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“I don’t expect you to say you feel the same,” Jace quickly stated.

Khoth covered Jace’s nearest hand with his. “I do. You are precious to me.”

Jace’s lips parted. A smile--a genuine smile--crossed Jace’s face, transforming him. Khoth’s cheeks blued. To say these things with others within hearing distance was not done. There would be so many questions his father would have. Or maybe Thadden would understand.

He likely will think it right and proper that I have feelings for an Altaeth, Khoth realized, slightly startled by the revelation.

The Altaeth were not considered gods by the Thaf’ell--though some Alliance species did worship them--they were viewed as superior. Above all others. That was what Typhon had been getting at. If everyone knew that Jace was an Altaeth… everything would change. It would make getting species on their side easier. The Council itself might realize that they could not stand against Jace and might step aside. Did Jace understand the power of being an Altaeth? Would he even want to use it if he did know? Khoth could very well see Jace wanting to use reason and logic to get species on their side instead of his biology.

“Why did the AIs hide this from you?” Khoth asked.

“I’m not mad at them. They knew I wasn’t ready to hear it. They realized it would be better for me to discover it this way.” Jace let out a breath of air. “Still believing I was human helped with the transition, you know? There’s been so much that… well, sometimes you’ve got to simply rip the Band-Aid off.”

Khoth had no idea what that last part meant.

“But was it wise to have…” Khoth turned slightly back to look at Typhon. All three were watching them closely. Not even Dr. Hayter was looking at the shining buildings of glass any longer. “Was it wise for it to be Typhon and not an ally to tell you this? And would it not have been better back on the ship?”

Jace let out another soft laugh. “Yes and no. Yes, because I could absorb it without everyone seeing my mental breakdown.” This alarmed Khoth as he quickly assessed Jace’s physical presence. There was a faint tremor in his right hand, but Jace quickly lowered it to the glass. “But no, because I’m being bombarded with so much, I cannot dwell on this.”

“My mother said something much the same at Daesah’s death,” Khoth found himself saying. “She had to focus on the Alliance. She could not take the time to… to mourn a beloved daughter.”

Jace lowered his head. “You think I’m avoiding accepting this--this thing about me?”

“You have the right--no, the duty--to give yourself time to accept this,” Khoth said.

“The duty…” Jace gave a mirthless huff of laughter. “Yeah, I probably do. Will I have the time and space to do it?”

Khoth laced their fingers together even as he hid that from the others with his body. “I will make certain you have it.”

Jace rolled his lips together as if considering this. He finally nodded and let out a breath. “All right, Khoth, my Commander, I accept your offer.”

Khoth longing to kiss Jace, but instead, he ran the back of his thumb over Jace and his joined hands. “Good.”

“And they all think I’m in charge, but it's really you,” Jace chuckled.

“About everything else, you command, but as to your safety and happiness, I am your protector. I will guard you from everyone, including yourself,” Khoth said and felt the formality of the words.

They were a play on the mating vows of his people. Any hope that Jace wouldn’t know this was a vain hope as Jace gasped and then was smiling again.

“Thank you, Khoth. I accept your guardianship,” Jace said.

Khoth felt a little dizzy with the words that were, again, so close to a formal mating acceptance. They both looked out the window to recover themselves. The sun painted the buildings brilliant rainbow colors like oil slicks reaching into the skies. There were the delicate towers that housed businesses and homes that speared the sky. Balloon-like domes appeared ready to lift off from the ground if given release. These housed many of the markets. Pyramid-shaped buildings studded the landscape like diamonds partially unearthed. Greenery swam everywhere, obscuring many of the walkways and bridges. Rivers cut through the city, their crash and roar silent from here, but on the ground their call was unmistakable.

“We are here,” Typhon announced as he stood.

To their right rose the ziggurat-shaped Moturin Compound. It stretched six city blocks on every side. The main building rose up over thirteen stories with many smaller buildings inside the walls. A forcefield surrounded the top. It was a hot blue and would incinerate any unauthorized ship that attempted to land.

Jace took a step towards the front of the canceaux as it swept in a wide arc, seeking permission to land, on one of the landing pads that was only slightly smaller than those at the space port.

“You’re having some problems with keeping the field’s power even,” Jace said as he took off his sunglasses. His eyes were glowing blue.

Typhon stared at Jace for long moments, taking in those glowing eyes similar and not to their own before he responded, “Yes, we must flow power to different segments in a certain order to keep the whole working.”

“But the field isn’t stable and if someone could figure out the weak segments they could get in,” Jace said conversationally.

Typhon slowly inclined his head. “That… is possible.”

“I can fix it for you,” Jace offered.