Chapter 14

Siona

M y mind still reeled from that unexpected turn of events with Kaelin. I had expected her to prey on my insecurities and seize every opportunity to make my life a living nightmare. Instead, she had gone out of her way to alleviate them without trying to butter me up or ingratiate herself to me. However rude she had been, I appreciated the brutal honesty. I didn't need to be coddled. I'd take a painful truth over a deceitful lie any day.

That said, it still bothered me that she had been intimate with Zerien, despite it occurring and ending long before he and I ever even met. But I needed to get over it. During her years as an indentured servant in an exotic club, my mother had been forced to be with a variety of men. Not once did my father ever shame her for it. Her past was her past, all that mattered was the future they had built together.

Furthermore, like it or not, I desperately needed allies here. And Kaelin was Eldrin's mother. I had benefited from the wonders and strength of an extended family with my stepfather Krygor, and stepbrothers Anton, Demar, and Gorav. There was no reason we couldn't achieve the same here.

I can do this.

Turning this way and that, I gave myself a critical once over in the mirror, only to see my stunning mate step into the frame behind me. The lascivious look on his face as his gaze roamed over me had my breasts instantly feeling heavy and my inner walls contracting. By the Goddess, this man had far too much power over me.

"You are breathtaking, my mate," he whispered as he pressed his chest against my back, his right hand settling on my exposed belly.

He leaned down to place a gentle kiss in the crook of my neck, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. The smug chuckle that escaped him made me want to elbow him.

I slipped my fingers in his long, midnight-blue hair over my shoulder while examining the striking tableau we made in the mirror's reflection. As per Kaelin's very strong suggestion , I chose to wear a Sarenian outfit. Here, fashion involved a lot of exposed skin, crotch-length skirts, and cut-out dresses like the one I was wearing. Their outfits tended to either be a flowy draping with a Grecian flair, or incredibly skin-tight.

Mine was definitely the latter. I would have preferred for it to be black—my favorite color—but the coral dress flattered my complexion in the most pleasant fashion. Like my Aunt Grace—Gavin's mother—I didn't mind flaunting my curves a bit. And this dress hugged me in all the right places. Contrary to usual Sarenia styles, this dress had long sleeves, an ankle-length tube skirt, and a huge cutout that exposed my entire belly from right below my breasts, down to the beginning of my pelvic bone.

For the first time, I almost wished I had a navel piercing.

The square collar gave a nice glimpse of the upper curves of my breasts without falling into vulgar territory or risking any wardrobe malfunctions. Following Kaelin's recommendations, I didn't wear any jewelry aside from a discreet pair of earrings specially designed for me by Mercy, which functioned as a psychic disruptor to prevent any Sarenian from mind-controlling me.

"Kaelin suggested this outfit," I said honestly. "She said that I was a Sarenian now and therefore had to embrace your fashion to flaunt my ‘natural beauty' in front of all the harpies to make them eat their hearts out."

Zerien burst out laughing. "Oh, they most certainly will be green with envy. But I'm glad Kae was able to advise you. I wholeheartedly agree with that choice."

I didn't miss the underlying relief he felt that she and I hadn't clawed each other's eyes out.

"She's really protective of you and seems determined to ensure your happiness at all cost," I said in a soft voice.

Zerien straightened and turned me around so that I would face him, a serious expression descending over his features.

"Kaelin is truly my best friend and entirely devoted to protecting the Empire. She could be your best friend, too," he said with conviction, his tone slightly pleading on that last sentence.

"Yes, I think so, too," I said in all sincerity.

He stiffened, and his eyes widened with surprise filled with hope. "Really?"

I nodded. "There's no question I can greatly benefit from her advice and guidance. I trust you, but I didn't trust her. However, now that I've met her and heard what she had to say, I believe she is honest in both her words and intentions."

"I'm glad you feel that way," he said with genuine relief before leaning in and kissing me.

It was too brief, making me almost whimper in protest when he pulled away. My gaze roamed greedily over him. He was once again wearing a skirt, but this time a shaal—the longer skirts to their ankles—with a sash draped over his shoulder. It wasn't quite off-white or beige, but closer to white gold with a slight shimmer. Above all, he looked good enough to eat.

"Let's go, my mate. If you keep looking at me like this, we'll never make it to the reception," he growled.

A gave him a lascivious look devoid of any remorse. "That's your fault for looking so scrumptious."

"Save that thought for when we return," he grumbled before giving me another searing kiss.

Hand in hand, we exited our dwelling to find Naax and Drade waiting for us outside. The approving glances of the guards upon seeing my outfit gave me another much-needed boost of confidence. I silently thanked Kaelin for steering me in the right direction.

My pulse picked up as we approached the Great Hall where most of the guests had already gathered. I had wondered if we should have been there to greet them, but as Nemrox was still the Emperor, he remained the host of the event. Zerien also wanted us to make a grand entrance. I just wanted to fade into the background and sneak around unnoticed while I studied my new people. Obviously, that was wishful thinking as the whole point was to introduce me to everyone and give them a chance to get to know me a little.

Above all, it was my time to prove to them that I not only was fit to be their future queen, but that Zerien had not been a fool or weakling for remaining loyal and devoted to me over the years.

Normally, Drade would walk ahead of us before we entered, with Naax closing the March behind us. This time, with so many guards already canvassing the area, Zerien and I took the lead. The two males manning the entrance of the Great Hall nodded at us with deference before opening the massive doors. Their unreadable expressions gave nothing away as to their thoughts about me.

The immense room and throngs of people within wiped away any lingering thoughts about the guards' potential opinion. Every single pair of eyes turned towards us. The buzzing sound of chatter died down. If not for the soft ambient music playing in the background, a deadly silence would have settled over the room. Despite the panic threatening to choke me, I schooled my features and slightly lifted my chin with defiance.

I spent the past six years growing up surrounded by some of the most terrifying males of the galaxy, strong enough to snap my spine in two with a single hand. I'd be damned if I allowed a bunch of strangers to intimidate me just because I didn't fit their image of what their future Emperor's bride should be. Zerien's thumb discreetly caressing my hand, which he still held, gave me another jolt of energy and confidence.

In the end, what any of those people thought of me didn't matter. So long as I had the support of the love of my life, I would overcome any challenge thrown our way. In fact, the less-than-subtle hostility, disdain, and haughtiness displayed by some of the guests only seemed to whip my determination into a frenzy.

Want to go toe to toe against me? Challenge accepted.

I plastered a friendly and polite expression on my face as I smiled and nodded in greeting at the countless people in the room. They parted like a curtain before us, splitting into two halves, creating a path for us to go towards the dais at the back of the immense room which served both as a reception hall and ballroom. Zerien mentioned a few names along the way, even pausing so that we could make more formal introductions. This entire time, I kept replaying my father's words in my mind: ‘do not feed your enemies with your fear.'

I would feed on theirs.

There were far too many names and faces to remember, but one of them made sure I wouldn't forget him so soon. Like most Sarenians, he was almost obscenely pretty. He looked to be in his late twenties, early thirties, with pale blue hair and dark blue skin and eyes. Instead of the short or long skirts many of the other males were wearing, he had donned a khaki ruvyn—the long, sleeveless garb with a plunging neckline Zerien's father loved to wear.

He had been present on the landing pad earlier when we arrived. Nemrox had all but prevented him from striking a conversation with me after our introductions. But the intense glimmer and stubborn determination in his eyes told me he would bide his time until the opportunity to pounce presented itself again.

And now seemed to be it.

"You probably remember Lucius Feydar, one of our Senators," Zerien said. "He was present on the day Mercy became the Braxian Queen."

The absence of warmth in his otherwise polite tone was all the confirmation I needed as to the nature of their relationship. That further increased my instinctive dislike of the pretty male.

"I do," I replied in a cordial but muted fashion.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, and especially to finally get a chance to speak with you," Lucius said in a tone that made it quite clear he had been displeased by our earlier lack of interaction. "So, Sarenia also gets a Guldan Queen. Will you be like Mercy Xeldar for us?"

The hint of mockery in his voice instantly rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I was being paranoid, but my gut said his underlying meaning was that I could never live up to the incredible bar Mercy set when she became the Braxian Queen.

"One can only hope," I reply nonchalantly. "The challenges are different. I do not seek to be anyone but myself. But I will certainly endeavor for my contribution to my new people to be as beneficial based on Sarenia's specific needs and to be the best possible Queen for my soulmate."

"You need to manage your expectations, Senator," a feminine voice suddenly said behind Lucius, drawing everyone's attention.

By the way Zerien tensed beside me—subtle though it was—I knew this female was trouble. As expected, she was stunning. But then, so was every single person in the room. Alongside the Veredians, the Sarenians ranked as the most beautiful people in the galaxy.

She had whitish-blue hair down to her waist, an oval-shaped face, with high cheekbones and a pointy chin. Long eyelashes hooded her silver-blue eyes. Her pointy nose was on the narrower side above a plump pair of pouty lips. Her dress screamed for attention. Where most people wore pastel and earthy colors, her barely-there dress was a fiery red with golden embroidery. It looked as if she'd draped a long piece of the luxurious fabric over her shoulder to cover her breasts in a diagonal, then wrapped it around her waist to cover her naughty bits.

Somehow, she managed to make it look elegant and classy instead of trashy.

The petty side of me loved that, despite the high heels she wore, I still towered over her by at least half a head.

"Queen Mercy is genius-level smart, rich beyond words, and a seasoned Tuurean fighter," the female said in a tone that implied I could never hope to rival this type of stellar achievements.

"Actually, Meriel, my Siona is extremely smart as well," Zerien said, his voice filled with pride even as his eyes threw darts at the female. "She wants to pursue her studies in engineering. As for combat, she is a phenomenal fighter. Have you not heard how she routed the Guldan fleet that attempted to kidnap her on her way here?"

In that instant, I could have given him a bone crushing hug that he didn't hesitate to come to my defense. However, I needed to stand on my own. He wouldn't always be around to protect me from the vipers, and I liked fighting my own battles.

The female he called Meriel shrugged in a dismissive fashion. "Pfft, of course I heard. But she only succeeded using Queen Mercy's technology."

Zerien opened his mouth to argue, but I placed a hand on his forearm, stopping him.

"Of course I did," I replied, my tone making it clear it should be self-evident. "Any wise Warrior uses the tools provided by their mentors. And the Goddess knows I learned from the best."

"Warrior? Do you deem yourself a Warrior?" Meriel asked, glancing at the crowd forming around us in a way to gather support from the attendees at her implication that I wasn't too well in the head.

"I absolutely do," I replied, matter-of-factly.

The amused and disbelieving looks on the people surrounding me reflected the one laced with a cruel smugness on Meriel's face.

"Wow, whatever gave you that thought? What have you learned that you feel entitled to such a title?"

Gharah's blood, I wanted to slap the smugness right off her face. But I also couldn't let her get under my skin. She was trying to make a spectacle of me, and I wouldn't let her win so easily… or rather at all.

"Let's see," I said, pretending to probe my memory. "I have learned all the Veredian combat techniques, from hand-to-hand combat to swords, staves and spears, long range weapons including bows and blasters, and I even aced their most advanced battle techniques. In fact, on my seventeenth birthday, Admiral Lee herself—the military leader of the Veredians—gave me my own Tuurean armor and celesium sword. Nobody aside from the Veredians and their military wing, the Tuureans—possesses these top-of-the-line armor and weapons. And I won't even talk about all the combat techniques I learned from my father and the elite warriors of Braxia."

Watching her face fall a bit more with each of my words was orgasmic. Naturally, I felt the need to rub a bit more salt in the wound.

"Since my arrival on Braxia, over six years ago, Queen Mercy has taken me under her wing and rigorously taught me everything about battle, including leading a fleet. Over the past two years, I've been the head trainer for the Guldan females who have joined the rebellion. So yes—Meriel I believe your name is?—I very much earned the title of Warrior. But hey, I'd be happy to spar with you any day, using any weapon. I master them all."

A few snorts erupted around us with my own mate shamelessly chuckling as he gazed upon the wretched female with a mocking expression.

Meriel paled, a mix of humiliation and anger settling over her features. But instead of backing away from a losing battle, the idiot doubled down.

"Females don't fight. We have our males for that," she countered in a haughty tone.

All amusement faded from my face. " You don't fight. Sarenian females don't fight… for now. But that is something I intend to remedy."

Troubled expressions fleeted over many faces around me while Meriel openly recoiled.

"What?! You want to change our ways and turn us into something we're not meant to be?!" she exclaimed.

I narrowed my eyes at her, realizing how she was trying to twist my words in order to make me the villain.

"Change your ways? No," I countered calmly. "Enhance the more vulnerable segment of the population and give them the proper tools in preparation for the coming war? Absolutely. No one should be helpless. And believe me, I've been there and do not wish it on anyone. If I can prevent it or help mitigate it, I will do everything in my power to make sure of it."

She huffed with disdain. "Good luck with that."

"It has nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with foresight and readiness," I retorted.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but Lucius interrupted her.

"You say you've been training Guldan females for the past two years. So that means you agree that a collaboration between Sarenians and Guldans is possible, right?" Lucius asked.

I repressed the urge to glare at him at the obvious trap he was trying to lay before me. "Yes, I believe a collaboration is possible, but only with the rebels. Absolutely not with the current people in power on my homeworld."

"That's interesting," Lucius replied with a malicious glimmer in his eyes. "You are to be our future Queen. But how can we trust you will not betray us when you are openly betraying the ruler of your own people?"

"Careful, Lucius," Zerien hissed as he took a menacing step towards him.

I placed the palm on his chest and gave it a soothing caress, although my eyes remained glued on the Senator.

"It's okay, my love. He asks a fair question," I said in a reasonable tone. "You cannot betray a traitor. I'm trying to save the people of my homeworld from corrupt and abusive rulers. You know how they treat females, how they treat children. My own sire was cast out by his mother and left to starve and be mistreated on the streets until someone finally took pity on him. Do you expect me to condone that and support a government who multiplies the rules and laws to keep females as property to be used and abused however they see fit? Who denies the most vulnerable among us, innocent children who never asked to be born, the most basic of protections?"

"Of course not," Lucius said, sounding outraged. "If you know anything about our story, then you should know that after what the Korletheans did to our people, Sarenia rebuilt itself with a variety of rules and systems to ensure we would never harm our women again and protect our children."

"I know, and believe me, I can relate more than you'll ever understand," I replied fiercely. "My mother and I were sold by my sire, who wished to take a different bride. We were mistreated, deprived of rights, of any possibility of escape until Krygor Aldriss saved us. So yes, Senator Feydar, so long as I draw breath, I will fight to protect and free those without hope by leveraging every single blessing Fate and the Goddess bestowed upon me."

"It is a grand sentiment, but you are becoming the Queen of Sarenia, not Guldar," Lucius countered.

"You are correct," I conceded. "However, right now, every great nation is in a race to form the right alliances. There are millions of women and children on Guldar. The looming Great War is an opportunity to hit the reset button on that world and give hope to those without. Sarenia changed. Braxia changed. Guldar will change, but not if we turn a blind eye to their crimes and even less by lying in bed with those who beat, rape, and slaughter females for fun. Or are you saying that we should?"

"Absolutely not!" Lucius exclaimed with outrage while a number of people looked at him disapprovingly.

"Then you agree that an alliance with Guldar is a bad idea?" I insisted, pressing my advantage.

"With a change of ruler—"

"That's a pointless hypothetical," I interjected, interrupting Lucius. "It may be months, years, or even decades before the vermin currently in power is deposed. What ifs will get us nowhere when the future of this entire planet and of the galaxy itself is threatened. As a Lead Senator, I hope you deal in reality and not wishful thinking."

His shocked gasp was echoed by many others, not to mention a few chuckles. I realized then that many of the attendees were enjoying him getting put back in his place.

"Adaptation is the number one rule of engagement," I continued, not giving him a chance to break my momentum. "You plan for all eventualities but deal with reality. The reality is that we cannot trust Guldar. The mere fact that they would try to kidnap your future Emperor's soulmate should tell you all you need to know. They do not want an alliance with Sarenia, they want to control and enslave us all. So yes, Senator, I will encourage continued assistance with the Guldan rebels, oppose any alliance with the official Guldan rulers, and leverage any tool in my arsenal to help keep our own people safe here on Sarenia, before, during, and after the Great War."

Zerien chuckled. He slipped a possessive arm around my waist, glanced at me proudly before casting a smile filled with malicious glee at Lucius.

"Well, looks like someone is getting schooled by… What did you call her again?" Zerien asked tauntingly.

"The Child Queen," Kaelin's voice said behind us, slightly to the right, startling me.

I glanced in her direction, feeling irrationally relieved to see her here. It had bothered me more than I could explain not to have seen her anywhere.

"Yet, it seems you have much to learn from the child ," she added mockingly.

He huffed and mumbled something about things being far more complicated than I made them out to be. To my dismay, Drade stepped up to Zerien and whispered something in his ear. My mate frowned then nodded before giving me an apologetic look.

"Excuse me, my love. I am needed," he said.

He glanced at Kaelin over my shoulder, making it clear he expected her to watch over me in his absence. I gave him a brief smile of understanding, but I felt utterly bereft when the warmth of his arm around my waist fell off and he hastily walked away. To my relief, Lucius excused himself and left as well.

"Let's go grab some refreshments," Kaelin said firmly.

Too happy to escape the crowd gathered around us, I didn't argue and followed her, surprised to see a tall and broad male shadowing us a short distance away. Noticing the suspicious glance I cast in his direction, Kaelin smiled.

"You have a good situational awareness. That's excellent. But in this instance, you can relax. That's Alred. He will be your personal bodyguard. We'll make the introductions later. For now, I must quickly update you on a few things before the harpies descend on us," Kaelin said in a hushed tone.

To my surprise, she didn't lead me to the many tables lining the walls at the edges of the room which were laden with a variety of drinks and amuse-bouche. Instead, she took me to a slightly arched section shaped almost like an alcove with two guards framing it. There, another smaller table had similar treats spread out on it.

"You do not eat or drink anything that hasn't been brought to you by someone you completely trust," Kaelin said sternly when she caught my air of confusion. "That means Zerien, his father, their guards, Jastira, or me. The only strangers you accept any food from are people dressed in that midnight blue uniform."

"Are you serious?" I asked, feeling my blood draining from my face.

Growing up so close to the Braxian royal family, I had imagined a life somewhat similar to the one Ravik and Mercy enjoyed, and more recently Keran and Dawn since his ascension to the throne. While they also walked around with bodyguards, they never worried about potential poisoning or assassination attempts within their own home.

"We're living in unpleasant times," Kaelin said grimly. "It didn't used to be like this. But the rebels have been escalating their attacks to prevent Zerien from ascending the throne. You've heard how far they went on Haven when they attacked Keran. There is no doubt in my mind that the Guldan coming after you was a coordinated effort with the Sarenian rebels. With the coronation less than a month away, they will multiply their attempts to stop it. Make no mistake, they will not hesitate to try and use you again to target him. You must always be on your guard and keep yourself safe until we eradicate the scourge."

I nodded slowly, struck once again by just how overwhelming this entire situation could become if I gave in to panic.

The server presented us with a series of beverages. I went with a non-alcoholic cocktail. While the intergalactic legal drinking age was seventeen—no minimum on Braxia—I'd never been too big on alcohol. My survival instincts hated the tipsy feeling and loss of control that came with its consumption, not to mention the fact that most of the strongest stuff tasted flat out awful. I never understood why people subjected themselves to that torture until they finally developed a taste for it.

That said, I certainly enjoyed the occasional cocktail and a glass of wine with a fancy meal. But right this instant, I wanted to keep my wits about me for what I knew would be a long and challenging evening.

"You did well with that bitch Meriel and that snake Lucius," Kaelin said as we stepped away from the refreshment table.

I caught myself puffing out my chest under the praise. "Thanks. But who is she? What crawled up her ass?"

Kaelin snorted and glanced at me with a mischievous grin. "She's the queen of harpies, filled with bitterness and venom. It's mind-boggling, too, considering she's the daughter of Senator Kendel Carric. She's as much a snake as he's loyal and devoted to the Empire. Her problem is her unbridled ambition."

"Let me guess," I said sarcastically. "She wanted to be Queen and is butthurt that an off-worlder got the role instead."

She chuckled. "Bullseye! She has hounded Zerien his entire life. Her goal was to bear his child in the hope he would reward her with the crown."

My stomach roiled at the thought of the two of them together. Even though he'd shown nothing but disdain towards her, my gorge rose that this skank could have been with him first… or at all.

"Relax," Kaelin said sternly, all amusement gone from her face. "You need to stop making yourself sick over the fact that Zerien had a life before he met you. And in this specific instance, you're torturing yourself over nothing. Zee saw her for what she was and always refused her."

I perked up. "He never slept with her?!"

"Never," Kaelin said unequivocally. "She's livid about it and takes it as a personal affront. Instead of backing off and saving face, she's only grown more determined if not obsessed with the desire to make him give in to her. At this point, I doubt it's even about the throne anymore, but just her desperate need to win."

No words could express the depth of the relief I felt.

"And what about the other women here?" I insisted.

Kaelin frowned and gave me a disappointed and disapproving look. "Don't do this."

"Relax," I retorted, mimicking her earlier response to me. "I'm not going to freak out over it. As much as this whole thing displeases me, I need to know what I'm dealing with. If there are more of them like Meriel, I want to be prepared should they start throwing their past relationships with him in my face."

Kaelin pinched her lips, visibly displeased as she studied my features.

"I said I can handle it," I repeated with a sliver of annoyance. "You said you would always be honest with me. So speak up."

"Fine!" she snapped, before glancing around the room. "It is safe to assume he's been with most of the females here that are two years younger or older than he is. But remember that it all ended over six years ago, as of the day he met you."

I waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, yes, I'm well-aware of that. I'm just glad he never touched her ."

"Never," Kaelin reiterated forcefully.

"What about Lucius? Why does he seem so keen on an alliance with the Guldans?" I asked.

"He hates the Korletheans," she explained. "Like many Sarenians, he considers the experiments they performed on us and the tragedies that stemmed from them as even more unforgivable than what the Guldans do to their women and children. Our people were united until the day Zerien convinced Nemrox not to ally with the Guldans."

"And now, not only has he agreed to an alliance involving the Korletheans Exiles, but he's even brought two of them to his own court," I said with understanding.

Kaelin nodded grimly. "Yes. Even though they understand his reasoning, the wounds run deep. Entire bloodlines have been wiped out because of what the Korletheans did. Lucius and many others like him believe we can simply mind-control the Guldans into bending to our will. So an alliance with them would be the wisest course of action because they would essentially be our puppets. But Zerien wants us to be on the right side of history. The bond with the Veredians, Braxians, and Xelixians is too strong now to jeopardize it with these underhanded ploys."

I nodded slowly while reflecting on her words. "Is there any possibility that Lucius or Meriel could be the traitors?"

Kaelin pursed her lips and appeared to be reflecting on how to answer. "Her, I highly doubt. She's not clever enough to orchestrate the type of effective surgical strikes we've been subjected to. Merial also doesn't have any strong political opinion. She's just a narcissist, obsessed with her own importance and lust for power for the sake of power. She's also spoiled and likes easy things."

"Fair enough. I admit that she did give me that shallow impression," I said.

"But could she be involved in some way? Anything is possible. As for Lucius, he definitely features at the top of my list of potential suspects. He has the wits, discipline, and determination to pursue something like this. Sadly, we have absolutely no proof, not even a sliver of incriminating evidence to levy the slightest charge or accusation against him."

"I see," I replied pensively.

Just as I was about to ask another question, my stomach dropped at the sight of Jastira, some of Zerien's Council, and a few other women heading towards us. To my further dismay, Meriel tagged along with the group. The only bright light in all this was the presence of the Oracle Deliah in their midst.

To my relief, Kaelin made the introductions again, having accurately guessed that I had forgotten most of the names considering the number of people I'd been meeting since my arrival. Once again, Jastira acted a little cool and distant, though not openly hostile. Two of the other females—Tephy and Lyndis—were also part of Zerien's Council. Naturally, they were ridiculously pretty but thankfully looked at least five to eight years older than my mate. To my delight, while not actually warm towards me, they seemed cautiously friendly and slightly reserved. But Deliah openly beamed at me.

It gave me a great deal of comfort.

Things started off smoothly with casual conversations where each female gave me a little bit of background about themselves while also politely inquiring about me. Just when I thought it wouldn't be so bad after all, Meriel increasingly took over, with pointed questions about my journey here.

"We were quite surprised to see Zerien cut his trip short and return without you. What happened?" she asked with false innocence.

"I was detained by personal matters," I replied in a neutral tone.

"Personal matters?" she echoed with feigned surprise. "Like what?"

I gave her a ‘Are you serious?' look. "Did you miss the part where I said personal matters?" I asked in a much cooler tone.

She waved a dismissive hand. "A Queen forfeits her right to privacy for the welfare of the people. We are entitled to know what could cause our future sovereign not to honor her engagements and if there are any rifts between our future rulers."

Although visibly shocked by her outrageous comment, the other females didn't scold her or intervene. Judging by the intense stare they leveled on me, they were seizing this as an opportunity to test my ability to navigate confrontational situations. It would also likely determine their future interactions with me and what they felt they could get away with.

A part of me wanted to keep the peace. Kaelin had stated she was the daughter of the highly respected and influential Senator. However, I was no pushover, and strongly believed in putting bullies back in their place from the start to avoid them feeling empowered to escalate their abuse. That Kaelin previously encouraged me to clap back comforted me in doing just that.

"First off, I made no engagement with anyone. And second, where did you get such notions about a queen's privacy?" I asked with obvious disdain in my voice.

"Everyone knows that," she replied, lifting her chin defiantly.

"Do they?" I challenged with an unimpressed snort. "Tell me, Meriel. Have you ever been a queen or lived alongside one?"

"What?" she asked, taken aback.

"It's a simple yes or no question," I replied, before repeating it slowly, articulating in an exaggerated fashion, as if she was too dense to understand otherwise. "Have you ever been a queen or lived alongside one? I'm guessing the answer is no. But I have. In case you forgot, I've spent the past six years training with one of the most famous queens of the Eastern Quadrant. So I can tell you a thing or two about what type of privacy they're entitled to. And in this instance, the reason for my delay is none of your business. What matters is that the issue is resolved and that I'm here."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Kaelin and Tephy pursing their lips in a very weak attempt at hiding their urge to smile. That further boosted my confidence.

Although visibly displeased by my answer, the wretched female kept pushing, determined to try to shame me.

"You are indeed here," she conceded begrudgingly. "However, rumor has it that you got cold feet and were reconsidering whether to go through with the wedding."

That hit me harder than I expected. Was she throwing out wild guesses hoping to hit a nerve or had someone leaked the nature of the conflict that had shaken our relationship? Thankfully, I managed to stem the instinctive urge to flinch and gave her a condescending look.

"I bet you would love that," I retorted, making no effort to hide the contempt she inspired me. "But no, when it comes to marrying my soulmate, there will never be any second guessing or reconsideration on my part. "Nothing, and no one ," I added, giving her a pointed look, "will keep Zerien and me apart. Not even a Guldan fleet."

She pinched her lips into a thin line. "That's nice to hear," Meriel said, the bitterness and jealousy simmering within audible in her voice. "Still, it must have been a shock upon your arrival to realize that the Prince already sired his heir with another. He probably has many more children out there. Doesn't it upset you that whatever child you may have with him won't be inheriting the throne?"

The maliciously syrupy way she pronounced those sentences, laden with fake empathy made my fist itch with the urge to make an intimate acquaintance with her snotty face.

"Why would that upset me?" I asked, opening overly surprised eyes. "Every child is a blessing. Braxians welcome all children, as my father did me. And have you met Eldrin? He's not only an absolutely lovely child, but he's also a part of the man I love. I will gladly embrace any child he may have sired. As for who will sit on the throne after him, time will tell. After all, Zerien isn't Emperor Nemrox's firstborn. Like with Braxians, the fittest and strongest rules. I will trust in Fate to ensure the best male will ascend when the time comes."

"Hear, hear," Lyndis said approvingly, while a few of the other females around us nodded in agreement.

"So, you're saying that Zerien held back for all those years you were on Braxia for nothing?!" Meriel blurted out, openly revealing one of the sources of her bitterness.

"No, you silly female. Holding back implies fighting the urge to give in to temptation. There was no temptation for him to resist. The only one he longed for was his soulmate. He didn't ‘indulge' in other females out of love for me and out of loyalty. Despite how open and free Sarenians may be when it comes to sexuality, your people automatically become faithful and loyal once they find their soulmate. Why would you expect any less from your future Emperor?"

She mumbled something unintelligible more or less to the effect that it wasn't the same thing.

"The question is why are you so upset about it all? Were you hoping to birth the future heir?" I asked with a hefty dose of mockery.

She lifted her chin defiantly, this time making her challenge clear. "I am of one of Sarenia's great bloodlines. Isn't that how Braxian rulers and clan leaders choose the mother of their heir?"

I shrugged. "It is unless they already found their soulmate. And you may be of a great bloodline, but it still changes nothing. Zerien wasn't interested in what you had to offer before he ever even met me. Why in the world would that change after he did?"

Her audible gasp and look of disbelief had the other females snorting or flat-out chuckling.

"Like I told Senator Lucius, one must deal in reality. You will never have Zerien. Make your peace with it."

Humiliated, Meriel turned on her heel and stomped away angrily. A part of me wanted to feel bad for her, but I couldn't help the malicious grin that settled on my face.

"Well, well, Little Queen," Jastira said in an amused tone. "You're not so soft, after all."

To my surprise, Deliah responded before I could.

"The Warrior Queen is many things, but not soft," she said in an oddly solemn voice. "Many paths I see. And in most of them, countless worlds will tremble before you."