“What?” Her emerald eyes widened, her small hands clasping together in anticipation.
“You and I are going on an adventure.”
Those brilliant eyes grew even wider, if such a thing were possible. Without access to actual books, I had become a living library, spinning tales drawn from every movie, novel, and story I had ever encountered. Harry Potter remained her absolute favorite, the tale of an orphaned boy destined for something greater resonated with her in ways that made my heart ache.
I cupped her soft cheeks in my palms, holding her gaze. “It will be fun, but like when Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited Gringotts, there might be some danger. So we’ll have to be very brave and very quiet as we search for the treasure.”
She nodded solemnly, pressing her rosebud lips together in a gesture of determination that tore at my heart. Despite all my efforts to shield her from the brutal realities of our existence, Lilibet had learned through experience that being careful and quiet were as essential to survival as drawing breath.
“What is the treasure?” She asked, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper.
I pulled her closer against my chest, savoring the warmth of her small body in my arms while my heart hammered against my ribs with a love so fierce I could barely stand it.
“The greatest treasure of all, sweetheart,” I whispered against her pink curls, my voice thick with emotion. “Freedom.”
Chapter 2
Diarvet
“Seriously, Diarvet, don’t you pay attention to the news feeds?” Lucy snapped, her voice crackling through the holo-comm as she jabbed her finger toward the camera. I grinned, watching her image flicker, exasperation vibrating through every gesture. No, I didn’t watch the news feeds. Most of the time, whatever sensationalized drivel they peddled was so scandalous and editorialized that it bore more resemblance to fiction than truth.
I shrugged and grunted, making Lucy roll her eyes. Even across the holo-screen, her aggravation was obvious. I paused my walk through the station corridors and leaned on the railing above the terraced gardens, focusing on Lucy’s expression instead of the surroundings.
“Jala and Praxxan aren’t on the Ardeese Valout at the moment because they’ve traveled to planet Kerzak to help smooth over the transition of power,” she explained, her fingers drumming impatiently against what I assumed was her desk.
Transition of power? Perhaps I should pay more attention to the news feeds after all. “What’s going on?”
Lucy blew out a sharp breath, her fingers drumming faster as her head shook, sending auburn hair swaying about her pale face. “You know Prince Alokar tracked Ambassador Yaard to Earth and killed him?”
I nodded, fragments of overheard conversations from my crew floating back to me.
“Well, while on Earth, Alokar met a woman... and you know how that goes,” she grinned, her hazel eyes tracking something off camera, my cousin Vraxxan, no doubt. “When Alokar returned, he changed the law about females ruling and made his sister queen.”
I loosed a low whistle that echoed softly in the surrounding corridor. “I bet that went over well.”
“You have no idea,” Vraxxan gruffed, his deep voice rumbling as he strode into view. He slipped an arm around Lucy’s waist, scooping her effortlessly from her seat, and dropped into the chair, pulling her across his lap. “I’ve been on comms with the Alliance Prime, Duke Ako and Ambassador Khaion all morning.”
“Why? What does the change in the Kerzak rule have to do with Zarpazia?” I mulled aloud, my tone laced with curiosity and a hint of concern.
“Nothing really,” Vraxxan sighed, his teal eyes reflecting a weariness that came from hours of diplomatic maneuvering. “But the Prime wanted assurances that Zarpazia would stand with the Alliance if needed. There are fears that Yaard’s followers won’t accept the change easily.”
“And you agreed?” The question carried weight beyond simple words. Since ascending to the throne, my cousin worked tirelessly to reshape Zarpazia’s reputation, transforming us from the den of assassins that marked his mother’s rule into a peaceful nation and a leader in the Alliance.
“Of course,” Lucy beamed at her mate, her face lighting up with pride as she planted a loud, smacking kiss on his cheek. While my cousin had always possessed a naturally kind disposition, taking a human as his mate had awakened in him asensitivity to the plight of abducted humans scattered across the cosmos.
“That reminds me,” Vraxxan said, his expression brightening as he turned his attention to Lucy, a warm grin spreading across his angular features. “Did you get the humans settled?”
“Yes.” My voice carried the satisfaction of a job well done. On our last mission we’d rescued three humans: two females and one male. “The females are staying on the station; the male wishes to travel to Tau Ceti. Merrilee arranged transport for him and jobs for the females at Space Pearl’s.” Merrilee, the station owner’s human assistant, was thoroughly competent.
“Speaking of Space Pearls,” Lucy said, her hazel eyes sparkling as she waggled her eyebrows in that distinctly human gesture that never failed to amuse me. “How was it?”
“How was what?” I asked, puzzled.
“Are you kidding me?” Lucy huffed, folding her arms across her chest. Over her shoulder, Vraxxan shot me a sympathetic glance, his lips barely twitching. “Have you not eaten at Space Pearl’s?”
“Of course,” I frowned, still not grasping her frustration. “I’ve eaten at Space Pearl’s many times, as you well know. Especially since Vysar has mated with Marcia.” Our exiled king—Vraxxan’s father—returned to Zarpazia after the queen’s death and, unexpectedly, bonded with the human female sent to oversee the Space Pearl’s restaurant on our planet.
“But the Space Pearls on the Ardeese Valout is the flagship restaurant,” Lucy explained with the patience of someone addressing a particularly slow youngling. “They serve exclusive recipes that the other locations don’t have—dishes that exist nowhere else in the galaxy. You absolutely have to go there for dinner. Promise me.”
