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“I see,” Ezul replied, his gut churning with nausea. To admit the truth would be to condemn her to death.
“Do you?” Jakkar relaxed even further. “There is no footage of this abduction, but a guard present in this room claims you did not enter through the main doors to visit Cordelia.”
The harem guard in question stepped forward. “I never left my post, so I am adamant that you did not pass me.”
“I did not,” Ezul agreed.
“You are dismissed,” Jakkar said to the harem guard. Once the male had left Ezul’s line of sight, there was only Jakkar and three other politicians. “Would you care to tell us how you acquired Cordelia?”
Ezul stared at his father, unsure of what the proper response was. His answers were the instructions to defuse the bomb that was wired to Cordelia’s safety, but he felt as if he were blind and couldn’t read them.
“Can you tell me how my Runa fares?” he asked instead.
Jakkar’s eyes softened. A short politician with deep blue skin stepped forward, placing a fist on his chest in greeting, which Ezul returned in gesture.
“I am Vermile. I was assured by a capitol guard, Komel, who escorted the female back to her quarters, that she is fine. A bit malnourished and severely bruised from your handling, but well enough.”
Ezul’s eyes narrowed.
Malnourished? Cordelia had been more in need of his seed than for food, and when her hunger became apparent, he’d taken them from the caves in order to find her sustenance. But she had hardly wasted away.
And the bruises were marks she’d encouraged while they’d mated. Cordelia hadn’t been injured, she’d only been given pleasure and affection. He would never do anything to harm her.
To know that evidence of their time together was being witnessed by others made his blood boil. His Cordelia shouldn’t be in a harem where others could stare at her body so freely, garbed in that drab silk that exposed her.
“We should not even concern ourselves with the welfare of the human,” the third politician stated. He was the tallest, with a meaty body and thin face, his skin a light green hue.
Jakkar sighed. “Arombk, cease your ranting for one moment.”
“It is not ranting to feel we should not be mixing our blood with such a lowly species. Humans can hardly find their way off Earth, and yet we are expected to breed with them? Your line is already tarnished with Sahin’s transgressions. And now your other son spends his time with similar ilk.”
“You will not talk of breeding my Runa,” Ezul snarled, lightning flaring from his fingers, ready to strike as his wrath grew. The room fell silent and his father cleared his throat.
“No one intends to breed the human unless she agrees to it,” Jakkar assured.
“Cordelia will not ‘breed’ with anyone but me,” Ezul stated confidently, though part of him was unsure of this claim.
She could have any male she chose, and they had not yet spoken to one another regarding a courting, let alone a mating. What if she did not want him?
“Be that as it may, we still must decide your fate,” his father said softly.
“Has the pollen left her body? She was in its thrall when she was taken from me.” The attacks hadn’t been severe, but it had still been present in her system. What if she was still hurting?
Jakkar turned to Vermile, who spoke up once more. “I was assured she was in good hands.”
“That was not my question,” Ezul snapped.
“You are not in a position to ask questions, Ezul.” His father’s voice hardened until it cracked like a whip. “Did you take Cordelia from the harem and flee with her from the capitol?”
“Yes,” Ezul lied. “I saw her gazing up at the night sky from a window and I plucked her from it quite easily. I then forced her to flee with me until she agreed to be my mate.” Another lie.
Vermile cleared his throat. “You have mated, then? We were not aware of a mark on her flesh.”
Ezul raised a brow. “According to you, there were several. Choose one. We know from Sahin that human women heal from the mating marks. Hers has likely done so too,” Ezul lied once more. How many would he tell to ensure her safety?
“Will your Runa corroborate your claims?” his father asked hopefully.
Ezul nodded, though his hands tightened at his sides. “Ask if she is my Runa. She will confirm it.”
