Page 113 of Moon Tamed

Lucky the Doom Bird, Herald of the Armageddon, would remain in his lofty position as Ruler of Moonriver for the rest of his life, or so claimed the vast majority of the voting populace, who had been bothered to write in the peacock’s term limit in the box provided.

The cheetahs had been voted in to oversee the city-state’s humanitarian efforts, a position opened due to the destruction of Earth and the need for planets willing to take in refugees.

Some people left, unwilling to remain under Allasandro’s rule, including some of the more vocal conspiracy theorists, but the rest of the population went out of their way to remind me that people could all point themselves in the same general direction when motivated.

Some remained unhappy with the man’s decisions, making their unhappiness known in the opinion vote made available to them, but the numbers didn’t lie.

The people wanted Allasandro Stephans to remain in power.

Worse, someone had put in the paperwork for the new helper’s faction, and it had been slid into the election to be publicly funded.

Everyone needed temps, and the government wanted to officiate the fledgling faction.

Sila’s name showed up as the leader of the faction, but my name came up as the founder.

I pointed at the television as we watched the election results in Kirkland’s entertainment room, with the rest of his family. “Do you see this nonsense, Calden? I did not do this!”

“I know you didn’t,” he replied in a smug tone.

“And why are you so pleased with yourself, sir?”

“I know you didn’t arrange for that, because I did.”

The cunning man would pay for his crimes, in bed later tonight, where we’d both enjoy the consequences of his actions. “You joined forces with Sila!”

“I wouldn’t say that. I joined forces with your mother, who coerced your friend, secured her agreement for it, and began building what your father started. Your father had expressed some regrets, not realizing we were trying to figure out how to date each other badly, thus limiting the time you had to start building a faction of temps and other helpers.”

I rolled my eyes. “I was a lost cause after the first time you took your shirt off.”

Kirkland’s family laughed at us, especially his younger daughters, who were just old enough to have learned boys were interesting and that Calden was easy on the eyes.

Kirkland hoped his daughters witnessing a healthy and sane relationship among adults might help guide them in the future.

As we both wanted to be a good example for them, we had behaved ourselves right up until we retreated to the suite we shared and closed the door, removing our inhibitions along with our clothes.

“I figured you wouldn’t mind, and I assumed you would have become upset if it hadn’t gotten done. After talking to Sila, she convinced me she wanted the job despite hating a lot of the responsibilities. I thought it was a good idea. She likes some elements of it, but she realizes just how much work it will be, so I figure she’ll get the job done with minimal corruption. I had to promise to bring you over so she can kidnap you for a week. I agreed, and while you are spending time with Sila, I will go on a hunt with my father and continue working on convincing him I won’t die if he gets remarried.”

“I wish you the best of luck with that,” I replied, wondering if I should give Moonriver’s reelected leader therapy as a gift. “Just send him an invitation to the wedding with a note that you expect a step-mom in attendance.”

Calden bowed his head and snorted on a laugh. “He would have a meltdown of the likes Moonriver has never seen before if we did that.

“That’s not discouraging me, Calden.”

“I’m sure he’ll survive. I’ll let him come to terms with his crushing defeat at the feathers of a peacock first, though. I mean, he came in third to our bunnies, Coraline. He’s going to be crying over that for weeks.”

“But he had a clear majority among the human-only votes, so it’s okay.”

“Eighty-three percent. It’s not quite a record, but it’s close enough, and twelve percent of those votes were for Lucky, which is the equivalent of an abstain. Realistically, only five percent of the population voted against him, and the people they wrote in don’t even want the job.” Calden wrinkled his nose.

I understood, as he’d come in second place vote among the humans. In a lapse of judgment, I’d been one of those voters, too.

Unless asked, I would not confess my sins.

“You’re just mad you’re responsible for Moonriver if your father steps down,” Kirkland stated.

Calden’s pout made me giggle. “That didn’t work out the way I expected or the way you hoped, but this truly is for the best, Calden.”

“Is it, now? Is it really? I know you didn’t vote for my father, Coraline. And nobody abstained outside of the peacock votes, and you told me you had voted for a human. I’m onto you, Miss Patten. You can run, but you can’t hide.” He narrowed his eyes and smirked at me. “And you best start running, woman, because when I get my hands on you, I will make you pay for voting for me.”

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