Page 75 of King of Serpents

Who would have thought? If she hadn’t hoped for the queen’s recovery before, she certainly did now. To feel otherwise would be downright uncharitable.

“Alex... what is a Bingo sheet?” her mate whispered.

“A game of chance,” she replied absently. “Though I think some of the more morbid among us have had ‘this is the end of life as we know it’ sheet to check off for centuries now. It is how you deal with the cesspool that the system hands you.”

Therxian sighed. “You humans are so odd.”

Alex gave her mate a flirty grin. “But quite lovable.”

“Fortunately,” he agreed with a laugh as he hugged her to him again.

She could get used to that. She would have been happy to keep him there, holding her, but the world wasn’t going to wait. He would be returning soon. She didn’t want to be ungracious, but she hoped that they would save the shinara soon. She needed a vacation.

She had never had one, but she definitely needed one.

Chapter 52

Knowing that there was a Seshanamitesh male out there, potentially trying to infiltrate the elder palace, did not make Therxian comfortable leaving his mate alone in the palace. It was only by retrieving Alex’s weapon and sending Kitanara down to accompany her that he was able to remain patiently waiting to be admitted into his mother’s nest.

His tail curled restlessly around him, his hand flexing on the scroll. He was anxious, though he had no real reason to be. It was his mother, but he had no memory of ever going to his mother’s nest without first being invited since reaching his juvenile period. It simply was not done. Even Jathella had been shocked by his arrival, but she had not argued. She had dismissed her younger sister to do as he asked and immediately returned to the queen, to announce his presence. Resting coiled just outside his mother’s nest was disconcerting, and many of the passing palace staff and visitors were openly staring, but this could not wait for the usual procedure. He needed to see his mother immediately.

“Therxian? Are you waiting for an audience with the queen?”

He privately grimaced at the sound of Dehv’s voice greeting him, but he turned toward the male with a polite nod.

“Dehv. You have returned to the palace? I was not aware that there was another council meeting today.”

A pained look crossed the smaller male’s face, and he snapped his gavo wearily. “Indeed. Not for a council meeting, however. Gareiia has accompanied her mother to discuss a matter with the queen. I have been wandering the corridors while I have waited.”

Therxian’s gavo rose with curiosity. “Discussing something?”

“They are... displeased,” Dehv replied hesitantly. “With several of the mating-age noble females poisoned along with the queen, Zara is quite insistent that those who are still sound of health be permitted to continue in the breeding exchange.”

“Breeding exchange... is that what they are calling it?” Therxian sneered in distaste as the other male lowered his head submissively.

Dehv visibly balked. “I should not have spoken so randomly. Apologies. I am certain that there was no insult meant toward you, my prince,” he mumbled, but Therxian waved the excuse away.

“Do not apologize for speaking plainly,” he replied. “In truth, it is exactly what it is. There is no need to shield me from the matter. At least they are not trying to fashion it into something else for the sake of appearances.” He huffed quietly. “I have no doubt that they are displeased. Not a thought to the females who are suffering.”

The male fidgeted awkwardly, his tail curling and uncurling restlessly. “It is not my place to comment on it.”

Therxian sighed, sympathy filling him. Although the male’s loyalty with solely with Gareiia, he could not fault him for it. The fact that the female was scheming, and possibly even more so than any other female if she was truly the daughter of Yilada, was no fault of his.

“I understand. Should you wish to escape this—”

Dehv gave him a look of abject horror. “I could not possibly desert my mate!” he whispered. He twitched again. “But perhaps a small retreat in peace for a few hours where she cannot watch me—somewhere nearby that she cannot access,” he prompted. “Do you have any secret retreats accessible from the palace, my prince?”

Drawing back on his coiled tail, Therxian silently studied the other male. Despite the guileless way Dehv returned his gaze, he did not trust it... or him.

Therxian feigned a look of remorse and dipped his chin. As he did so, he watched the male’s expression shift subtly from innocent hopefulness to a very slight, barely perceptible sneer. “Unfortunately, I—"

“The queen will see you,” Jathella announced as she slid from the entrance and made way for the noble matriarch just behind her.

The captain did not speak further, but rather inclined her head respectfully, her eyes downcast, as Zara and Gareiia exited, their passing dismissively over her before landing on him.

“Therxian, this is a surprise,” Gareiia greeted him as she drew up and stopped directly in front of him. Zara passed by them, her gavo flattening with obvious irritation. Gareiia’s eyes followed the direction of his gaze, and she gave a small laugh. “Do not mind, Mother. She had high hopes for our meeting with the queen—and our future alliance together,” she added with a faint hum that thankfully had little to no effect on him now.

Her eyes drifted over him and hardened slightly when she noted his failure to respond, though she continued speaking as if it did not bother her in the least. “I blame it on the elder who she is currently insisting upon keeping by her side. Perhaps she is feeling sentimental now that she is confronted with her own mortality and is seeking comfort, but the crooked tail was far too bold in giving her advice. Those of the lesser noble houses should remember their place.”