“Alert the others. If he attempts to enter the facility, have him detained and notify me. I would very much like to speak to him.”
“Understood, General.”
“Fetch my car, Faolan, and wait for us. I trust no one else.”
“Yes, General.” Faolan bowed to Paige. “Blessings, Princess. I mean, Queen. Welcome home.”
Were those tears in Paige’s eyes? Why would such a simple statement drive her to tears? Unable to resist the urge to comfort her, I released her hand and placed my palm on the small of her back. “Come, Princess.” I paused, added. “You are the rightful queen, however I shall in the interim until we reestablish you on the throne, call you princess, if that is acceptable.”
She blinked, then nodded. “I’m Paige.”
“Yes, to me you are, but you are now more. I will take you to meet my mother. You will be safe in her home.”
“Isn’t it your home, too?” Paige leaned into my touch as Faolan left the transport room. Damn my stupidity. I should not have ordered him to leave me alone with her. My control was in tatters. She leaned to one side and peeked around me, making sure we were by ourselves before speaking. “What am I going to do, Addan? I’m not a queen! I’m a maid. I work three cleaningjobs. Need a toilet to sparkle, I’m your girl. A queen? I can’t balance my checkbook, let alone rule a planet. I can’t.”
She turned and pressed her forehead to my chest, leaning on my strength. If she were mine, I would be beside her every moment, guiding and protecting her. Now that duty would fall to her betrothed. I would be nothing but a soldier. I could do nothing but serve her in that way. “I will keep you safe, Princess.”
“Paige,” she corrected.
“Paige,” I agreed. “You have my word.”
I wrapped my arms around her even as my conscience screamed at me that she belonged to another. I was not her Resonant. She had not claimed me. Would not. And in a matter of days, on her birthing day, she would take Prince Martainn Ailbeart Seppani, the pompous ass, as her mate.
If I didn’t kill him for touching her. Fuck. I couldn’t control the violence of my thoughts. How would I react when he touched her in front of me? Kissed her?
“This is all a huge mistake.” She pressed her curves against me, her warm arms wrapping around my waist as if in my arms was exactly where she belonged. “I just want to go home.”
Her words were like ice in my veins. She did not want me, did not want to stay and claim her throne. Unfortunately, I had no choice but to let her be mated to the Prince, just as she had no choice but to remain on Insuri and rule. “You are home, Princess.”
I stepped back and cursed myself for wanting to pull her into my arms once more as she wiped a tear from her cheek. “Paige,” she whispered.
“Come. We need to leave before the security system resets.” I led the way out of the transport room, stopping just long enough to grab one of my dress coats from its hook. I wrapped the heavy garment around her, pleased that it fell past her knees—and hidher very alien attire. Now that I knew who she was, I needed to be more careful about safeguarding her. The fewer people who saw her, the better.
She snuggled her nose into the neck of my coat and breathed in my scent, making my cock instantly hard. She looked perfect wearing my coat, wrapped in my scent, my protection. Ignoring my body’s reaction, I led her down the long corridor toward the vehicle I knew would be waiting for us with Faolan at the controls. The Coalition had complete dominion over transport technology throughout the galaxy. If Commander Zeus would not allow her to transport, she was going nowhere unless I took a spacecraft and flew her myself. I had no idea how far Earth was from Insuri, but even with a long-range spaceship, the journey would potentially take years. Decades. Fuck, centuries, depending on the distance.
I chose a path that would take us through the grand entrance, past the portrait of her mother, Queen Madallaine Edelene Peigi. When we stood directly in front of the archway over which her mother’s portrait hung, I stopped and pointed so she would look up.
“You look exactly like your mother. I cannot believe I didn’t see the resemblance. I should have known. My apologies, Princess. I have already failed you.” I never should have touched her. Never fucked her. Never tasted the addictive flavor of her wet pussy.
Paige lifted her gaze and gasped. “Oh my god.” She swayed on her feet, her cheeks deathly pale. “That’s my mother?”
“Yes.” When her knees collapsed, I lifted her in my arms and resumed walking. “Do you not see the resemblance?”
She shifted in my hold, craned her neck so she could look back over my shoulder at the portrait of the female whose blood ran in her veins. “Yes. I can’t believe it. We could be sisters.” Herwords slipped away like sand sifted through open fingers. “I—I’ve never looked like anyone before. I was adopted.”
“There will be no doubt, Princess. Your mother’s allies will rally to your side. You will not be alone.”
What I could not promise was that I would be at her side, protecting her, pleasuring her, holding her in the dark when her duties became too much.
I turned a corner, the room with the portrait no longer visible. Paige shifted in my arms, her delicate face lifting, her vulnerable green gaze focused on my face. “You can put me down. I can walk now. I’m sorry. It was just a shock.”
“We are nearly there. I will carry you.” This might be the last time I would ever hold her in my arms. I was in no hurry to let her go.
If an attack came from Queen Alienor trying to keep her seat on the throne, my family estate was the only stronghold with enough soldiers and weapons to keep Paige safe from a direct military assault. As word of Paige’s existence spread, more allies and friends would rally to her side. I hoped a civil war would not be necessary. I hoped Queen Alienor was innocent of any wrongdoing in Queen Madallaine’s death.
If Queen Alienor stepped aside peacefully, surrendered the throne, there would be no need for violence. Until I was sure, I would protect Paige with my life. “You are Princess Edelene, you are now the rightful queen. You must be protected. Your mother, Queen Madallaine, had friends and loyal allies on Insuri. Even after all this time, they have not forgotten her. They will protect you and help you claim your throne.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to claim the throne. And I am not marrying some guy I’ve never met in less than a week. That is not what I want to do on my birthday. No way.”
