Page 58 of The Erion Triad

“You know, I don’t want to go back either even if I take my guys out of the picture, but there’s no way I’d go anywhere without them now that I’m with them,” Evelyn said.

“I feel the same,” Lucie said, quietly. A pulse of love so strong washed over her. Her guys. Her mates. Her eternally bonded. She sent them her love back through the bond. There was nowhere else she wanted to be. “I hope the other women have found what we’ve found.”

“What, insatiable mates with higher than normal sex drives?” Riley smirked.

“Love. I hope they’ve found love,” Lucie said. That was the least she hoped for the other caged women. Who knew how many more had also been abducted that she didn’t know about? Somehow, with the enormity and single-mindedness of the entity, she doubted it would have stopped at just them. It might have been going on before their abduction, too. The entity had planned this for a long time. Their crystals had been stolen ten years ago. There’d be a lot of abductions in that time.

“Me, too,” Evelyn said.

“Me three,” Riley said.

There was the sound of three melodic beeps. The huge doors swung open and Tann smiled at Lucie, his eyes twinkling. “They’re ready for you.”

Lucie’s nerves jumbled all over the place. Whatever it was had been a big secret, and now she knew the others knew as little as her, trepidation swamped her.

She was washed through with a soothing calm.It’s alright, mate. Nothing to be fearful of.

That was Kyel, but he wasn’t afraid of anything. She squared her shoulders. Whatever it was, her mates had organized it and she knew they only did good things for her.

“Thank you, Tann. Please lead the way,” Lucie said.

Evelyn took her right hand while Riley took her left and together, they followed Tann down a short corridor. As they reached a set of double doors, guards opened them and the heralding sound of something like trumpets sounded their arrival.

They stepped to see a crowd of people swarming in the amphitheater, horned aliens glowing gold, magenta, and blue-green. The scene was awash with color—and happiness.

The crowd smiled and applauded.

She tightened her grip on her friends’ hands. “They don’t do anything by halves, do they?”

“Only Quads, it seems.” Riley smirked.

“Come, your Quads await you at the other end,” Tann said.

It was then Lucie saw her men. The three of them stood tall on a raised platform at the other end of the room, looking resplendent in their fighting leathers and tight black shirts. Even their horns gleamed as though they’d been buffed and polished.

The only buffing and polishing of our horns will be by your hand, mate. Now come to us so our people can properly show their appreciation, Kyel thought.

Her eyes had only been for her mates, but Evelyn and Riley’s mates stood next to hers on the platform. Royalty united. AHomeplanetunited. She couldn’t stop the shiver of excitement and rightness at the thought.

Behind them were their parents, the kings and queen of each Homeland, looking as happy as she felt. It was quite the crowd waiting for them.

Tann stepped forward and together they followed him down a wide central aisle. People on either side of the row clapped and cheered, happiness found after the deaths of so many people. The effect was truly bittersweet.

Kyel held his hand to her while Paxt and Rujali held their hands to their respective mates. Lucie accepted Kyel’s hand and at the same time as Evelyn and Riley, Lucie stepped onto the platform.

“Come, mate, the people have something to offer you,” Kyel said.

Rujali, Klaej, and Setzan, all hulking, well-muscled males, bent to one knee in front of Riley. Rujali presented Riley with a golden, gleaming sword. It was a work of art. The hilt was embedded with golden crystals that glittered as bright as Lucie’s skin in the light. A molten, flowing design framed the crystal as intricate and beautiful as the most complicated Celtic pattern.

His eyes glinted as he spoke. “Riley, our little warrior queen. Please accept this sword that represents your courage in the line of fire. Know that you are the bravest soldier, a true warrior, and a blessing to the planet of Negari.”

“Geez, that’s…” Riley began, but her voice cut off.

Lucie had never seen Riley short of words, but now she floundered. She took the sword as reverently as Rujali gave it to her and everyone exploded in a cacophony of applause.

Paxt, Coltan, and Ashir knelt before Evelyn. Paxt held a small bejeweled metallic box in his hands. “Evelyn, our beautiful and brave mate. Please accept this gift of thanks for your beauty and bravery. Without you, we would no longer have a Homeplanet to call ours.”

Evelyn trembled as she took the box. It was silver, with gems placed in a design that was both foreign and stunning. She opened the lid and gasped. Inside were a set of earrings and a necklace that would rival the crown jewels.

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