Ako turned to look at me, and I saw the weight of centuries in his eyes. "Then we'll have a constitutional crisis unlike anything the Alliance has seen in generations."
"That's comforting," I muttered.
"Riuondo had support," Ako continued, his voice low. "More than we realized. The lesser royals, particularly among the Romvesians—they saw him as a champion of traditional values. A warrior who understood strength." He paused. "We've already arrested Lord Savelth and Lady Vesprex. Duke Moren managed to flee before our forces could secure him, but we have evidence of his collaboration—financial transactions, military intelligence he provided. King Jurtis is claiming he knewnothing of Riuondo's survival. We don't have proof that he knew, so we can't act directly, but the Council is aware of his suspicious closeness to Riuondo's followers."
He turned his gaze to me, and it was heavy.
"The Council won't be pleased that Serna killed Riunodo. And they certainly won't be pleased that she's chosen a human as her mate."
"They'll get over it," Chloe said, but her voice lacked conviction.
"Will they?" Ako's gaze was steady. "Riuondo spent a century building alliances, cultivating support. Those people don't simply disappear because their leader is dead. They'll be looking for someone else to rally behind. Someone who shares their vision of the Alliance."
"A vision that includes human slavery," I said flatly.
"Yes."
The word hung in the air like a threat.
Down the bond, I felt Serna's presence—steady, focused, preparing herself for what came next. She was in an adjacent chamber, going over her speech one final time. I wanted to go to her, to offer support, but this was something she needed to do alone.
"She'll handle it," Charick said suddenly, still staring out the window. "My mother has never lost a political battle. She won't start now."
"This isn't just politics," Ako said gently. "This is personal. The Council has never had to approve a Prime's choice of mate before—it's always been arranged through family alliances. This is unprecedented."
"So was a human becoming part of the Alliance leadership," Nansar pointed out. "Yet here we are."
"Here we are," Ako echoed, but he didn't sound reassured.
I looked down at my hands—these younger hands that still felt foreign. The Garoot healer had erased the scars from Riuondo's torture, had knitted broken bones and burned flesh back together with impossible precision. But it couldn't erase the memory of that pain. Couldn't erase the sound of Serna screaming as she watched me suffer.
My mind shifted into tactical mode—the same way it had during mission briefings in the Navy. Assess the situation. Identify the obstacles. Formulate a strategy.
"Ako," I said, turning to face him directly. "You said Riuondo had supporters. How many are we talking about?"
Ako's expression sharpened with interest. "Among the lesser royals? Perhaps two hundred families who openly backed his vision. Another fifty or so who were sympathetic but kept their distance."
"So we're looking at maybe three hundred Council members who see me as everything they oppose." I ran the numbers in my head. "Out of ten thousand-plus representatives, that's manageable. But they'll be vocal. They'll try to sway the moderates."
"They will," Ako confirmed. "And they'll use you as a symbol—proof that Serna has been compromised by human influence."
"Then we need to control the narrative before they can." I stood, pacing the way I used to before operations. "Serna's speech will be powerful. But she's speaking as the Prime—as someone defending her choice. That puts her on the defensive."
"What are you suggesting?" Charick asked, watching me with sharp attention.
"I'm suggesting we go on the offensive." I turned to Ako. "You need to speak as well. You're respected, you've served the Alliance for decades. You establish Serna's character, her record, her sacrifices. You remind them what she's accomplished. Andyou remind the Alliance that you have a human mate and a half-human son."
Ako nodded slowly. "That was already the plan."
"Good." I took a deep breath, the decision made. "Then I will speak."
Chloe's eyes widened. "Dad—"
"Just a brief statement," I explained quickly. "Two, maybe three minutes. I address the Council as a military officer, not as her mate. I talk about what I've learned working with Alliance forces. I acknowledge the concerns about human integration—don't dismiss them,acknowledgethem. Show I understand the complexity."
"And then?" Ako asked, his tone thoughtful.
"Then I make it clear that I'm not here to change the Alliance. I'm here to serve it. That my role as Prime Consort isn't about Earth gaining influence—it's about supporting Serna's leadership. I speak to my military experience, the fact that I've spent my career following orders and understanding chain of command. I make myselfcredibleto the skeptics."
