I hear what he is not saying, and his concern is the same as my own.Maneshha.
“I closed it with my signature, my lord. It can only be opened by me.”
Our eyes meet. We are having similar thoughts.
“Do you suspect that your bride had anything to do with this creature’s arrival?”
My jilted warrior bride Maneshha was on the rampage before our impending union, and I am sure she will be much worse now. For many lifetimes, Talarions have been raiders, invading other planets to acquire their wealth and resources. But in recent cycles, our people had become tired of that way of life. We are a wealthy people, and Tala Furi offers fertile ground for crops. Our wealth allows us goods to use for trade. Collectively, the tribe decided to cease raiding and live a more peaceful life as farmers and traders.
Maneshha had other ideas. She broke free with and army of like-minded dissenters who clung to the old way. Portal travel was impossible without my help, of course, so they were not able to resume raiding. When it became apparent that my abilities to open portals had waned, my King decided it was the right time to propose a treaty which would effectively put an end to all portal manipulation and travel. We would never raid again. Maneshha’s people would rejoin our tribe so we could become whole again.
Our union was to solidify the peace between our tribes and our collective agreement to end all raiding forever.
Maneshha agreed with a smile, while making plans to overtake the kingdom. She thinks we are not aware of her developing plot. Nor did she know that my agreement to wed her was so that I could stop her. Permanently. I would not be surprised if she’d sent an assassin to try and kill me, but this creature was going somewhere else.
“Considering the portal was going elsewhere, I do not think so, my lord.”
Horaxx rises from his throne and descends the steps. Standing before me with his legs spread wide, he crosses his arms and looks down at me.
“You swear on your life that you did not break the treaty and deny an order of this court by opening that portal?”
“I swear. And I swear that I will continue the mission I started to remove all threats from this court.”
Maneshha must be brought down before her thirst for blood and her greed implodes and causes irreparable chaos.
“Good.”
The female swivels on her knees to look at me.
“Are you saying that you did or did not cause the portal to open from my phone?”
“What is a phone?”
Her eyes become angry. “Never mind that. Did you bring me here?”
“Yes, but the portal was already opened. I did not create it.”
My King’s voice booms through the vast room as he turns to the female. “Where was your intended destination?”
Her soft facial skin flushes pink. It fascinates me how the pale hue of her flesh colors prettily in the blink of an eye. It’s not cosmic energy making her change color the way it does to me. What is inside her that gives her a chameleon effect?
There is much to learn about this small, alluring and enticing female. Her scent has plagued me since she dropped at my feet during my mating ceremony.
The female stares with interest at my King, her wide, gray eyes locked on his impressive form. There is no fear on her features, just measured interest. Her small shoulders make an up-and-down motion.
“I don’t know. Arial and I hadn’t decided where to go next.”
The voice is small and thick as if the water might fall from her eyes once again.
“There is another assassin?”
Soft, shiny hair sways she shakes her head. “No. She wasn’t in the portal with me. She’s still in Minnesota… I think. Oh God, I’ll never see her again, will I?”
“I witnessed your fighting skills and your suit of arms. Someone trained you. Where did you come from?”
“So you can go there and do hell knows what? No way.” She turns to look at me once again. “You just said that this guy can open portals, so how do I know you won’t—” her voice trails away, her expression softening. “Can you send me home?”
The hopeful words fill me with a strange emotion, but I do not answer.
