Page 74 of Bred by the Alien Prince

"Caspian, good, I found you. I need you to translate to your leaders. I don't trust that other one entirely."

"They'renotmy leaders."

"Either way, I need you to tell them that another of their kind will have to allow us to chip them for the talks."

Oh, look, they so happened to come out just in time, and honestly, I wanted to leave them to fiddle around for themselves. But it wasn't Derek or Fran who was asking this of me; it was Swarti, maybe sent by Lorvian. I did as he asked me and, unfortunately, had to linger longer than I cared to.

"I don't know about that," Derek sighed. The only other leader here is Fran, and well, I took the risk alone, so if anything happened to me, she would be left unscathed."

"Derek is right. That's a huge risk, and no, you telling us it's okay, isn't enough to make us believe it."

Swarti looked at me, his face the perfect stamp of annoyance. "It will make the talks run more smoothly."

"Get the damn chip, 'cause I'm not translating anything for you." I spat at Fran, unwilling to stand here while they prattle on with their doubts. I refuse to be their personal translator during this meeting when a damn chip would solve their problem. Who knows, maybe I changed because of the chip. Oh, how hilarious would that be if it was the chip's fault? I would love to see one of them kick the other from the colony...

"Fine. I'll get it." Fran huffed.

"Fran." Derek breathed. He stroked her belly…oh hells, did I really attack a pregnant woman?!

I boarded the ship about a half an hour later, I didn't want to leave. As far as it concerned me, this ship was my home. Lorvian and Swarti were already in the conference room when I entered along with Derek. Swarti had a seat near Lorvian, who was at the head, and took the empty chair near Lorvian. A soldier escorted Daruuk into the room, and he sat at the side of the table. I could feel the tension already building up. Connor and Fran made their appearance known, with Fran picking at the scar at the back of her head.

"I'm not used to this stuff." Derek coughed. "And why is he here?" He gestured to Connor, who sat next to me.

"Shut up," I replied, not wanting him to go into the details of me unshackling the AI. And I just wanted him to shut up.

"I should have known you would do what you did. You were always soft on the machines while on the ship."

Oh God, he had to keep going.

"Machines? What are you talking about?" Swarti looked from him to me, his fine features furrowed.

"It's nothing." Lorvian gestured, dismissing the matter. "Are we here to discuss our future arrangements, or are we here to play games and dawdle?"

CHAPTER 29

Lorvian

So, it has begun. Our little talk was to discuss the situation we're all in and to find a solution that could work out for all of us. Or better put, I'm more interested in the solution that works out in my best interests. If others benefit, then I will have no complaints. The truth is, I found myself in the most peculiar predicament, and I needed assurances before I made my moves. I needed allies outside of the hegemony to deal with Regis, whom I would have to fight no matter what, and I wasn't sure if I would have the support of my other siblings.

To hell with Swarti, my father's mind was even more of a maze than his. If he knows what I am, then why name me his heir? Is this what he desires? A betrayal by his son? I laughed in my head about how I ended up doing just as he had instructed in our earlier discussion.

I was making peace with humans and Travols, and I was even thinking of other aliens I could bring into the fold. Oh, the irony of it all.

Daruuk stared daggers at me, and so did the red-haired human wench, who swiftly looked away once I glanced at her.

The tanned human male comforted her and whispered something in her ear.

Caspian sat quietly and patiently in the awkward silence, and then I looked at the machine, which seemed to be different somehow, but I couldn't quite focus on how. He carried a glint in his eyes, something which seemed more aware. Perhaps the answer was in the conversation Caspian and the other had before, which he was quick to want shut down. Or perhaps it was nothing at all, and I was overthinking the matter. He, Connor, looks human after all. If Caspian hadn't told me, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between him and the human male sitting across the room.

"Unless my people are free and out from under the control of your kind, we have nothing to talk about." Daruuk cut through the silence. It had been a long time since I'd seen the man up close, his hair tied into braids and shaved at the sides, some sort of warrior's cut. It seems he was always prepared for a battle. He still carried the scar I gave him along his jawline. Of course, he would be the first to run off at the mouth, believing himself to be the most wronged and, therefore, the most deserving in making this conversation all about him. Travols like him had a knack for viewing the most struggled as the more virtuous.

"Then you can go back into your cell because right now, no one is in such a position to give you what you ask for," I replied, shutting down his impossible demand. "And the last I checked, your planet is in the hands of your own kind."

"Yes, the ruling council who betrayed us!"

"They submitted because they were willing to do anything to get rid of your family. I wonder why?" I said, alluding to the atrocities committed by his family. "Could it be the young women kidnapped from poor families and turned into sexual slaves?"

"That'syourkind, long ear."

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