Ginny

GINNY

K ing Asteron's palace is predictably huge. I feel like I'm running out of adjectives to describe everything about Xnos and its king. Huge honey-colored stone turrets spiral up into a pale blue sky. The atmosphere is hot, and a fragrant, welcome breeze blows my billowing dress out around me.

I'm trying to get the thing under control when Asteron strides down the gangway, looking regal in all ways, while I look like I'm trying to wrangle cats in a parachute.

"Wife," he says to me, fortunately ignoring the fact my skirt is being blown up at the back.

"," I remind him.

He tips his horned head to one side, his dark eyes interested for the first time. "." He says my name like he's tasting it, sinfully wrapping his lips around the word and enjoying every letter.

My core shudders, which is a very odd reaction. I've met Asteron twice, and both times he seemed less than interested in me, and despite the fact he is very easy to look at, he shouldn't be having any effect on me.

"Shall we go to my throne room?" he suggests gently.

"Yeah, sure," I reply, gathering up my voluminous outfit to trot alongside his huge strides.

"Um, Asteron?" He turns his big bull head to look at me. "What do I call you? I've never met a king before."

"I am your husband. You can call me Asteron," he says. "My formal titles are reserved for all others. Not you."

Relief flows through me. He's not being quite the dickhead he was earlier and at least he's looking at me rather than past me.

"This way," he says as we reach a crossroads in the vaulted corridors.

"This place is massive," I say out loud. "I don't know how I'm ever going to find my way around."

"You will not need to. You will always be escorted should you need to go anywhere, both before and after our nuptials," Asteron snaps.

"Oh. Okay." So, he doesn't trust me in his posh palace. Great. Guess I was premature about him not being a dick.

Ahead of us is a set of doors which have to be well over twenty feet high and polished metal which means I can see myself and Asteron in the reflection.

He looks like a king. I look like a cake.

This is never going to work.

The doors swing open automatically, and Asteron strides into a vast empty room. Columns run down a central aisle, the polished black surface of the floor sparking under his hooves as he makes his way down to a well upholstered throne sat on a stage above the rest of the room.

It's in a similar metal to the doors, only not as highly polished. The covering seems worn which surprises me, given how heavily maintained everywhere else I've seen so far is. I half expect Asteron to mount the stage and sit, but instead, he moves to one side and ushers me through a much smaller door at the rear.

I find myself in a much more comfortable room. There's a desk, sumptuous red and gold rugs on the floor and wall hangings depicting battles in plenty of gory detail.

And there is a view, out down a lush green valley through a wide open window, and the scent of all the greenery is almost overwhelming. Without even looking at Asteron, I run over to the window and gulp down the sweet, pure air, drinking in the view.

"Xnos," Asteron intones as he joins me. "Or at least the royal forests of Xnos. There is plenty more of this planet."

"I've been on a space ship for the last fifteen nova-years," I blurt out. "Breathing recycled farts and not seeing another living thing, other than humans."

I manage to button my lip. Can you say "fart" to a king? Even if he is your husband?

"I saw your history," Asteron says. "You were on a refugee hulk I understand."

"That's one way to describe S.C. Britannia ." I choke out a harsh laugh. "But given we ruined our planet, there was nowhere else to go."

Asteron makes a short growling sound and looks away from me down the valley. I don't know if this means he agrees with me or thinks it's my fault.

"It's very beautiful," I say. "Your planet."

He moves away from me, back into the room where Phinade is waiting silently for us. I already feel my skin creeping at the sight of him, but I'm not sure why. He hands Asteron a computer tablet.

"Your form states bride and breeder, correct?" he asks, not looking up at me.

"Yes, it did, but…" I'm about to protest those were the only two options, but Asteron carries on.

"I need an heir as soon as possible. I have married you, and I presume you are willing to commence the breeding aspect straight away."

This is so, so wrong, but I'm heating up the more he mentions breeding. It's as if I'm….turned on by it. Which I can't possibly be. In the last twelve hours, I've gone from single mud lark to married queen. I can't also want to do the horizontal mambo with this hulk of a bull alien with his abs for days and an arse I could bounce a marble off.

Before I can reply, before I can say anything, Phinade sneaks up next to me and clips something around my upper arm. I cry out as there is a sharp stabbing pain. Asteron growls and his vizier scuttles back, clutching his computer to his chest.

"She is entering her fertile phase, sire," he says apologetically to Asteron, cowering a little. "The monitor will assist in knowing when she is ready for your seed."

"What?" I fire out at them both.

"You should commence your coupling as soon as possible, sire," Phinade says without even acknowledging me. "Humans can be tricky when it comes to conception."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Then prepare the stall," Asteron says imperiously, his gaze raking over me, and for the first time, I think I see a spark of emotion in him. "And prepare my bride for breeding."