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Authors: Paulette Oakes
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Jessica. Your warriors
have faith in you. If anyone can take down the Vlarnek of P’Hartha , it
will be you.”
Jessica’s laughter rang out over the crowd like a
benediction, and she squeezed Zandar’s bicep as she replied, “From everything I
have heard about your vlarneks , I can only assume you are referring to
the noblewoman. It may be tedious work, but I’ll find out what she’s up to and
report back to the king.”
Someone cleared their voice loudly behind them, and they
spun guiltily. Jessica smiled in relief when she saw it was Korian, but the
anger simmering in his eyes made it fade. “Am I interrupting anything?” he
asked, his tone carefully neutral, but his jaw ticking with anger.
Zandar scrambled to his feet and offered his liege a salute
which Korian returned promptly. “My king, your company is always welcome. Will
you sit with us?”
“Thank you for the offer, Warrior, but I need to speak with
Miss MacGregor for a moment. Alone,” Korian stipulated, his tone brooking no
argument.
Zandar bowed his head in acknowledgment of his dismissal and
turned to Jessica. “It has been a pleasure to see you again, Jessica. Perhaps
we will see each other again soon.”
Jessica reached out to squeeze his hand affectionately and
assured him that she would let him know when she was free. When Zandar turned
to walk away, Jessica finally faced the king. He was so handsome dressed in his
hunter green warrior jumpsuit with the flag of T’Kala stitched on the back and
his blade strapped to his waist. His shaggy black hair looked soft and her
fingers twitched with longing to touch it and sink her fingers deep.
He studied her just as closely, and she couldn’t help the
shiver of awareness that chased up and down her spine at the heated look in his
eyes. “Would you walk with me for moment?” he asked her, extending his hand
toward her.
Without hesitation, she slipped her hand into his and
allowed him to assist her to her feet and then place her hand in the crook of
his arm. Instead of heading into the crowd, however, the king placed his hand
on a sensor to the wall behind them, and ushered her through the door that
appeared when the panel slid away.
Jessica found herself at a loss for words for the first time
that night, and decided to wait to see what Korian had to say. She didn’t have
to wait long. “You look stunning tonight, Jessica. Every male, and many of the
females, in the room are besotted with you.”
She felt another hated blush creep up her cheeks, but she
held her head up high and replied lightly, “I have Enahara to thank for that.
The Yeyolani female is magic with fabric and her hands. She even managed to
dress me while holding Little Mahoney. The funny little bimbop immediately latched on to her when she came into the room.”
Korian chuckled. “Yes, I would imagine it did. The creatures
have an infinity for expecting females that is only exceeded by their devotion
to younglings.” He paused as he opened another panel to lead them into a
sitting room that was framed by wall-sized windows that allowed inhabitants to
see out but no one to see inside. He walked her over to the window and they
gazed outside to enjoy the twinkling of the stars. “I saw that you met Rox’Ana
and her daughter a moment ago,” he began.
Jessica struggled to arrange her thoughts. Standing so close
to the alien king was scrambling her good sense. She could feel the heat
pouring off of him and smell the sandalwood of his cologne. She unconsciously
leaned into his body and replied, “Yes, she was quite, uh, interesting. She
didn’t say anything overtly treasonous, but then again, she is too smart for
that. She has offered to host me among T’Kalan society over the next month, and
I agreed to go along.”
Korian’s expression was grim when he replied, “Mikael and
Mahoney have reported that she is, in fact, behind the attempt to dethrone me.
We have a plan to circumvent her, but it can never hurt to have
have faith in you. If anyone can take down the Vlarnek of P’Hartha , it
will be you.”
Jessica’s laughter rang out over the crowd like a
benediction, and she squeezed Zandar’s bicep as she replied, “From everything I
have heard about your vlarneks , I can only assume you are referring to
the noblewoman. It may be tedious work, but I’ll find out what she’s up to and
report back to the king.”
Someone cleared their voice loudly behind them, and they
spun guiltily. Jessica smiled in relief when she saw it was Korian, but the
anger simmering in his eyes made it fade. “Am I interrupting anything?” he
asked, his tone carefully neutral, but his jaw ticking with anger.
Zandar scrambled to his feet and offered his liege a salute
which Korian returned promptly. “My king, your company is always welcome. Will
you sit with us?”
“Thank you for the offer, Warrior, but I need to speak with
Miss MacGregor for a moment. Alone,” Korian stipulated, his tone brooking no
argument.
Zandar bowed his head in acknowledgment of his dismissal and
turned to Jessica. “It has been a pleasure to see you again, Jessica. Perhaps
we will see each other again soon.”
Jessica reached out to squeeze his hand affectionately and
assured him that she would let him know when she was free. When Zandar turned
to walk away, Jessica finally faced the king. He was so handsome dressed in his
hunter green warrior jumpsuit with the flag of T’Kala stitched on the back and
his blade strapped to his waist. His shaggy black hair looked soft and her
fingers twitched with longing to touch it and sink her fingers deep.
He studied her just as closely, and she couldn’t help the
shiver of awareness that chased up and down her spine at the heated look in his
eyes. “Would you walk with me for moment?” he asked her, extending his hand
toward her.
Without hesitation, she slipped her hand into his and
allowed him to assist her to her feet and then place her hand in the crook of
his arm. Instead of heading into the crowd, however, the king placed his hand
on a sensor to the wall behind them, and ushered her through the door that
appeared when the panel slid away.
Jessica found herself at a loss for words for the first time
that night, and decided to wait to see what Korian had to say. She didn’t have
to wait long. “You look stunning tonight, Jessica. Every male, and many of the
females, in the room are besotted with you.”
She felt another hated blush creep up her cheeks, but she
held her head up high and replied lightly, “I have Enahara to thank for that.
The Yeyolani female is magic with fabric and her hands. She even managed to
dress me while holding Little Mahoney. The funny little bimbop immediately latched on to her when she came into the room.”
Korian chuckled. “Yes, I would imagine it did. The creatures
have an infinity for expecting females that is only exceeded by their devotion
to younglings.” He paused as he opened another panel to lead them into a
sitting room that was framed by wall-sized windows that allowed inhabitants to
see out but no one to see inside. He walked her over to the window and they
gazed outside to enjoy the twinkling of the stars. “I saw that you met Rox’Ana
and her daughter a moment ago,” he began.
Jessica struggled to arrange her thoughts. Standing so close
to the alien king was scrambling her good sense. She could feel the heat
pouring off of him and smell the sandalwood of his cologne. She unconsciously
leaned into his body and replied, “Yes, she was quite, uh, interesting. She
didn’t say anything overtly treasonous, but then again, she is too smart for
that. She has offered to host me among T’Kalan society over the next month, and
I agreed to go along.”
Korian’s expression was grim when he replied, “Mikael and
Mahoney have reported that she is, in fact, behind the attempt to dethrone me.
We have a plan to circumvent her, but it can never hurt to have
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