Ascension Saga (Interstellar Brides): Book 5

Faith set Mother’s hand down, laid it gently on her unmoving chest.

I looked to my father. Dead. The pain was great, but I was too numb. Too overwhelmed. Mother was part of a master plot to overthrow the crown.

And I was mated to that crown. To Faith.

The Jax name was destroyed. I glanced at Faith. My mate.

I was like the plague for her. If she touched me, if she claimed me as her own, she’d be ruined. The planet would hate my family, what my mother had done.

If she stayed with me, she would be judged harshly. We would not be left in peace. Not ever.

No. I couldn’t let that happen. I would protect her with my life, and that meant cutting her from it.

I stood, albeit shakily.

“Call your sister. Leave.”

She looked up at me. Frowned. “What?”

I put my hands on my hips, my heart aching, tearing in two. “I am not worthy to be your mate. Look at this!” I said spreading my hands out. “My parents are dead. Poisoned. My mother is a traitor to the throne. To you. You can not align yourself with me, or my family. You must go and tell no one of our mating.”

Faith hopped up quickly, came over to me, but I held my hand out, keeping her at a distance. I couldn’t let her near me. Never again. I would destroy her.

“What are you talking about? You’re my mate!” she looked frantic now, unshed tears making her eyes glassy.

I pointed at the table. “You almost died! Goddess, if you’d taken a bite of that meat, you’d be dead. Do you know how close you came? I can’t let that happen to you.”

“You didn’t do it, your mother did,” she replied.

The knife dug deeper. “Exactly. My mother.”

“And… and I’m sorry, but she’s gone. Thor, I love you. We’ll get through this together.”

I shook my head. “No, we won’t. We won’t be able to say Lord Wyse was involved. You, the lowly maid. Me, the head of the ruined house of Jax. It will only make me and my family name look worse, trying to pass the blame on someone like the Inspector Optimi. My family land, the title, the money will all be stripped away. I won’t even have the honor of my name left. You shouldn’t be tainted by that.”

There was no honor left in the Jax household. But I would give what was left of mine to Faith. I went over to the wall comms unit. Called Nix.

“What are you doing?” she cried, coming to me, grabbing my hand. Squeezing. Her eyes were pleading, tears streamed down her face.

“What’s happened, Thordis?” Nix’s voice came through the unit clearly. I would only contact him if something bad happened. He knew it. I knew it.

“Come to the Jax household at once,” I replied. “Protect Princess Faith.”

At that, I ended the call, cupped Faith’s jaw with my hand. Felt her heat one last time. My thumb swiped away a tear, then I couldn’t help myself. I stole one last kiss, one last touch of her lips against mine, one last teasing breath of her flower scent.

And then I strode through the door and out of the mansion. Out of Faith’s life, for I would destroy her. Perhaps I already had.