’d even offered him a parting gift. He’d just been waiting for the right moment to share it with his mate.
“What should I call him?”
Xi blinked. He’d been so lost in thought he’d clearly missed a good deal of the conversation they were apparently having. “Call who?”
“Your king.”
“He’s not the king, but you can call him Vasere, or Vasere Snowden.”
Cynda chewed her bottom lip between her teeth and bobbed her head. “How should I greet him? I mean, do I bow? Curtsey? Xenon don’t shake hands. Jael told me that much.”
“Cynda—”
“Oh, stars, what if I forget his name?”
“Fayah—”
Her eyes went wide, and she jumped to her feet. “What if I forget my own name?”
“Fayah,” he called loudly through his chuckles. “Please relax.”
“Relax?” Hands clutched together so tightly the skin had turned white beneath her fingers, Cynda huffed at him in exasperation. “Relax? I’m going to be meeting the ruler of your island, and you want me to relax? What if I screw up? What if I make a complete fool out of myself?” She unlinked her hands and grabbed the skirt of her cheery, pink dress, shaking it violently. “I am so underdressed for this. I look ridiculous. I should change.”
Grabbing her arou
nd the waist when she tried to rush past him, Xi swept her into his arms and closed his mouth over hers. Damn, he loved her, even when she was being a neurotic mess.
“You look beautiful.” He tucked a loose curl behind her ear and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Utterly dazzling.”
“Xi, I don’t—”
He silenced her with another kiss. “It both pleases and infuriates me to know that everyone on my isle will be watching you, wanting you…coveting what’s mine.”
“No one is going to be looking at me. I—Xi!” She gasped, and a little shiver vibrated her frame when he cupped her ass and pulled her flush against him. “What are you doing?”
“Distracting you.”
“We can’t.” She didn’t push him away, though. “We’ll be landing soon.”
“We have time.” He skimmed his nose along the length of her neck, smiling against the fragrant skin when she dropped her head back.
“I didn’t…I mean, I don’t…” Rising up on her toes, she arched into him with a breathy moan. “I can’t think when you do that.”
“Perfect.”
“But,” she gasped, “Syrie is probably waiting for us on the command deck.”
Sliding his hand up the expanse of her stomach, he cupped her breast through the material of her dress as he nipped at the skin on her bare shoulder. “Let her wait.”
“I…I’m…” She relaxed into his arms with a breathy sigh. “I’ve got nothing else.”
Xi groaned before capturing her mouth in another deep, searing kiss. “Thank the ancestors.”
Willing their clothes away, he tumbled them onto the bed, falling between his mate’s thighs and sinking into her slick heat. He loved that she was always ready for him, always eager. Even when he reached for her in the middle of the night, she welcomed him with quiet sighs and heady moans.
Their lips met in an achingly tender kiss as he began a languid rhythm, sliding into her with gentle, unhurried strokes until neither of them could hold back their desire any longer. Cynda’s cries grew in volume as their pace increased, and she tossed her head back, arching into him, meeting him thrust for powerful thrust.