Chapter 9

Caitlyn

I might have spoken bravely to Kal earlier, but I was pretty terrified about what I'd be facing as we approached the palace. He was pretty worried about more assassins and traitors down there, so I couldn't trust anyone but him. Tension filled me. How was I going to find a cure for a sick and dying little girl when I felt like I had to look over my shoulder the entire time?

Sera's medical records indicated that she was dying, but the transfusions were buying her time. I hoped it would be enough, but until Kal found the traitor, even saving her just meant they'd try again. I had a feeling I'd be the one in the hot seat until I'd succeeded at healing her.

On Aderia, looking over my shoulder was the last thing I needed to worry about. The Aderians weren't exactly pacifists; they had a military branch that was powerful enough to make them a force to be reckoned with in the quadrant. They came close though, always so polite, so well-spoken and friendly. That was the empath in them, unwilling to do any harm. This was going to be a challenge, not just when it came to solving Sera's illness and distilling my work into a cure that worked for her, but also because of the danger I'd be in while doing so.

I only had to glance up at Kal's rugged face to know that it was going to be worth it. He'd seemed an arrogant, ruthless royal when we'd first met. I knew better now. I was pretty sure I was head over heels for him, which was going to be bad when we had to part ways after this was all over. He was kind, loyal, and he had quickly shown me that he cared about my well-being, that he wasn't going to use me with complete disregard for the situation he'd put me in.

But as a human, I was not going to be suited to be anything but a sexy fling. There would be no happily ever after when he had to break things off so he could marry a suitable Tarkan female to secure offspring for his royal line. That was the reality, so I'd better keep that in mind and guard my tender heart.

With all those heavy, terrifying thoughts filling my head, I needed to distract myself with something. I focused on the hint of a city in the distance. We were still flying over the jungle, but we wouldn't for long. It was a tall city with many spires rising high into the sky, the perfect place for winged people to live in. When we got close enough to see details, I could see that many Tarkan people darted through the air, along with small vehicles. Beyond the city, big spacecraft came and went from a huge space port too; making this a hive of activity after the quietness of the jungle.

It was the palace that quickly drew my eyes; the tallest spire of them all at the center of that busy city. Ivory white, it rose like a fang into the sky; a bright jewel among all the gray or black buildings. None of the other towers could compete with the height of this one. It was breathtaking, and a little nerve wracking when we started to approach it.

People were staring and pointing as we flew past them. I could not hear what they said, but I could imagine it. Is that our king? Is he holding a human? I felt so grubby then, so unworthy of being seen with royalty in my by-now stained cocktail dress, blazer, and sans panties. Not just my clothing had seen better days; my hair was a bit of a rat's nest.

"Who is thinking hard now?" Kal drawled against my temple, his warm breath ghosting over my chilled skin. I poked him in the chest but that just made him chuckle, at least he was in a better mood now.

"What will your people think of me? I look a mess!" I said, then felt stupid for caring over something so shallow when all that mattered was the life of his niece. There would be a change of clothes for me later, and a shower before I started in the lab. He was taking me to a palace. It would be fine.

Kalzudaud growled, the sound vibrating against my side. "My people will celebrate your arrival. It will give them hope that Sera will live. They will love you." His words tapered off and almost I heard an echo, like he'd been about to say that he loved me. That was just wishful thinking, crazy thinking, that would get me absolutely nowhere.

The ivory spire was so big, filling up my vision. Tarkan males in their battle-form circled in the surrounding air, guards. And I spotted glinting silver orbs in a tight grid too, a force field that Kal could fly through unhindered but that would keep anyone without access out. It tingled over my skin as we passed it, but my nearness to Kal seemed to grant me passage.

"Sir?" a male said we passed him, and then the guard fell into formation at Kal's side, and another, and another until I felt like we were leading a flock of geese to a landing on a large balcony. His feet hit the marbled pale floor without a sound, but I heard clawed feet thudding down behind us from the guards.

"Yes, I'm back," Kal snapped at the male who'd queried him. He turned, still cradling me gently against his chest while he snapped his wings tightly behind his back. Now I had a good view of the dozen males that had landed on the balcony with us. They were dressed in leather weapon kilts, just like my king, but they did not wear a purple weapon harness over their chests. Theirs were black with a gold lining and some kind of winged insignia clung like a police shield to the belt around their hips.

"Report?" he said to the guards and the male in the lead started rattling off statistics in rapid succession. When he paused at the end and tilted his head at us, I knew the male was really dying to ask a question, but hindered by protocol to do so. They all wanted to know where Kal had been, and who the hell I was.

"Is the lab finished?" my stoic Kalzudaud said, not giving them anything. It was a little funny to see them struggle to hide their interest and simply serve his needs. This was the ruthless side of him again, the one that cared only about getting done what needed to be done. When the head guard gave him a nod, Kal turned his back on them and started striding into the palace without a backward glance.

Already, servants had gathered at the door, dipping into bows and offering refreshments and steaming towels, all of which Kal ignored. "My ship crashed in the jungle. Send officers to secure the wreck," he called over his shoulder, and then he rattled off a string of coordinates. I got a peek at shocked, startled faces, and then they were taking off into the air. It was a beautiful sight to see twelve athletic bodies dart into the sky like it was nothing, spinning and twirling together as they found formation like a group of fighter jets and arrowed toward the jungle we'd come from.

They were headed for a wrecked ship, but I was headed straight into the storm. Gone was the quietness of just being with Kal, and a little added danger. Now I was thrown into the deep end with servants, courtiers, and all kinds of officials that wanted a piece of us.

Voices clamored, one after the other, to draw their king's attention, and Kal just went on ignoring them until a female in white robes and gold painted wings blocked our path. "My lord Kalzudaud, you have returned! I am so relieved," she said. A warm, motherly smile settled over her gray features as she reached out to touch Kal's shoulder. "And you've found the scientist you talked about. Good. Now Sera might have a chance!"

I sincerely hoped that she did, that I could deliver.