I rush into the packed council room in the palace. Zander sits at the head of the long oval table. A giant Zandian crystal adorns the center of the table, casting rainbows around the room. The group of advisors and top warriors are already in their seats. There is such a hum of energy in the room that it feels as if lightning crackles along my spine.
Taisha stands against the wall of windows, Mirelle at her side. I want to run to her, drop to my knees and remedy this horrible gulf between us. But now is not the time. None of that matters if she’s sent back to her slave owner.
“We have an urgent situation.” King Zander’s voice rings out across the chamber. “The Ocretions demand the return of their former slave, Taisha, along with a bounty of crystals and stein. They discovered that she escaped when holo of her surfaced from the mission on Fonquin. If we do not comply within two planet rotations, they will take next steps.”
“What steps?” Dr. Daneth asks. His mate sits beside him, pale.
“They have not made it clear. They are playing coy. But they indicated that it will involve both military and diplomatic maneuvers. Possibly everything short of a planetary attack,” Master Seke responds.
“Should we give her back?” A younger, unmated warrior speaks up from where he stands in the corner. “Appease them. Then they will leave us alone, yes?”
Zander frowns at him. “You speak out of turn. Remove yourself from this council room.”
He’s lucky Zander threw him out, because I was about to tear his tongue out with my bare hands.
“Forgive me, my lord.” I cannot stop myself from speaking out of turn as well. I don’t care what ramifications it has on my career. Still, I try to sound as level-headed and unemotional as I can. “It seems to me any concessions will be seen as a sign of utter weakness and forced capitulation.” I flick a glance around the table.
It’s Zander’s top advisors who matter most. Erick, his ambassador and political advisor, Dr. Daneth, Master Seke, Lium his engineer. The older males who counseled his father. The ones who raised him to be king after Zandia was invaded. The ones who led him to take back our planet.
“Giving her back may mollify them short term,” Master Erick speaks.
I want to smash his face in, even though I know he’s reasoning through the situation.
“But if we continue bringing humans onto our planet, this will happen again and again.”
I clench my fists at my side, forcing myself to draw in a slow breath. “If we comply with their demands, they will look to Zandia for every missing human in the galaxy. They may demand the barcodes on every human here. We have over one hundred beings who were meant to be exterminated on one of their death ships. If they find out we freed them, it could begin a war,” I say, referring to the rescue of Lamira’s sister, Lily, which resulted in the human army that fought by our side for Zandia.
“Your advice is hardly unbiased in this situation, Captain Drayk,” Lium says drily.
I force my fists to unclench. “I do not deny that I wish to claim Taisha as my mate.”
For the first time since I came in, she meets my eyes. Her gaze is wary. Wounded.
It guts me.
I hold her gaze as I continue to speak. “I made a terrible mistake in not petitioning for her immediately. A mistake I hope to rectify.” I swallow against the tight band in my throat. “So I don’t know if she’ll even have me. But this isn’t about protecting the human I hope to make my mate.” I look around at the council members who have taken human mates—King Zander, Master Seke, Doctor Daneth, Captain Rok. “It’s not about protecting one human on Zandia. It’s about protecting all of our mates. All humans we harbor here. Humans who have contributed greatly to our planet.”
“It’s also possible our refusal to send her sets off a conflict that endangers all humans on our planet.”
“No.” Taisha steps forward, chin held high. “I will not endanger the other humans on this planet. I will turn myself in and tell them I was working alone, without aid from Zandia.” She bows her head. “You do not need to force me or convince me. I will go willingly.”
“No. I won’t allow it.” The words are out before the king, or anyone else can speak. My voice catches. “You have already sacrificed enough for Zandia.”
I stride across the room and take her hand into mine. Stars, it’s so cold.
To my great relief, she doesn’t pull away.
I turn to King Zander. “My lord, please. We must not send her back. I say this as a judicial expert, a warrior with experience in the field, and with my… my gut.” I shake my head. “I know it with my head and my heart, my lord. If we give her back”— I clench a fist—“and I’m not saying this purely out of selfish emotion, but if we give her back, it will only open the floodgates to our demise. They will see us as weak and malleable. Ones who may be governed by fear and led by their whims.”
I believe what I’m saying. But it wouldn’t matter, because there is no way I will let them give Taisha back. I would sacrifice myself instead to save her. I would steal a ship and leave with her first. Go into hiding somewhere in the galaxy.
I break off, checking our king’s face. He knows what I feel for Taisha. Does he still trust me as an advisor?
I believe my advice now is stronger than ever. The fact that I’m more emotional doesn’t hold me back. I’m positive it only makes me a stronger advocate for Zandia, because I have a fervency to my devotion that I previously lacked. And it’s Taisha who brought that out in me.
I hold my breath.
To my surprise, he meets my eyes. Like he is staring into my soul, and approves of what lies inside. He nods. “Continue, Captain.”