"You make yourself non-threatening," Nansar said, understanding dawning in his expression.
"Exactly. I'm not a political operator. I'm not angling for power. I'm a soldier who fell in love with his commander." I looked at Ako. "Hopefully, they'll see me as someone who understands duty and sacrifice—values the Alliance respects."
Ako was quiet for a long moment, his gaze assessing. "It's a sound strategy. But it requires you to be vulnerable in front of thousands of beings who may not wish you well."
"I've been tortured," I said flatly. "I think I can handle some political hostility."
"There's a risk," Charick said carefully. "If you speak and it goes poorly, it could undermine my mother's position."
"It won't go poorly." I met his eyes. "I've briefed world leaders and generals. I know how to read a room, how to adjust on the fly. And I know when to shut up and let someone else take the lead."
Chloe was staring at me with something like pride. "You've been thinking about this."
"I've been thinking about nothing else since we got back." I looked at Ako. "Will it work?"
"It might." Ako's expression was thoughtful. "It's unconventional. But then, so is everything about this situation."
The door to the Council chamber opened, and a tall Kaelaks in formal robes stepped through. "The Council is assembled. The Prime will address them now."
We filed through the doorway, and I stopped dead, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of what lay before us.
The Council chamber was massive—easily the size of a football stadium, but designed with the grandeur of ancient Rome. Tiers of seats rose in concentric circles around a central floor, each level packed with beings from across the Alliance. I saw Vaktaire and Romvesians, Ardesians and Ulkommenians, Aljani and Garoot, Kerzak, Kaelaks and dozens of species I didn't recognize. Over ten thousand representatives, all gathered in this single space.
The architecture was breathtaking—soaring columns carved with intricate designs, a domed ceiling that seemed to capture and amplify light, making the entire chamber glow with soft radiance. Banners hung from the upper tiers, each bearing the symbol of a different Alliance world.
It felt ancient. Powerful. Like standing in a place where history was made.
"Holy shit," I breathed.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Ako said quietly beside me. "This chamber has stood for thousands of years. Every major decision in Alliance history has been made here."
And now my fate—our fate—would be decided here too.
We were led to a section of seats near the central floor, positioned where we could see and be seen. I felt the weight of ten thousand gazes turning toward us, assessing, judging. Whispers rippled through the crowd.
That's him. The human. The one who claims to be her true mate.
Down the bond, I felt Serna's presence growing stronger. She was close.
The chamber fell silent as a door at the far end of the central floor opened.
And Serna walked in.
She wore formal robes—deep blue, red and purple trimmed with silver, the colors of her office—and moved with a grace that seemed effortless despite the weight of the fabric. Her hair was pulled back in an intricate style of braids, revealing the elegant lines of her face. She looked every inch the Prime—powerful, composed, untouchable.
The silence was absolute. Over ten thousand beings, and not one of them made a sound as she crossed to the center of the floor.
She stood there for a long moment, her gaze sweeping across the assembled Council. When she finally spoke, her voice carried effortlessly through the chamber—amplified by technology I couldn't see, but also by the sheer force of her presence.
"Members of the Council," she began. "I stand before you today to speak truth. To reveal a conspiracy that has threatened the very foundation of our Alliance. And to ask for your blessing on a matter of the heart."
Another pause. The tension in the chamber was palpable.
"Many of you know that I recently traveled to my homeworld of Vaktaire for the funeral of my first mate, Chavon. What you may not know is that I was attacked during my return journey. My ship was ambushed, shot down, and I was forced to crash-land on an uncharted world."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Serna waited for them to quiet before continuing.
"The being responsible for this attack was Riuondo Barkaze."
