Page 61 of Tribute to the Alien Warlord

"Today we will find out," Gryck said darkly next to me, and I handed him the spyglass.

"We should wait inside where it's warm. It will be hours before they arrive." Vandor exclaimed, tugging his mate closer.

Gryck and I agreed wholeheartedly, but none of us moved. We watched the sun rise, still in the far distance, and the boat becoming bigger as it approached our shoreline, making its way through the multitude of Vandall vessels still anchored up and down my coastline.

I ordered riders and spare horses to go down to where we anticipated the boat to land. Finally, I first saw Kendryx and then Chrissy at the stern of the boat. He tossed an anchor and carried Chrissy off the ship toward the waiting riders.

Instead of helping her on a horse, he seated her right in front of him, and I barely suppressed a grin at the thought of them making a formidable couple.

Alahna and Damaris had left the battlements before us and under protest, but both kallinies had been getting too chilled. I suggested Alahna oversee preparations to welcome our travelers, and she had finally agreed to go inside with Damaris in tow.

I welcomed the warmth enveloping me when we entered the great hall and gratefully took the offered grog from Alahna as she handed out cups to Gryck, Vandor, and me.

Finally, the doors to the great hall opened and in strode Kendryx and Chrissy with wide smiles on their faces.

"It is done," Kendryx declared and loud cheering broke out from the assembled warriors, courtiers, and servants, as we all had waited weeks to hear those exact words.

I pulled Alahna into my arms and swung her carefully in a circle. At that moment, I didn't care how Kendryx and Chrissy had done it. The only important thing was that the threat of the humans was gone.

"It's not over yet," Chrissy warned with a severe expression on her face. "But the playing field has been leveled. If the Terran Confederation wants to come after us, they will have to use swords and spears like us."

Her usage of the wordusdidn't escape me, nor did it escape the others as Alahna stepped forward and hugged Chrissy. "Sister!"

After a short hesitation, Chrissy returned the embrace and Damaris joined them quickly.

Kendryx nodded somberly at Gryck, Vandor, and me. There were things we needed to discuss, but the relief on his face was evident.

I stared at the three embracing human kallinies, so different and yet so similar, and wondered if we would have accomplished our victory without them.

Just then, Alahna looked up as if she had felt my gaze on her and her bright smile melted my heart. Whatever we would face in the coming months, we would face together. I vowed no harm would come to her or my child.

She was mine, and I was hers, and together we would rule Grymburg for many years to come, watching our children grow. I stared at the kallini who had been given to me as a tribute and had so easily won over my heart, and thanked the gods for her. I vowed that there would never be a more cherished kallini in all of Thyre, and I would prove it to her every day.

EPILOGUE

Istaredatthesmall crib with our son inside, carefully watched over by Cisco, who hissed at anybody who came close.

The predator had taken to Brogan's and my child as if he was his own. Just this morning, he hissed at Brogan when he tried to pick up his son for a morning kiss.

"I swear I will turn you into a scarf I will wear happily around my neck," Brogan threatened the grover, who, unimpressed, hissed at him again. Brogan had used the threat too many times to be effective.

"Hold on," I interjected before Brogan lost his temper. I held out a piece of meat. "Come get it," I tempted my pet.

Cisco stared Brogan down, who put his fists on his hips, making himself even bigger.

"It doesn't help when you threaten him," I advised.

"What do you want me to do? Beg him to allow me to pick up my own son?" Brogan huffed. "I'm a warlord, Alahna."

I suppressed a snicker at his indignation, knowing that this would have definitely been the wrong course of action, and instead began throwing meat at Cisco, who finally, with another derisive glare toward Brogan, moved on to the meat.

"Insufferable creature," Brogan grumbled, but his expression lightened the moment he picked up our son.

"He is perfect," Brogan said like he did every morning.

"He will be hungry in a moment," I warned, taking my seat in my favorite cushioned chair.

"Of course he will. He is his father's son. He has a healthy appetite," Brogan exclaimed with a deepening voice as he watched me opening the buttons of my nightdress to expose part of my breast in preparation for my son.

---