9. Mia
My question hangsheavy in the air between us, and Renowlf's silence tells me what I need to know. He'll never see me as anything more than a vessel to carry his heir.
"Never mind," I say, blinking away my tears.
I feel overwhelmed by this entire situation…overwhelmed by my abduction from Earth…overwhelmed by my body's visceral reaction to the orc king's touch, to the feel of his spikes against my palm when his length was clasped in my hand. Just thinking about those delicious nubs makes me throb, and I squeeze my thighs together under the covers.
It's true that I can take care of my own sexual needs. But that doesn't mean I'm not a tiny bit curious about how those spikes would feel inside me.
I need time alone to process everything that's happened and think through my choices and next steps. I turn away from him, favoring the battered side of my face. "Please leave, Renowlf. I'm tired and want to rest."
"We will continue this conversation when you are feeling better," he says.
"You've made it clear that I'm nothing more than your captive. A possession to use for your own gain." My words sound muffled from the bedding and choked with frustration. "What else is there to discuss?"
Renowlf
Mia is wrong; she is much more than my captive. How much more remains to be determined. That is why I do not answer her question. I will not make false promises or declarations just to get her into my bed.
Without a doubt, she is mine. Yet no orc king has ever taken a queen from another species. Breaking with this tradition is not a decision I can make without considerable thought. Without seeking guidance from the Council of Elders.
I leave Mia to rest. Outside her room, Dolphus stands at attention, dutifully waiting for me to emerge. Usually, I enjoy his companionship, am even grateful for his steady presence. Yet for the first time since I took the throne, I wish my second had better things to do than shadow my every move.
He falls in line beside me as I head toward my quarters. "Post a guard outside the breeding slave's door, and send the healer to my quarters so he can give me a full report on her injuries," I tell him. "Then, assemble the Council of Elders."
"Your next meeting with the Council is already scheduled for six solar rotations from now," Dolphus says.
"I need an audience with the Elders now. I have an urgent matter to discuss with them."
"What is so urgent that it cannot wait such a short time? Is this about the breeding slave?"
"That is none of your concern," I bark. "Just do as I ask."
"Yes, sire," Dolphus says stiffly.
Understandably, he is offended by the bite in my voice. We grew up together and were friends once. Equals on the battlefield and united in our cause to protect our people. Now, I have no friends—only subjects. And as Dolphus' king, I cannot allow him to question my orders.
My second reluctantly veers off to do my bidding, and I continue onward to my destination. When I enter my quarters and close the door behind me, I sigh in relief at the temporary respite.
When my brother ruled, and my father before him, I spent little time in my quarters. The action and adventure I sought was outside the palace and beyond the kingdom's walls. I spent most nights in the wild, peering into the dark, star-lit sky—or warming a female's bed.
Now that there are many demands competing for my time and attention, and security issues that keep me tethered to the palace or surrounded by guards, my quarters have become a personal oasis. This is the one place where I can seek a moment of peace…where I can truly be alone.
I remove the heavy crown that sits on top of my head and the weapons strapped to my torso, then reply to various messages on my communications tablet while awaiting Gantok's arrival.
Most of the messages are simple and mundane. Repairs are needed to the western wall. The kitchen requests additional funds to restock the pantry while the traders are here. Rayowlf did not show up for her studies this afternoon. Although I already knew she snuck away from her studies to meet Mia, I thank her teacher for letting me know.
A report from Kunid, the royal page, states that news of the breeding slave and Orgel the Trader's death has already traveled well beyond the kingdom. Evidently, my declaration of protection for the human female has caused quite a stir among the neighboring kingdoms.
King Dexari, an ally, seeks my audience to discuss the matter, and I ask Kunid to schedule a meeting. I also ask Kunid to warn Dexari—and send a missive to all the other orc kings—that the traders have brought other human females to our world and they are reportedly universal breeders.
A rustling sound coming from my sleeping chamber alerts me to a possible intruder and every muscle in my body tenses. Although protocol dictates that I alert my guards, I disregard the rule and set my tablet aside. I am perfectly capable of defending myself and retrieve one of my daggers from its sheath.
My claws are sharp and make excellent weapons, yet the daggers I carry can penetrate deep into vital organs. And if that is not enough to kill an enemy, the poison-dipped tips will cause a slow, agonizing death unless an antidote is administered.
I am a large, heavy male, yet years of training have taught me the importance of stealth. Silently, I move toward the closed chamber door. Crouched in a fighting stance, my hand grips the ornate, hand-forged knob, and my breath stills as I prepare to confront the intruder.
Whoever dared to enter my private quarters without an invitation will pay for the intrusion with their life.