Chapter 8

The medbay floor was far from the worst place I’d rested, but it wasn’t one that I’d have chosen. With Eden lying on my arm, her head resting on my chest, I couldn’t even think of moving. I’d rather have gnawed off my arm than wake her. So there we stayed, snuggled together, my hand stroking her back as she mumbled something sleepy under her breath.

It couldn’t last forever, alas. Far too soon, the human sat up and looked down at me, her cheeks reddening.

“That wasn’t what we agreed,” she started, then bit her lip. I gave her a small smile, keeping my lips closed. In my experience, a Drachali smile intimidated most humans.

“We both came through a lethal fight unharmed,” I said, sitting up opposite her, my back leaning against the medical coffin. “Our bodies needed release. It does not have to mean more, unless you want it to.”

Her expression mixed relief with disappointment. “Yeah. Sure. Just hormones, right? No one’s shot at me before now.”

I nodded, feeling as reluctant as she seemed. But I struck a bargain and I would keep it—Eden would be my queen for a year, but only in appearance. I would not push for more, as much as I desired her. I don’t even know her, I told myself, though it rang hollow. The infuriating human meant more than just a dodge around a prophecy. Much more.

“We must dress,” I said reluctantly, heaving myself up from the floor and taking the clothes waiting in the maker. Eden watched with a raised eyebrow, and I grinned. “As much as I prefer your current state of dress, here.”

The shirt I passed her was far too big, of course, but it covered her nakedness. A necessity if I wanted to focus on anything aside from her. From the way she looked at me, she didn’t mind that it left me topless. A win for both of us, then.

“The makers are only good for Drachali sizes,” I explained. “We can make adjustments for you, but first we should see how much trouble we’re in. Should have done that as soon as I left the autodoc, but someone was unbearably distracting.”

“Oh, you’re going to blame me?” Eden protested with a mock glare. “As I recall, you were the one parading around naked.”

“Because I got shot protecting you.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ve always got an excuse, don’t you?” A grin broke on her face, beautiful and deadly like the dawn. I’d step in front of a plasma cannon for her, and my only regret would be that I could do it only once.

It took all my willpower to turn away and lead her to the bridge rather than my cabin. She looked around as we walked, a thoughtful look on her face.

“This ship has everything you could need, right?” She asked eventually. “Does that mean it has an armory?”

“Hah. Yes, but if you’re expecting us to make a daring attack on a castle, you’ll find it disappointing. I have a pair of hunting rifles, power swords meant for dueling, and stun pistols. I did not expect to get into a war with one of my vassals, and this is a yacht, not a warship.”

The bridge looked out onto the vast depths of space, holograms displaying status reports floating where they wouldn’t spoil the view. Everything was well within tolerances, and we were alone with no sign of pursuit. Not a surprise—Blackwing might not carry many weapons, but she was fast. Vazand had no ships able to keep up with it.

“Where are we?” Eden said, looking out into the vast void beyond the viewport. “We can’t have gone far.”

“That depends on what you mean by ‘far’—we’re in a random orbit around Vazand’s star. Even if they find us here, which they won’t, we can jump to hyperspace. The drive is spooled up and ready. We’re safe.”

She relaxed, letting go of tension I hadn’t noticed. “So, what now? You’re not going to let him get away with this, are you?”

“I will not, and I cannot. He attacked you, knowing you are my queen. As a warrior, I must defend my mate. As king, I cannot look weak. Either would be enough to doom him, and he must know that. He will move against me with whatever he can.”

“You don’t need to take risks on my account,” Eden said, sliding an arm around me and holding on tight. “He tried to kill me, but he failed because you saved me. You got shot for me. I don’t need anything more from you, but...since you have a whole other reason, I can say I hope you fuck him the fuck up.”

Her profanity startled a laugh from me, and I hugged her back. “Such a poet you are.”

For a moment we stood there, holding each other, and then we both remembered the terms of our agreement and stepped back. Eden looked as unhappy about that as I was.

I promised no pressure, I told myself sternly as she looked away and chewed on her lip. It was the hardest promise I’d ever had to keep, and I pulled my eyes away, looking for something, anything, that would distract me.

I found it on the communication console, where a flashing light indicated an urgent message waiting. Dropping into the captain’s chair, I called it up without checking further.

Duke Strahar Vazand appeared, a life-sized hologram standing before me, dressed in formal robes suitable for speaking with royalty. Stone-faced and collected, he bowed and spoke in a voice as cold as comet ice.

“Majesty, I regret our earlier interaction. It was unfortunate that the situation got out of hand, and your sudden departure was, of course, perfectly correct. Alas, I must insist that you return so that we can consider matters in a more decorous way. We do still have a wedding to plan.”

I snarled at the hologram, blood boiling at the duke’s arrogant insincerity. “If you have a point, make it already.”

Eden laid a hand on my arm, calming me. I nodded my thanks. Losing my temper with a recording wouldn’t help. Nor would listening to him drone on. I reached for the off switch, but Eden held my arm back. “Don’t. I want to know why he’s speaking Galtrade.”

That hadn’t registered to me until she mentioned it, and it ignited my curiosity too. Vazand didn’t need to include her in the conversation, so why would he? Alas, finding out involved listening to his interminable thoughts on wedding plans, on how honored his daughter was, and how wonderful the union of our houses would be.

“I think I’ve figured out his plan,” Eden said. “He’s going to bore us to death.”

I chuckled. “You’re the one who wanted to hear him out. But yes, I wish he made his schemes more interesting, or at least shorter. Preferably both.”

Eden laughed too, a bright and musical sound, sending a pulse of pure joy through my soul. I smiled, placing my hand over hers, and basked in the warmth of her company until the duke reached an actual point.

“As for your human companion,” he said, loading the word with more contempt than I’d thought possible, “I admit, I overreacted to her presence. Of course, your Majesty was pleased to joke about being married to her, and I should have realized it was humor. A Drachali king can no more marry a human than one of the scyr-birds that scavenge the poison sea.”

“Rhakaris,” Eden said softly, “you’re hurting me.”

I blinked and realized I’d tightened my grip on her, fingers digging into her flesh hard enough to bruise. I jerked my hand back as though scalded, apologizing as I did so.

The duke’s disrespect for her stoked a rage in me, leaving me shaking with tension. I wanted to put my fist through his face, but the only person I might hurt was my human companion. So I breathed in. Held it as I counted to four. And breathed out again, letting some of my anger flow with it. Eden pressed a hand to my chest, dispelling more.

A shift in the hologram drew our attention back to the message. The image had zoomed out to show the chamber behind the duke, revealing that he was not alone. Keepers flanked him, hard-faced and cold-eyed, but the bigger surprise was the group of humans standing against the wall behind them. I didn’t understand why they were there—six of them, huddled together and faces pale with fear. Four young males, and an older couple, with a pair of Drachali guards looming over them. Why would he...?

I winced, my thoughts interrupted by sudden pain as Eden’s hands clenched, driving her nails into my skin. “That motherfucker! He’s got my family!”

“...her family lives in my domain, and I will be glad to take care of them. Alas, Vazand is a dangerous planet, and I can’t guarantee their safety if you don’t return promptly.”

Eden swore over his voice in a continuous stream, obscene words in a language I didn’t need to understand. The hate and rage and fear in her voice was enough to know what she meant. Her nails dug in harder and harder until I hissed from the effort of keeping still.

Hearing my pain, she gasped and let go, blushing bright red and stammering an apology. I waved that away as unimportant and gathered her to me. “I do not care about a little pain, my mate. Vazand has hurt you, which is far more important. I promise he will pay a harsh price if any of your kin come to harm.”

“Thank you, but I’d rather keep them safe than avenge their deaths, you know?”

“I do know,” I told her. “I would give almost anything to speak with my parents again, and I will not allow you to suffer as I have. Not while there is another choice.”

“So... what, you get your army and go give that fucker a kicking?” She sounded unconvinced, and I didn’t blame her.

“Duke Vazand has a powerful army, and my royal guard would have difficulty defeating him on their own. It would be different if I rallied my loyal nobles to our cause, but that would take many days. Far too late to save your family.”

“Even if we had an army right here, we couldn’t save them. So I guess they’re fucked, because I can’t ask you to turn yourself over.”

A tremble in her voice showed how close she was to losing control, and my heart felt like it was tearing itself in two. She was right. It was madness to risk my dynasty and my kingdom, to put myself back in the duke’s clutches. I should return to the Sanguine Throne, call my vassals, and enact such a vengeance that no one would dare strike at my mate ever again.

It was a smart plan, a sensible plan, but a plan with a deadly flaw: it would break Eden’s heart. And no matter what my duty demanded of me, I couldn’t do that.

I reached past her to the control surfaces, redirecting the Blackwing’s course. Eden clung to me, fighting back tears, and didn’t comment until she realized our heading was back the way we came.

“No. Don’t you dare.” She sat up in my lap, glared into my eyes, and spoke with a voice that should have commanded armies. “I told you, I’m not asking you for that.”

“You are not,” I confirmed. “I am doing it anyway. If I do not, we will both regret it for the rest of our days.”

“And if you do, how will we feel? You’ll be a captive, your kingdom will be theirs, and your dynasty will end with you.” Her voice rose as she spoke, and tears welled in her eyes. “You can’t surrender on my account. I won’t permit it.”

“It is not your choice to make. I will do this, Eden, because I love you and wish you to be happy. While there is still a chance we can save both our families, I refuse to give up. We have six hours to make a plan to save them.”

Burying her face in my shoulder, she squeezed me tight, and I returned her embrace. For all my bold words, we were flying straight into the enemy’s trap and the odds against us were long.