Page 138 of Alien Prince's Fake Bride
But I will. This is too important to let go.
I put my hand on Mareliux’s forearm. “My love, will we be going outside the Syntrical Barrier?”
“Yes,” Mareliux says tightly. “But in your state, you can’t use our original plan and soften the shock with a few drinks beforehand.”
“Emma can still do that,” I tell him. “But me… well, we already have a way that we know will work. Right, Bellatriz?”
“It worked once,”the sword says cheerfully.“It will work again. This time without the gas, though.”
“Obviously without the gas,” Mareliux says. “We will take no risks with Umbra in this fragile state.”
“My love, I’m not that fragile. But I agree. No gas. I’ll go and tell Emma that she has to party on her own- actually, Caret’ax?”
“Highness?”
“Our guest Emma has to have a few drinks. Could you please keep her company? And Dester, too?”
“I never drink on the job,” the caveman bodyguard growls.
“Then you are hereby relieved,” Mareliux orders. “You need a break, my friend. Go and have a party with the alien. And you, Centurion Espi. Your watch is practically over, anyway.”
“Yes, sir,” Dester says. “I will just relay this to the station. They like to know the movements we’re planning to make with the ship. They’re still very nervous, Your Highness.”
“Which is a good sign,” my husband comments. “They’re vigilant.”
I stroke a finger up along the back of his thigh, out of sight of everyone. “Just make sure you come to our cabin soon,” I whisper into his ear. “We must make absolutely sure I can handle theterribleshock when the Syntrix suddenly comes back.”
He swallows, and the bulge in his pants twitches. “Of course, my love.”
“I’ll just go and tell her,” I say out loud and slide my hand off my husband. “Caret’ax, can you come with me, please?”
He looks at Mareliux, who nods. “Keep the Crown Princess safe, Caret’ax. She’s the future of the Empire now.”
Caret’ax and I leave the control room. Instead of going to Emma’s cabin, we go to the stateroom that Mareliux and I share.
I sit down on a chair that’s made for my size. “Caret’ax, it just occurred to me that I never told you this: the reason I ask about those flying saucers is that my sister was abducted by one. It was years ago, and she was taken along with many others.”
The huge caveman stiffens and his face goes pale. “Your… sister, Your Highness?”
“Her name is Ashlynn and she’s older than me. I want to find her. It’s the reason I joined Space Force in the first place, and part of the reason why I agreed to fake marry Mareliux. So anything you can tell me about those ships would be helpful. I know Mareliux doesn’t believe in those Plood, but I want to hear it.”
Caret’ax leans his shoulder to the wall, looking dumbfounded. “That was why you asked about them? Because it was your sister? Holy Ancestors… I never knew. I’m terribly sorry!”
I reach out to take his massive hand. I didn’t expect him to react this strongly. But to a kind and honorable man like him, of course it must seem horrific to lose a loved one. “It’s all right, Caret’ax. It was a long time ago, and now that I’m in space, I have a chance to find her. But you said you saw the Plood aliens?”
He collects himself. Then he tells me.
- - -
“She’s on her third glass,” Mareliux reports when he comes into our cabin. “Khavgren size, so she’s more than ready to cross outside the barrier. She’s teaching the others to sing a song of some kind. Centurion Espi is bent over with laughter, and Caret’ax is just as serious as ever, even after seven glasses. I think we’re ready to cross the barrier.”
“Speak for yourself,” I say as I stretch luxuriously on the mass of cushions that we had some underused robots bring up to the giant dome with a view of the space in every direction and the huge Earth straight above. “I need more than this to be really ready.”
Mareliux prowls over to the middle of the floor, bulge growing. He’s left Bellatriz in our cabin, seeing no need to carry a sword now that the Gladiux has been searched through many times. And right now, nobody else can come into this special room. “Ah. Yes, you need that special treatment, don’t you? I’ll see what I can do.” He sits down next to me and arranges the cushions in a way that suits him. “We’re just inside the barrier now. I’ll signal Bellatriz when the time is right, and then she will take us past it.”
“I hope she will get the timing just as perfect as last time,” I tell him as I reach out to lazily grab a tendril. I really like the way they feel. “That was an intense experience, although I didn’t know that it was the Syntrix. This time could get even better.”
He scoots closer to me and places a hand on my chest, which is barely covered by a lacy bra. My jumpsuit is in a heap on the floor ten feet away. “It does keep getting better,” he agrees. “Imagine how good it will be in a few months. Actually, don’t try to imagine. I know I can’t.”
