Page 84 of Aria's Desire

Sensing Rellik wanted to say something during a lull, Aria raised her brows expectantly. He smiled at her in thanks, making butterflies dance in her stomach, then cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. Looking confident and at ease, in spite of a few disapproving glances from the advisors, he addressed the room.

Aria didn’t even try to fight the soft smile that curled her lips. Damn, but it made her heart happy to see this change in him, to see him so confident in himself.

Rellik began outlining a system to provide care for orphaned children and those dropped off at the castle by their families. Aria was beyond impressed with his ideas and the meticulousness of his plan. This was obviously something he’d put a lot of thought and consideration into.

He wanted to essentially create a fostering system where those children were paired with unmated males. As Gaiaeshi males were typically the nurturers, it not only made sense, but it also didn’t require much, if any, financial aid or infrastructure from the palace, since the men themselves would provide for the children.

He laid out the benefit to not just the kids but, also, to the men, that it would provide them a chance to fulfill that drive to nurture. Because he knew his audience, he sealed the deal by pointing out that it would let females know, before mating, that those males were practiced caregivers.

He paused for a second to let that sink in then, with a knowing smirk, added that those males would also be satisfied and, therefore, wouldn’t begin nagging for kids so soon after mating.

Aria found that last part a bit baffling, but the women all perked up, exchanging wry chuckles and long-suffering looks as if they knew exactly what it was like being constantly harassed for kids.

Everyone was not only on board with his plan, but more than a few of the advisors showed interest in adopting a child or two themselves, to appease their own mates.

As the conversation turned back to plans for the future, one of the advisors, a sharp-eyed woman namedEf’iewho hadn’t said much up to that point, caught Aria’s gaze and asked how she intended to keep the planet once they retook it.

Aria hadn’t told them much about the plan she and her men had devised, partly because she wanted to assess Ishtal’s advisors first and partly because she needed to be sure they were going to be partners in this war before she revealed information they’d intentionally kept to only a very select few.

Aria met each of her men’s eyes, silently asking if they had any reservations before she answered. Seeing none, and feeling Kix’s approval, she began, pausing for her men to take turns laying out their contributions to the plan.

They still kept some things close to the vest, but they explained the process of erasing the slavers’ memories and leaving them in Federation-controlled space for the authorities to deal with. They told them about sending those who wished to go back to their home planets. There was some contention that Aria wasn’t pushing more offworlders to leave. Sin cut in, his deep, rumbly voice silencing the room as he coldly, definitively shut that down, saying any who wanted were welcome to stay.

Absurdly aroused by that show of authority, Aria laid a hand high on his thigh under the table and gave it a squeeze.

Kix smoothly filled the stunned silence that followed Sin’s statement, revealing that he’d owned a business that produced and sold planetary defences back on his homeworld.

Thiswas the part they’d kept a secret, even from most of their own people.

He and Rellik, along with a team of engineers, had been designing and constructing tens of thousands of armed buoys that, once launched, would form a shield around the planet to protect them from invasion.

Not only that, but it would prevent the truly powerful beings that resided in the glittering skyscrapers from calling the cavalry down on them.

That was the only reason she’d held off on infiltrating the buildings.

They were too well fortified to attempt it otherwise. There was no way they’d be able to take it over before at least one of those people called for backup, and considering the intel she’d gotten about the power some of the residents held, she couldn’t risk it.

According toAhura, a brilliant human woman on the engineering team who acted as Kix and Rellik’s second in command, the last of the buoys would be completed in the next couple of weeks.

Predictably, the news sparked a new round of debates wherein Ishtal and her advisors all tried to argue that they should have some control over the defense system. Aria flatly refused. She liked Ishtal, respected her, but the only people in the world she trusted with that kind of power were the men sitting on either side of her.

* * *

By the timethey left the meeting, Aria was exhausted and her men looked equally as weary. But, despite the last two hours having been spent arguing over why she wouldn’t share control over the defense system, she felt pleased with what they’d achieved that day.

Everything they’d set out to accomplish had been. They’d agreed on the terms of the treaty, and the documentation was written up. All that remained was to sign it at the ceremony the next night, and this alliance, one she hoped to be the first of many with the native Queendoms, would be official.

Nichi, thoughtful thing that he was, was waiting by their rooms with a tray laden with covered dishes.

Thanking him, they all filed inside, staying awake only long enough to eat their fill.

It wasn't until she was on the edge of sleep that she remembered her intention to have a talk about sleeping arrangements.

Chapter 41

The next day, Tirox called in the hidden squad. As soon as they arrived, they all jumped right into training the army. Aria focused her attention on Xaiar who, to her surprise, had already been named the new General.

“That was quick,” she’d remarked.

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