Page 10 of Scars & Starlight
“General,” I greet him with a firm voice. “The situation is regrettable.”
“Regrettable?” the soldier fumes. “My son is dead. Killed by a lesser creature.”
Here we go…
“Did the human, our genetic match, I’ll remind you, not defend herself, the outcome would have still been the same.” I interlock my fingers behind my back and raise an eyebrow at Korvann. “The punishment for forced mating is death, no matter the victim.”
I watch as the general’s neural filaments flicker with his agitation. “How can you be sure the assault happened?” he asks through gritted teeth. “The creature could have been lying, Kairen!”
Cyrel clicks her tongue at Korvann’s lack of decorum. He may be older than me, but I am Avaris’ military commanderandthe crown prince.
“I checked the security recordings,Zeiran,” I counter with an emphasis on the general’s first name. “I did not execute Rheven on a hunch.” His suggestion that I didn’t do my due diligence is preposterous.
The general’s lips thin further. “I saw the recordings,” he says, sounding uncharacteristically flustered. “The boys didn’t even have intercourse with the creature!”
He’s really bugging me with the whole ‘creature’ thing.
“Theboys,” Avenis speaks up, “had the female restrained and were tearing her clothes off.” My chief security officer tilts her head at the hologram. “I’m sure if it were your daughter, you would want her to defend herself.”
Korvan’s upper lip curls at being chastised by a female. Or perhaps it’s having his only daughter compared to a human female. Either way, he ignores Avenis as if she hadn’t spoken and addresses me.
“I will be speaking with your mother on the matter,” he says, then signs off without a goodbye.
Rhaevik groans. “Did he just say ‘I’m telling your mom’ to his commander and prince?”
“And then hung up on him,” Zorath adds with a wild grin.
“I think Korvann, much like his daughter, doesn’t think I’m his future king.” There’s only humor in my voice. I don’t mourn Zeriah dissolving our partnership in favor of my brother. The chances of them conceiving are near negligible, and if she thought she was more likely to become queen consort with my sedentary brother over the prince that’s constantly on the frontlines, well, it shows she was never with me for me.
“How is the human feeling?” As the head of the science team researching humans and their planet, Cyrel worked closely with Lirael to heal the injured girl.
“Yes, Commander,” Caden purrs, finally speaking after being unusually quiet through the whole ordeal. He blows a lock of white hair out of his eyes. “How is the female?”
I roll my eyes at my first officer. “Tara,” I emphasize her name, “is feeling well. With her permission, I shared more nanites with her. She understands Avaren now.”
“Ta-ra,” Caden sounds out, syllable by syllable. Not that there are many. “It’s funny how you insisted it be your nanites to heal her in the first place, Cousin. Normally, that’s the healer’s task.”
I give my best friend in the whole universe a stink-eye and wish fervently I could throw him into a Nekkari mating hole.
“Did you test her yet?” Kael asks, sounding too eager for my liking. The hopeful note in his voice makes my skin feel too tight, and then I feel guilty for it. The male deserves a good female.
But does it have to be one I’m drawn to?
“We’re waiting for the results,” I say instead of what I’m really thinking.
Lirael clears her throat. “Actually, we’re waiting for you to stop yapping so I can share the results.”
My stomach drops. It’s over. I straighten my uniform to busy my shaking hands. “Is there a match?”
“There is,” she answers with an odd tone.
I turn to the exit. “Is the male on Avaris?”
“No. He’s here.”
I don’t know which would be worse. Knowing she belongs to someone else and waiting for the claim, or having to hand her over immediately. How will she be my ambassador when I’m already in knots over the female?
I speak through the tightness in my throat. “Notify the male. I’m going to go explain to her.”
