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The main chamber of the palace was large and ornate, and Stacey was certain that she could explore it for days and still find something new about it. The walls were heavily carved with reliefs, and though many of the standing statues had toppled over, there were a number that still stood as regally as they no doubt had since they were erected. And that did not include the various statues along the pediments and in various nooks and niches above them. A blush rose to her cheeks at just how many were not only very nude but positioned erotically.
Lerix noted the direction of her gaze and smirked. “The prince was clearly a great devotee of the gods of love and lust. If I recall correctly regarding their devotees, this entire chamber undoubtedly was not only the formal room in which he would greet and entertain guests, but it also served as the place where they would all enjoy the pleasures that the palace had to offer. The prince with his mate of course, once he was mated, but he no doubt had many servants of different servants in his staff to see to the pleasures of those guests who were unmated.”
“Oh. Nice,” Stacey commented flatly, not even wanting to imagine how much of the common room was likely covered with ancient alien jizz.
She wished that she was back at the cavern with Varik rather than having her chosen mate standing several feet away stoically as if he were a complete stranger to her. She hated it. She understood that it was necessary, but she still hated it all the same. She couldn’t even believe that Gaix thought this was a romantic destination, either. She was pretty uncertain Varik wouldn’t have chosen anything like that. She wasn’t sure how overtly romantic he was, but he at least had some common sense and taste.
Athdar, who had been listening attentively along with Gaix to the Kadesh’s words, leaned in and whispered in the prince’s ear. Gaix smiled and nodded in response before stepping forward with a pompous flick of his hand at the waiting Lorgor. “We will set up here. This is the perfect place for our romantic celebration. We will make love beneath the eyes of the gods of love and invite them to celebrate with us.”
“If you insist, Shining Star,” Varik replied and he gestured toward two others, setting them immediately to work as they began to unpack the cases that had been delivered from the beach by a crate lift system once the beacon had been set.
No doubt one of the Lerix had set it the moment he had arrived since the crates had arrived within scant minutes after Stacey and Varik had made their way down from the cavern.
“Now… a tour, perhaps. Lerix, if you would be so kind to lead the way?” The prince smiled at the Kadesh expectantly.
Although framed as a polite request, Stacey recognized the order in Gaix’s voice and fortunately so did Lerix because he smiled easily and nodded.
“Certainly, your Shiningness, right this way. I’m not overly familiar with the complex but it should not be too difficult to work out just from having a look around.”
The over-grown gardens of the courtyard to the right of the common room held no interest for Gaix so he waved Lerix to continue on, giving none of them the time to admire the numerous species of flowers and overgrown statuary and arches the decorated the space. They marched on, visiting rooms in varying degrees of distress, some of which were missing entire walls or where part of the roof had collapsed, crushing everything into a mess of rubble beneath its weight. The bedrooms were in the worse condition which made her almost grateful to be sleeping in the common room, and the kitchen was overgrown to the point of being a fire hazard if they had even tried, but it didn’t take away from the palace’s incredible beauty one bit. Stacey found something to admire about every room they visited until they came once more to the entrance of the common room and took a left. If the rest of the palace had been testimony to the incredible work of the Kadesh and their tribute to love and romance through the fine detailing along the various rooms and halls of the palace, the room they entered was like no other.
“And this would be the attached temple that I spoke of,” Lerix commented drily as he swept his arms wide in a grandiose expression. He turned slowly and smiled. “Is it everything that you hoped for, Prince Gaix?”
“It is exquisite,” the prince murmured as he strolled around the room, his neck craning to capture all the details.
Stacey didn’t blame him because she couldn’t get enough of looking at the place herself and indulged her curiosity, admiring the various artistic tributes to Kadesh gods. She was staring up at the enormous cult statue of the goddess, this one dripping with actual jewels that had miraculously not been stripped by thieves exploring the island, when she heard a pleased gasp come from Gaix a short distance away. She wasn’t particularly interested in what he found so fascinating, but she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the statue and strolled over to where he stood by what appeared to be an enormous stone well dominating a large portion of temple room.
Gaix peered down into its depths curiously. “I think I have read a legend of this. There is a supposed replica in the intergalactic museum as an example of incredible artistry and mythic symbolism for the Kadesh. Look at all of these carvings of the love deities all over it. It is truly exquisite.”
“Oh wow,” Vera murmured, drawing nearer. “Was this to draw water to bathe the prince and his mate with the blessings of the deities of love?”
“Hopeless romantic,” Quin commented beneath her breath and Vera rolled her eyes in response.
“Not quite,” Lerix commented drily as he studied the well with a frown. “I’m familiar with the replica in the museum. They call it the well of lovers but see this inscription here.” He tapped on several carved lines circling the rim of the well. “This here is a prayer, but not how you think. Here it is called the well of lovers’ tears,” he explained, recoiling subtly from the side of the well, “and bids the gods to keep lovers happy in the next life when they are released from the mating bonds in this one.”
Stacey peered at him curiously. “Is something wrong?”
Gaix waved a hand dismissively. “Ignore him, Bunny. He is a ruffian, and they are seldom without comprehension of the true depths of romance which drives a soul.”
“Romance?” the Kadesh looked distinctly uncomfortable as he turned away from the well. “There is nothing romantic about this well.”
Stacey frowned with confusion. “It isn’t a monument to the prince’s beloved dead mate? We have monuments of that sort of Earth, and we generally consider it romantic. This would doubly qualify with the prayer to love gods inscribed upon it.”
He shook his head. “It is an insult to the mating bonds of Kadesh but certainly confirms a long-held rumor regarding the prince—one you were doubtlessly aware of since you have studied so much regarding this island,” he added with a hard look in the Calysii’s direction.
“What rumor?” Jasmine asked, beating Stacey to it, her eyes flicking uncertainly between Lerix and Gaix.
The Kadesh’ mouth curled in an unpleasant smile. “The prince was fickle and never satisfied long with his mate, so when he tired of her company and wished to release them both of the mating bond between them, he would simply throw her down this well to the goddess. He would return in mourning saying that his mate had joined the gods and then once the pheromone bond was released, he would search for a new mate.” He snorted humorlessly. “No doubt the insult may have partly been responsible for being eaten on this same island.”
“What?” Vera squawked, drawing away from the well and several of the other women made sounds of agreement and practically tripped over each other to put distance between the well and themselves.
“Oh, do not dwell on the death part,” Gaix teased, his eyes tracking the sudden movement of his mates. “All in all, it was still a romantic way to honor them. If they had to die, they were still spectacularly remembered and honored, were they not?”
“Yeah, romantic,” Quin muttered as she looked over meaningfully at Stacey.
He gave her an annoyed look which he slowly turned on the rest of them. “I am disappointed in all of you, my most prized mates, do not appreciate the beauty and romance of this the way I do. Clearly, he treasured his mates greatly.”
“Obviously,” Vera muttered, squinting uncomfortably at the well as Nancy worriedly grabbed ahold of her hand.
