"Is that even possible?”
“Mathematically, anything is possible.”
“I see," Rath says gravely. “Then we must quarantine the Margaret, and all humans she has come into contact with, including my own.”
“Truly, humans are a disgusting, degenerate kind of creature, so inherently vile that merely being around one another is enough to make them sick. They make me absolutely ill.” Tusk enters into a tirade about the general grossness of humanity which seems to provide him a much needed outlet. Rath and I exchange looks. Our bait has been taken most enthusiastically.
“I could wash myself a thousand times and not rid myself of the stench and disease of humanity!” Tusk storms from the chambers in a high fury. It would seem that the mission has been accomplished.
Rath does not seem pleased. He looks more concerned than ever before. The court is cleared, and the doctor takes his leave. We are alone before I ask the question which is now concerning me most deeply.
“Why don't you look happy?”
“He likes Margaret.”
“He was just shouting about how disgusting humans are. Our plan worked.”
"I don't think it did," Rath says grimly. “I think he is going to kill her.”
“Excuse me?”
“Tusk cannot handle the notion of needing a human. He dyed himself for her. Now he claims to be disgusted by her, but I think something worse has happened. I think he has bonded with her.”
"That bond, if it exists at all, should keep her safe.”
“No. The bond is the most dangerous aspect. Tusk will not tolerate her existence once he realizes that he has bonded with her. Tusk is dangerous, Tyvian. More than any of us can imagine. We need to move Margaret outside the palace. Ideally, out of Megaris. Some of the others are still in the forests. I suggest we send her there."
“We will have to make arrangements. It will take a couple of days.”
“Make them as quickly as possible, Tyvian. Her life may depend on it.”
“Without Jax in play, and with you and Lyric inside the city walls, we have lost strategic communications. It’s not going to be easy. I think I can keep her safe inside the dungeon.”
“You can’t,” Rath assures me, his augmented gaze serious. “If Tusk knows where she is, you can be certain he will take her.”
"Are you two done plotting yet?”
It is Lyric, Rath’s partner, and a graduate of my human dungeon. She is a pretty, dark-haired, dark-eyed young woman with a criminal history any korabi soldier would be proud to own. She is also an exceptionally charismatic leader of humans. I think she would be a good influence on Margaret once the woman has settled in a little.
“We are not plotting. We are ruling. Or at least, attempting to survive.”
“Hey, you've got the throne, may as well take advantage of it.”
Rath scoops her up around the rear with his massive, clawed palm and pulls her up to perch on his thigh. “And in what way would you like to take advantage of it?”
“Not of it. Of you.”
Rath lets out an excited growl.
“Rath,” Lyric says. “I want a baby.”
“I think a whole baby is a little much for lunch,” Rath muses.
“No,” Lyric scowls. “You insensitive… I want to have a baby. As Jax is having Krush’s baby. I want to make a family with you.”
Lyric does not care that I am here. It is as though I am part of the wall, or something like family, perhaps. The young lady does not have much in the way of shame, that much is certain. Any remnants of that were stripped from her during the course of her incarceration.
“Lyric, a korabi-human baby is so rare it has never happened before as far as we know. It’s far more likely that Jax slept with a human male at some point than Krush impregnated her.”
“He never stops crowing about it in those broadcasts he makes. He believes the baby is his.”
“He can believe what he likes. When the baby is born it will most likely be human.”
“But what if it isn’t. What if our species are capable of… what if we can…”
Rath draws her close and nuzzles her neck. “We can try, Lyric. We can try as much and as often as you like.”
She makes a soft mewling sound of desire. Pheromones begin to lace the little currents of air produced by her every breath. I need to go.
I feel a certain pang as I retreat, having become an unnecessary third in a conversation I have no part in. The bond between Lyric and Rath is incredible to behold. They have every reason to hate one another, and yet their love bond has overcome those violent and miserable obstacles.
I want what Rath and Krush have managed to obtain. The love of a human is passionate and constant, even and perhaps especially in a state of captivity. There is a human in my dungeon this very moment, a soft and gentle human woman with a natural elegance and a tragic story. I could take her for my own. I could make her my little captive bird, my lover, my…