Page 83 of Alien Prince's Fake Bride
“I specifically said Idon’twant a bomb,” she says and puts her hands on her hips. “Now I don’twantto choose.”
“It might not be a bomb,” I try to tempt her. “It may just be a newly hatched monster from that jungle planet. You liked those, right?”
Umbra gapes in mock outrage. “This is getting worse! I’m not sure what gave you the impression that Ilikedthose things that tried to kill us. Did you think that’s what I meant when I screamed my head off and tried to kill them? You didn’t like them much, either.”
I scratch my chin. “That’s true. Well, maybe it’s not that. Maybe it’s something nice.” I can’t remember the last time I felt I could joke and play with someone like this. Umbra has really brought a playful side out in me, one I haven’t really noticed… well, since Terieli.
“Oh, just show me,” Umbra sighs.
“Catch!” I toss the knife spinning into the air above us.
Umbra squeals, then takes a quick step back and snatches the knife out of the air with her Syntrix, then grabs it with her hand.
“Nice moves,” I exclaim. “I can see Darient made you practice.”
Umbra pulls the knife out of its sheath. “Practically all day. Then Sigise flew the gunship into space and showed me how to fly it. That was fun. This is a really nice blade.”
“It has a built-in gun,” I say as I embrace her. “Five shots. It’s the kind of thing a princess can carry without arousing attention. It looks like a ceremonial knife that’s purely for decoration, but it is actually quite powerful. Only shoot in extreme need. The first four bullets are different from the last one. They will kill a person who’s not wearing armor, but they won’t go through walls. The last one will go through armor if all else fails. Donotuse it inside a spaceship.”
“You think I’ll need that?” she asks, turning the weapon over in her small hands. “Armor-piercing bullets?”
I look over at the small window in the room. “It’s a feeling I have. It’s better to be prepared for a tough enemy and then not meet one than to meet one and then… well, you see my point.”
The new apartment in the palace is old, and it only has a view of the courtyard. But it’s elegant and comfortable in an old-fashioned kind of way. A ray of afternoon sun comes in through the single window. I can see it because there’s a good amount of dust in the air. I didn’t allow any cleaners in here before we moved in. I’m starting to suspect everyone.
Umbra strokes one finger along the knife’s sheath. “I thought you said no weapons for me.”
“I changed my mind.”
“You really want me to be safe,” she says and looks up at me.
“Always,” I tell her truthfully. “I heard about the excursion in the park.”
“What did you hear?”
“That the people of Khav love you. Which is a new experience for everyone.”
“They love you, too.”
“Theythinkthey do,” I correct her. “They don’t know me. Only the soldiers have ever met me. Anyway, we have received a roomful of wedding gifts. We can inspect them if you want.”
“Can we do it later?” Umbra asks. “I’m really comfortable here.”
“Of course.” I lift her, making her squeal, and carry her with me to the nearest ottoman and sit down with her on my lap. “You had a long day already. Did you hit it off with Darient?”
“She’s very nice,” Umbra says, wiggling her butt to get comfortable. “Intense, but sincere. She told me a lot about you.”
“Oh no,” I groan as my cock swells from the near contact with her behind. “That’s not what I wanted. You regret marrying me now.”
“I don’t,” she says as she reaches up and takes hold of a tendril. “They were all nice things.”
I make the tendril twist around one of her fingers, tightening around it. “Are you sure?”
She grabs another tendril and strokes it. “I’m sure. We had snacks, and we saw all the old stone monuments about the old wars and the battles. How’s the new war going?”
I sigh. “The new wars. Plural. Not good, Umbra. The Vyrpy keep getting stronger. As if they’re being helped by someone. Some people think they’re seeing— oh, never mind.”
“No, go on,” Umbra urges me, flicking the tip of one tendril. “What are they seeing?”
