| |
Two days later.
He’s gone too far this time. I projected a bland countenance and allowed my skirts to disguise my hurried gait as I rushed for my bond-mate’s receiving room. The time had come to put a stop to the nonsense.
Two footmen guarding the chamber stepped aside to allow me to enter.
In full tantrum, the king stomped across the jeweled mosaic floor. At the sound of the door, he halted and whirled around to shout at a lone cowering aide. “I told you no visitors! I am not to be disturbed— Not you, my sweet,” he said when he noticed me.
“I would hope not,” I said drily. I turned to the aide. “You may leave us.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” His expression relieved, he fled.
My bond-mate jutted out his chin. “You cannot change my mind.”
“Change your mind about what?” I asked.
“Whatever you came here to change my mind about.”
I held my tongue. Finesse worked better than force, and he needed to vent a while longer. Saar was a benevolent monarch, revered and loved by the citizens, but he had episodes of volatility, expressed in private. Those emotional explosions enabled him to rule the kingdom with a steady hand. Rather than allow feelings to seethe and fester, he released them, so when he did act, it was with a clear head.
He resumed pacing, his gait agitated, his embellished cape flying out behind him, unencumbered by the gemstones in his horns. With the coronation of every new king, the crown jewels were inlaid in the ascending monarch’s horns, a process requiring several years to enable him to adjust to the weight. If all the jewels were embedded at one time, the king would be unable to lift his head.
“Everything is changing!” Saar tossed up his hands. “And not for the better.”
I settled into my throne and watched my beloved wrestle with the burdens of responsibility. On top of ruling a kingdom, dealing with our Copan rivals, and navigating galactic affairs, he now faced significant upset in his own house, the palace. Many matters were simply out of his control.
“How could he do such a thing?” he railed.
“Which he are you referring to?”
He laughed mirthlessly. “See, that’s the problem.” He came over and settled into his throne next to me. “Take your pick. Lomax. Aeon. Nadir,” he emphasized the former royal advisor’s name. He bounded to his feet again.
“Aeon bond-mated to a human. Lomax joined a galactic insurgency group. It’s a good thing we had five children because we’re going to run through all of them before we find one who is qualified to rule.
“And now, Nadir. The lone reliable constant.” He dropped into the seat beside me again. “The one individual I could count on no matter what broke his vow of celibacy and lifetime fealty and resigned his position so he can bond-mate with a human.” He waved his hands. “Other than you, there was no one I trusted more than Nadir. I need him to manage palace affairs. The kingdom I can rule. Copa I can deal with. Galactic politics I can navigate. But the nobles and our children? Zigqat.”
“Then maybe you should not have arrested him,” I said.
Upon landing in Araset, Nadir had been taken into custody for breaking his vows.
“It’s not like I locked him in the dungeon.” Saar scowled. “He is merely confined to quarters.”
“You barred him from seeing his bond-mate.”
“What bond-mate? There was no official ceremony sealing such a union,” he said, avoiding my gaze.
“How could there be when you confined him to quarters and refused him visitors? He needs your blessing to move forward with the ceremony.”
“The royal advisor must remain celibate to enable him to focus his attention on serving the monarchy.”
“That is an old, outdated custom, which, quite frankly, was always ridiculous—and detrimental to the goal.”
“Regardless, the vow of celibacy is our tradition and the law.”
“Perhaps you would care to give celibacy a try,” I suggested. Saar was a lusty male. It was how we ended up with five children. He wouldn’t last three nights. Probably not even two.
He narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t.”
No, I wouldn’t cut him off. I’d have a hard time going without, too. But I held my silence. Let him worry a little. “What do you intend to do about Nadir?”
He didn’t answer right away. “I don’t know.” He sighed. “What do you recommend?”
“Release him. Allow him to bond-mate with the human. Eliminate the celibacy requirement and then beg him to take his old job back.”
“Beg? I am the king. I do not beg.”
“Ask him if he will accept the position.”
He huffed. “All right.”
“And then—”
“What else? Isn’t that enough?”
“Restore Aeon’s title and allow him to inherit the throne. You wish to avoid change? Don’t change the line of succession. Aeon has been groomed to rule. He knows what to expect. He is a very capable, wise, kindhearted young man.”
“You are right. As usual. I will reinstate Aeon,” he said.
Thank the stars. It had been getting to the point where I feared I might have to force the issue. Uncertainty and chaos didn’t foster confidence among the populace nor in the galaxy. People desired the security of knowing we had a stable government—and would have a stable government no matter what crises might be swirling around us. With Aeon and Lomax unable to inherit, and the other children still too young and callow, the future of the kingdom had become uncertain.
Saar gave me the side-eye. “Any suggestions on what to do with Lomax?”
“I do, if you’re open to hearing them.”
“I am always open to your suggestions, my sweet.”
“Well, I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of calling an LOP minister I know. After a long discussion, she agreed to arrange for Lomax to be sent home. While the investigation is ongoing, he must remain under palace arrest and must report in to an LOP rep who will be assigned to him. But he can begin deprogramming.”
“That’s a good first step.”
“And, since you asked for my input, I recommend Lomax be allowed to visit with Kat Whalen.” I’d been informed my son had significant affection for the human, and I had a hunch she could be instrumental in his recovery.
“Who?”
“She is one of the humans. She and Lomax have a friendship—”
“No-no. Enough humans already. I’m not without sympathy for their situation. I know they were abducted from their planet and all, but no. Just no. Aren’t two living in the palace enough?”
Two in the palace. Holly Winter and Millie Rogers. I hid a smile. He’d just revealed he’d accepted Millie Rogers as Nadir’s bond-mate. He’d come around on this, too. He needed a little time. Lomax wasn’t even here yet.
“As you wish, Saar.” I patted his knee and rose to my feet. “See you at dinner?”
“Of course.”
I started to leave.
“Citrine?”
“Yes?” I peered back at my beloved.
“Sometimes I wonder who’s ruling this kingdom, you or me.”
“There’s no question, Saar. You are,” I replied and went to deliver the good news to Nadir and Millie.
* * * * *
Thank you for reading Alien Undone (Forbidden Bond 3).What the will happen to Prince Lomax? Can he be deprogrammed? Is a bond-mating between the prince and Kat Whalen possible? Find out with me in Forbidden Bonds 4 to be published early in 2024. Also, Jessie Sayles will get a book of her own. To get notified of future Forbidden Bonds releases, subscribe to my newsletter: https://carabristol.com/newsletter/. You’ll get a free sci-fi romance to read while you wait for the next Forbidden Bonds book.
Get your free book here: https://carabristol.com/newsletter/.
