The New King: An Alien War Romance (Galactic Order Book 5)

by Erin Raegan

I also had a new guardian. Mantu. Him and his spidey brothers had been sent into hiding with us and there was just no avoiding three enormous spiders in that small cave. Vivian and Peyton had been terrified, Linda and Nick refused to look them in the eye but Bailey and Star warmed up to them pretty quickly. Nate was their new best friend.

  As for me, Mantu had started talking in my mind, haltingly, carefully. He eased me into a relationship with him and guarded me while I slept. Uthyf had told Mantu I was to be his main priority. I didn’t want to know how the Arachtinus spiders could defend me. I didn’t ever want to witness their defensive capabilities and I hoped I would never have to. But he was kind, thoughtful, and he loved to pick my brain about humans as much as I was starting to love learning about his species.

  And so, the enormous spider had become a surprising friend to me as well.

  On the morning of the seventh day, it was Olynth who came to give us the news of the Dahk, and their king’s victory.

  Lives were lost on both sides and Uthyf was torn up inside over it. He visited the families of the lost on his own, afraid there would be hostility toward me. I hadn’t caused the war on my own. But I had been one of the catalysts. Humans played a small part in dividing the kingdom, but Josyd and Hull had started it long before I ever arrived. It had been inevitable.

  Uthyf was in so many meetings in the days after, I barely saw him. Sometimes he brought me with him, but most of them were about small skirmishes breaking out all over the planet and he didn’t want to frighten me. I spent my time with Uthyf’s, and now my, House members. Reintegrating them into our home. Learning their names, their fears, their ambitions. They were my new family and I wanted to get to know them.

  The castle had taken quite a bit of damage, but the small town below it had been nearly destroyed. It had been evacuated, but Dahk lost their homes and belongings.

  Ilynda took in all they could and we housed those who had nowhere else to go. But they would never get back all that they had lost.

  The meetings I did attend with Uthyf were about us, the humans. Tahk had planned to convince Uthyf to offer asylum here for those still on Earth. At first, just females. But with the threat of the Galactic Council looming closer back home, my old home, he was considering offering it to males and children as well.

  But that idea had been shut down pretty quickly by Uthyf and those on his new council. Haytu, Wohn, Fihk, Tahk, a few others, and even Vyr were now offered new positions on his council. It was still to be decided amongst them who would take it, but Olynth had bowed out before Uthyf could even ask him. If Fihk took it, he didn’t want them both away from Bailey all the time. Tahk had no choice as Commander, though I suppose he could have said no, but he was already counseling Uthyf anyway.

  Uthyf’s reasons for not offering asylum to the humans were pretty simple. The Dahk just weren’t ready for it. Uthyf said he needed more time and dropping thousands of humans, possibly millions, into their population was just impossible without alienating his Dahk.

  Tahk had agreed he was reaching and it was too soon, though I knew Peyton must have been the one to put it in his ear. She meant well, but it was a ridiculous hope. Uthyf would still aid Earth, but they also had the Kilbus to defend them. For now, that had to be enough.

  But Uthyf spoke to me late at night about the future. One day, he wanted to bring our species together. At least give his Dahk the option of mating a human. The Dahk’s fertility issues weren’t going away, but more, he felt it was wrong to deny them the opportunity of a true Pythen mating and he was curious if the female Dahk could possibly have the same opportunities with human men.

  It was a strange concept, but he said there was interspecies mating all throughout the galaxy and if the Dahk wanted to remain strong they needed to learn to be more open to outside influences.

  I liked to think that I had made him more open himself. That through me, he saw what we had was special and new and worth fighting for, for his Dahk.

  It felt like we were on the cusp of some great change. Almost inevitable change. Not just for the Dahk or the humans but for the universe as a whole. The Galactic Council was tearing apart, allies turning on each other, new relationships forged.

  Uthyf was smart enough to see the signs and urge his Dahk to accept new change.

  It would be hard. It would take time. But I believed it was possible.

  But for now, we had to worry about our own home. Here on Home World. We had a castle to rebuild, a kingdom to mend, and those repairs would hurt just as much as they would heal.

  I watched from the doorway as Tahk hovered over Peyton. We were in the healer’s room and Peyton was suffering from contractions.

  She had been crying all morning to go home, but Tahk didn’t think it was safe to keep her far from the army outside guarding our doors. Not until the Dahk had moved past their shock and grief after the Houses attacked the castle.

  Vivian and Gryo believed they were false contractions, preparation for the real thing, but the Dahk were flying blind on this one, and Peyton was having an alien baby so we really couldn’t treat her like we would on Earth.

  Peyton cried out again and Tahk roared at the healers. The poor guy was a mess. The Dahk weren’t used to their females feeling so much pain during pregnancy. He was out of his mind with worry. We assured him it was normal but he didn’t care. He just wanted her to stop feeling pain.

  “How is she?” Uthyf murmured, his arms coming around me from behind.

  “They’re slowing down,” I whispered back.

  “Strange,” Uthyf muttered as he flattened his palm on my belly. We weren’t pregnant. But not for lack of trying. There was no way to prevent pregnancy here and I couldn’t bring myself to worry about it. I needed to give Uthyf an heir. I felt an obligation as his queen, but I was also feeling pressure from his council and those Dahk watching us closely. He assured me it would be okay if we never had a baby, but there was no way I would do anything to prevent it. Not even now when it was still so dangerous for us here. If it really were possible for me, I needed to grab onto every possible chance.

  “It’ll be soon, though,” I said to him over my shoulder. Vivian had a feeling the baby would come any day now. “We’ll have to postpone the ceremony.”

  Uthyf nodded against my head and we watched as Vivian argued with Gryo quietly on the other side of the room. With Aryx back, there needed to be a traditional crowning ceremony for Uthyf. Aryx was impatient to get it over with. He wanted to disappear. He wouldn’t say where, but I had a feeling the moment he officially passed over the throne to his brother it would be a long, long time before we saw him again, if ever.

  Aryx held a lot of shame inside him.

  His face was lined with it. He held his head high in public, but I could see it was hard to meet the eyes of his Dahk every day and not let their judgment wreck him.

  I felt bad for him, but he had brought it on himself. Had he confided in Tahk or Haytu, or at the very least his brother, it could have all been prevented. Maybe. We would never know.

  “Will you be going with me to Rytsa?” Uthyf asked, gently urging me out into the hall.

  Rytsa was hours away. It was a large city that Lyran had governed over. Aryx’s father had placed him there during his rule. Now it needed a new head and Uthyf was traveling to meet with a few possibilities he would be vetting to Rise in Lyran’s stead. Rytsa was nearly out of control and the main city on Home World feeling the most turmoil. So many Dahk were fighting amongst themselves there that Uthyf couldn’t wait any longer to find Lyran’s replacement. It needed to happen now.

  “I thought you didn’t want me to,” I murmured as he nuzzled the side of my neck. I thought it was far too dangerous for me there.

  “I do not believe Tyrl or Ikyn are the right Dahk for Rise on their own. I need you to help me convince Gryl to serve one of them. To guide them.”

  “What, why?” I stepped away from him. He wanted Gryl to leave us? My chest thumped hard.

  Uth
yf pulled my stiff body back into his, his eyes softening in remorse and understanding. “Ikyn is too weak to enforce order, he lacks conviction. And Tyrl,” Uthyf sighed. “He is a fine Dahk, and served my father, but his reservations for humans concerns me. He is reluctant in our meetings. Not out of prejudice but he has lived many sunrings and will be stubborn.”

  “Then maybe he shouldn’t step in there,” I said hotly. We didn’t need another Lyran, especially in Rytsa.

  “My queen, it overjoys me that you feel so fiercely in this,” Uthyf murmured, layering kisses along my neck. “You fight for my Dahk so courageously. Tyrl is an honorable Dahk, but he needs a firm hand.”

  “You make him sound like a brat.” I scowled even as Uthyf chuckled into my bare shoulder.

  “Perhaps, but if Gryl will serve him, I believe he may be able to evolve Tyrl’s convictions.”

  “Why do you think that?” I pushed away from him again, agitated. “He wants to go to Earth when there’s a chance.” Gryl wanted to find a mate, and if there were forces being sent over to aid Earth, Gryl should have the same opportunity as the rest of the Dahk. He wouldn’t have that chance babysitting some stubborn old Dahk.

  And I would—I would miss him.

  “You heard him, my Mohna.” Uthyf hunched over to look into my squinted eyes. “If he truly believes his mate is waiting for him out there,” he waved above our heads, “he wants a society that welcomes her, not threatens her. “

  “If you think he’ll jump at the chance to spend months if not years on some noble quest to convince the whole planet to welcome some hypothetical mate all by himself, then you ask him.” I folded my arms across my chest.

  Uthyf shook his head, smiling at me sadly. “I did.”

  I dropped my arms and searched his face. “He said no, then?”

  Uthyf nodded, chuckling softly.

  “Okay, good,” I muttered, confused. “If he told you no, he won’t say yes to me.”

  Uthyf held my hand, kissing my fingers. “He thanked me for the opportunity. It would bring great honor to his House to be second to Rytsa’s head House but he said he could not leave you.”

  “He said that?” I asked, shocked. He would stay, for me?

  Uthyf watched me closely.

  I blinked away tears. It shouldn’t have surprised me. But it did. Gryl and Yeln and so many others had been injured when the master showed up in my room all those weeks ago. Guarding me, protecting me, was so dangerous for them. Not to mention exhausting. But they did day in and day out without any complaint. Wouldn’t it be a relief to be able to leave?

  Uthyf grinned again as he watched me absorb this.

  “I’ll miss him though,” I said, my voice small and broken.

  Uthyf sighed and pulled me into a tight embrace. “He is your protector and it pains me to lose his dedication to your safety, but he deserves this honor, love, and I believe he possesses the skills to negotiate on my behalf.”

  I nodded, burrowing into him. “I’ll talk to him.” Gryl would be awesome there. He had the strength and backbone to help Tyrl get control of Rytsa again, and his love for a mate he hadn’t even met gave him the conviction that would help him convince Tyrl to one day accept humans into his city. “What about Yeln, and Lohr, and everyone else? Will I lose them too?”

  Uthyf chuckled, “No, if you can convince him, Gryl will choose a unit to take with him of those that have volunteered.”

  “But have they? Volunteered I mean?”

  “No, they are loyal to you as Gryl is; if you believe they wish to go you will need to give them a push.”

  “Me?” I looked up at him.

  “Yes, love. None would leave their queen’s side unless she wished it.”

  “Oh, well I can ask I guess,” I said reluctantly. I didn’t want to hold anyone back because I was selfish. I had grown to love all of my guards. But things were settling down. The army was dispersing and I knew I couldn’t keep everyone with me all the time much longer. They were needed elsewhere. Uthyf could have just ordered them, but my guy wasn’t like that. Uthyf had his normal crew around him when he left the castle, but inside only two followed him. I didn’t know how many would stay with me, but I had ten these days and it was cramped in our room. This was a reality check for me. I kind of felt like I was hoarding Dahk guards and that wasn’t okay.

  I squinted at Uthyf and then sighed. This was his way of telling me we needed to start projecting more confidence. If I had ten guards with me at all times of the day, in the castle, that hardly spread calm and safety throughout Home World. If I looked afraid, the rest of the world would feel afraid.

  And I wasn’t afraid anymore. I knew Uthyf wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I would have two possibly three guards still with me in the castle and Uthyf’s army with me outside of it. And everyone else, well they were starting to come around. Ilynda was a great place to visit now. They welcomed me and Roxanne and Lydia with open arms. Bailey and Vivian even came with us on occasion.

  It would take time to bring the rest of Home World around, but I knew we could do it. It would take time and work but—Rome wasn’t built in a day and all that.

  “Very generous of you, my queen,” Uthyf murmured wryly and tugged me down the hall.

  “I said I’ll ask,” I snarked up at him. “But I can’t guarantee anything.” If Gryl wanted to stay, if the others wanted to stay, I wasn’t going to turn them away. But I guess if they felt confident in my safety and with a little coaxing, they might feel better about leaving me. Ugh, leaving me. Now, I was just whining.

  “My love, perhaps with less eyes on us I may be able to spend more time with you in the morn,” Uthyf purred in my ear.

  My toes curled into my shoes. Yeah, that would be one benefit. I hadn’t felt very comfortable fooling around with him lately with so many guards in our room. I looked over my shoulder as we started up the stairs. Twelve pairs of eyes met mine and darted quickly away. “And ears.”

  Uthyf snorted and winked at me. Gryl was resting this morning but Yeln was behind me and I knew he would fill Gryl in on what he overheard Uthyf asking me. None of them looked angry or sad so I knew Uthyf was right—it was time I let some of them go.

  “You could have just asked them to leave,” I grumbled as we reached the top of the stairs. He was king after all. If he wanted a little private time with me, he could have cleared our room out for a few hours.

  Uthyf stopped us at his door and pinched my chin between his knuckles. “Could I?”

  I looked down at my toes. “I haven’t been having as many nightmares lately.”

  “No?” he asked gently. “But you still cry out and leave my arms.”

  I sighed. “I’m safe here. I know I am.” I hugged him and buried my hot face in his chest. “I have you.”

  But I could see why he felt uncomfortable asking the guards to leave if I was sleepwalking. He probably felt I would feel safer with them there. But most nights Uthyf chased away my nightmares, and it was time.

  “And you will always have me, my Mohna.” Uthyf lifted me in his arms and walked through the door. I watched him shut the door before the guards could come in but felt his eyes on my face. “You are safe with me.”

  I looked up at him and welcomed his lips on mine. “I know.”

  The master might be gone but he still haunted my dreams. My father might be billions of light years away but he would always lurk in the back of my mind. The Juldo were no longer beating at our door, but I knew Uthyf was preparing for Chyn’s return one day. The Galactic Order was far from done with Earth and Home World, and the Dahk were far from embracing humans.

  I was queen of an alien race. And I would need every bit of fire and courage I could conjure to keep that position. But I had my king, and I was safe and loved. And that was so much more than I had a year ago. Or even a few months ago.

  We could handle whatever came next.

  The End. For Now.

  One night shortly after Mona’s arrival.


  Uthyf

  A noise outside my rooms alerted me and drew me from the comm screen at my desk.

  There is a human female outside your room in the halls.

  I looked to my old friend, Mantu, as he rested above me in the corner of my office.

  The humans had arrived on Home World a few sunrings past, coated in fear and despair. I sighed heavily. There were so many of them. They had been tortured and enslaved at the hands of the Juldo Master for so long their wounded eyes told tales of terror and anguish.

  There arrival nearly undid all my progress with my Dahk and the tentative acceptance of the humans already residing here. But I could not turn them away. No matter how badly I wanted to. My father would not have. He would have welcomed them and the challenge they brought to his door.

  “What is she doing?” I asked my friend.

  Mantu gazed at me tiredly through his bottomless eyes. Go see.

  I snorted but stood, scrubbing the exhaustion from my face and walked to my door, waving my guards away. If I could not handle one human on my own, I was not worthy to sit on my father’s throne.

  Looking out into the hall, I saw it was not just a human wandering my floor so late, but two of her guards as well. Gryl and Yeln watched the female warily as she lay weeping on the floor, curled around herself protectively.

  “Why does she weep?” I asked them impatiently.

  The female made a sound of distress and curled tighter around herself.

  “She walks in her sleep, my king, running from the shadows that haunt her,” Gryl said, pained. He watched the human helplessly as did Yeln.

  “Escort her to her rooms,” I growled, annoyed.

  “She just runs from them again, my king,” Yeln said sadly.

  “Bring her inside,” I sighed and waved them through my door.

  Lifting her, Gryl carried her inside and I escorted them to my bed. He laid her down gently and backed away to the door. I did not know why I stopped at her small plea, but I found myself turning to her as she cried out for help.