never took a mate,” Soth replied simply. “I’m not getting any younger. I’d like to have a family.”
“But why with Sabine?” she asked. “Neither of you knows a thing about her other than she’s in phase. She and I chose each other as mates with no phase pheromones involved.”
Jace swallowed the obvious reply that Sabine was not her mate, as though he could hear the captain cursing him for his lack of tact. Instead, he chose a more diplomatic route. “You can’t end Sabine’s phase. I can.”
“Congratulations. You have a cock. You must be so proud.”
Commander Soth erupted into hearty laughter as Jace blinked, stunned.
“On second thought, I think I like this one,” Soth said.
Jace cleared his throat. “I have thought of other reasons, if you’ll let me explain.” During the past few hours his pheromone-addled mind conjured numerous justifications for why he suddenly needed not just a mate, but Sabine in particular. Though he did well as a shadow sword, politics had always been his first love, and he would rather fight with words than weapons any day—though in his experience, both were likely to get one killed.
“Go on,” Lieutenant Viera said.
Jace paused—this wasn’t a simple subject, and not one that he was eager to discuss. Wylarric’s paranoia ran deep enough that he had arranged two assassination attempts, and having had the good fortune to survive them, Jace kept his distance from Cyprena to avoid provoking a third. He couldn’t bring himself to harm his brother, and he knew that no amount of oaths on his part would ever convince Wylarric that he had no intention of taking rule of the house.
Though Jace enjoyed being a shadow sword, the life of a spacer didn’t agree with him, but it was better than no life at all. Wylarric’s mates had given him only daughters, so until he produced an heir, Jace remained a threat to his future lordship of House Morningstar. If Jace took a mate, she would be in constant danger on Cyprena—but with a fierce shadow sword like Bryn to protect her, Sabine would be safe from harm. As a lesser mate, Bryn wouldn’t draw as much attention, particularly if it was clear to the rest of the family that Bryn wasn’t capable of producing heirs. This might work…
“My father is lord of House Morningstar. I am his second son. I can support Sabine, and any children we might have. You would both have a life of comfort, and want for nothing.”
“Sounds boring,” Soth said. “I led the Sunsinger shadow swords for almost a decade, if that influences your opinion any. Might not be as fancy as being the second son, but I work hard and I live well.”
Jace regarded Bryn silently as she glared at him, and he noted the arch of her pale, thin brows, the long lashes framing her aqua eyes and the fullness of her lips. It was a pity she spent so much time snarling. Bryn was rather like a wild animal—beautiful, graceful and likely to attack at a moment’s notice.
“Would you let us go if she doesn’t conceive? Either of you?”
“Hadn’t thought about that. Doesn’t always take on the first try,” Soth pointed out. “I’d want to stick it out for a while, provided we don’t all hate each other.”
“This would be a permanent match.” Jace didn’t want to think of the scandal that would result from two former slaves walking away from the son of a lord of a ruling house.
“Let me guess, no one says no to the Second Son of House Morningstar?” she said.
He frowned, offended by the accusation, no matter how true it might be. “My patience has its limits, Brynnaren.”
“Bryn,” she corrected. “And I don’t doubt it, Second Son, but you promised we’d all go free. This isn’t freedom. Being mated just means we spend our lives on our backs for you instead of our master.”
“That’s very cynical of you,” Jace said.
“She’s not wrong,” Soth said. They both looked at him in surprise. “Females had more rights before they
“But why with Sabine?” she asked. “Neither of you knows a thing about her other than she’s in phase. She and I chose each other as mates with no phase pheromones involved.”
Jace swallowed the obvious reply that Sabine was not her mate, as though he could hear the captain cursing him for his lack of tact. Instead, he chose a more diplomatic route. “You can’t end Sabine’s phase. I can.”
“Congratulations. You have a cock. You must be so proud.”
Commander Soth erupted into hearty laughter as Jace blinked, stunned.
“On second thought, I think I like this one,” Soth said.
Jace cleared his throat. “I have thought of other reasons, if you’ll let me explain.” During the past few hours his pheromone-addled mind conjured numerous justifications for why he suddenly needed not just a mate, but Sabine in particular. Though he did well as a shadow sword, politics had always been his first love, and he would rather fight with words than weapons any day—though in his experience, both were likely to get one killed.
“Go on,” Lieutenant Viera said.
Jace paused—this wasn’t a simple subject, and not one that he was eager to discuss. Wylarric’s paranoia ran deep enough that he had arranged two assassination attempts, and having had the good fortune to survive them, Jace kept his distance from Cyprena to avoid provoking a third. He couldn’t bring himself to harm his brother, and he knew that no amount of oaths on his part would ever convince Wylarric that he had no intention of taking rule of the house.
Though Jace enjoyed being a shadow sword, the life of a spacer didn’t agree with him, but it was better than no life at all. Wylarric’s mates had given him only daughters, so until he produced an heir, Jace remained a threat to his future lordship of House Morningstar. If Jace took a mate, she would be in constant danger on Cyprena—but with a fierce shadow sword like Bryn to protect her, Sabine would be safe from harm. As a lesser mate, Bryn wouldn’t draw as much attention, particularly if it was clear to the rest of the family that Bryn wasn’t capable of producing heirs. This might work…
“My father is lord of House Morningstar. I am his second son. I can support Sabine, and any children we might have. You would both have a life of comfort, and want for nothing.”
“Sounds boring,” Soth said. “I led the Sunsinger shadow swords for almost a decade, if that influences your opinion any. Might not be as fancy as being the second son, but I work hard and I live well.”
Jace regarded Bryn silently as she glared at him, and he noted the arch of her pale, thin brows, the long lashes framing her aqua eyes and the fullness of her lips. It was a pity she spent so much time snarling. Bryn was rather like a wild animal—beautiful, graceful and likely to attack at a moment’s notice.
“Would you let us go if she doesn’t conceive? Either of you?”
“Hadn’t thought about that. Doesn’t always take on the first try,” Soth pointed out. “I’d want to stick it out for a while, provided we don’t all hate each other.”
“This would be a permanent match.” Jace didn’t want to think of the scandal that would result from two former slaves walking away from the son of a lord of a ruling house.
“Let me guess, no one says no to the Second Son of House Morningstar?” she said.
He frowned, offended by the accusation, no matter how true it might be. “My patience has its limits, Brynnaren.”
“Bryn,” she corrected. “And I don’t doubt it, Second Son, but you promised we’d all go free. This isn’t freedom. Being mated just means we spend our lives on our backs for you instead of our master.”
“That’s very cynical of you,” Jace said.
“She’s not wrong,” Soth said. They both looked at him in surprise. “Females had more rights before they
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