Page 3 of Her Alien Prince
I cleared my throat to calm myself. Luan's hands grabbed my shoulders, but I kept my head lowered to hide my flushed cheeks with the strands of black hair that had escaped from my tie.
"Mabel?" she asked, gaining my attention with her silver eyes wide. They were so much like her mother's that it broke me further before Almder summoned her inside.
Forcing a smile to my lips, I shook my head at Luan dismissing my behavior, and rushed down the hall to be alone. I could hear Almder's voice carry through the halls before the doors closed, "Mabel has been informed by the M.R. that she is no longer eligible..."
My throat choked up as I steadied myself against the wall. If only it were as simple as Almder's words. Joining the ceremony was my chance to build something all my own. But my heart broke into painful shards that split and cut their way down my icy veins from the knowledge that it wasn’t just a family lost, but my very purpose on this planet. I’d been dismissed from my duties to help the clan in the only way I knew how. Would I even be an advisor after this ceremony? Was Almder telling Luan at this very moment that I would no longer be acting as mating research advisor? How would the optics look, having an advisor being infertile? Broken?
"Those tests." Loric's voice startled me, and I wiped at my eyes once more, hardening myself for a conversation I didn't want to deal with. He was the Pride of Estreldez, Almder's favorite advisor on security and off-worlder politics. Loric had a lot of sway with Almder, and I had no choice but to listen to what he had to say. Running away from Luan was one thing; she was distracted, and, even though she'd be the next Almder one day, she was my friend, and she'd understand my need for some time to process before talking with her.
"I can still do my job, Loric. It isn't a debilitating diagnosis," I interrupted with a determination driving me to defend myself from being removed from the M.R. team.
His face softened. With a kindness he was known for throughout Estreldez he nodded before replying, "I know how much you wanted a family. Luan spoke many times solving the food shortage with Krelis being our main trade, so your offspring need only worry how to sneak out of the palace when she was watching them for you. You and Luan will always be family."
I sniffled, once more feeling my emotions overflow. It touched my heart to know Luan spoke of our futures together. I knew she relied on me to divert some of the attention away from her mating by spawning enough young for the both of us. She feared she'd be just like the Almder, like many of our clan, and have trouble conceiving. Stillbirths, miscarriages, and... infertility.
Almder would be even more insistent on Luan mating this cycle with my exam results on her mind.
"Perhaps, she'll have enough for the both of us," I replied lightly, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"What I was going to say," he glanced over his shoulder to the window that looked over the palace gardens, "those tests aren't conclusive. The scientists can only work with the data they are given. Much is still incalculable. Elder Nen has spoken of how our loh are capable of healing great wounds when their essence is complete."
Covering my mouth, I chuckled through a hiccup. "Loric, I never knew you were such a romantic. It isn't often these days I hear an estreld speak of the fated mate bond, even in all the interviews I've had over the last few years."
He cleared his throat. "Yes, well, you scientist types tend to overlook the undefinable. Even Elder Ezra explains the fated mate bond in technical terms of pheromones and chemistry compatibility ratios, describing it as a reaction between two compositions."
"Well, isn't it?" I lifted a brow, already smirking at the welcomed distraction from my own issues.
Loric folded his firm arms over his exposed chest. His blue skin was covered in loh jewels, more than even our toughest warriors, a sign of his strength with the moon. Any female would be drooling to have his attention, but I'd grown up with him. His eyes were always on Luan. Whatever attraction I had for him when I was young was long since buried as I resolved that one day Luan would realize he’d always been there for her. The Pride and the Jewel of Estreldez were the perfect match. Both of them worked so hard to help the planet in their own ways.
"Our loh are more than simply biological compositions," he said impassioned. "They are our connection with the moon, with our own souls. You can explain away the warmth as radiation energy conversion, but you can't explain the fact that it feels different for every estreld. When the Almder shares her radiation with us, it isn't merely her energy, it is her essence, her soul, speaking to us. Wishing us well. Giving of her love for her clan. You cannot tell me it feels the same when the scientists share loh energy with you versus when Almder shares it, or even when Luan shares it?"
The way he said Luan's name towards the end, I could sense the way his mood shifted to a different kind of passion. Ever since Luan had led the ceremony the last two cycles, Loric has been even more eager to have her participate. His loh glowed even brighter, and he was certain to be fertile this cycle if she joined.
Being curious, I'd already snuck a peek in the M.R. lab to compare their files. They were a very close match. Nearly perfect.
I never told either of them; regardless, it was their decision to mate or not.
"You're right," I placated him, but it didn't change my results, "it does feel different. Any scientist will tell you that we can't prove anything. All we can say is our data has yet to be disproven."
"Mabel," he chided, knowing I was deflecting. He was just trying to give me hope, but even that would be gone the moment Elder Ezra removed my egg sack for my safety.
"Fine. Until new data disproves historical results, there is a lack of evidence that some fated mate out there could heal a lack of lining to help support viable spawning of offspring." There was more bite to my statement than I intended, but it was a bitter hope to cultivate, knowing Estreldez didn't have the technology to do anything but perform preventative measures for my health. Estreldez didn't...
"I can already see the glorbins swirling in your mind. You are not like Elder Ezra, simply taking data for fact. Perhaps you need only find that new data yourself," he encouraged, then left me with my thoughts to go join Luan in the Almder's alcove.
My eyes were puffy, but who was I trying to impress? I rushed to the transport control to meet with Hazel, the lead advisor of the shuttle and space traffic control. She knew everyone and could help me find some potential off-worlders to interview. Until Almder officially removed me from my position as an advisor on the M.R. team, I still had complete access to all mate candidates.
CHAPTER TWO
Trent
MY WINGS BRISTLEDbehind me. They refracted light camouflaged, until necessary. I didn’t know the exact science of how each wing had its own frequency that created some kind of temporal hole in the way our eyes perceived wavelengths, but I didn’t need to. Many couldn’t see them when they were folded back. It was uncomfortable to restrain the leathery weapons, but that's exactly what they were, and it didn't help political matters to display them unless my intention was to intimidate. Estreldez was running out of time with my queen. She was set on conquering this land for the quarry deposits of the rare Ordin Crystal, which the estrelds called Glorbin Flower. I had very little time to sway the hive of Krelis away from forceful takeover. My queen has been busy stirring up the warriors’ interests in the many females of this planet as our own females dwindle in number.
A cunning maneuver, but I'd use it against my queen’s interests. If my plans succeeded in swaying the leader of Estreldez, I could convince the hive that the females would be available for their mating needs without invading. I would claim a strong mate for myself and prove to all, bonds can be formed without taking things by force. In time, even what my queen seeks will be hers by other means. The Ordin deposits can be negotiated, and our own warriors will aid in the extraction.
Finding a strong mate on Estreldez was my last resort to preventing the hive from following my queen's plans to invade.
Even now, I could feel the buzz in my head of royal influence trying to dig around in my mind seeking out my motivations. Like the nits that eat the molt before we add it to the hewve lard to preserve it for transport. Swat at them, and they scatter. My queen never did like my preference for disconnection, independence. Most warriors welcomed the intrusion and the several pleasure glands that activated when the queen, in particular, gave attention.
