I looked at him with a squinty eye. “I think I need some to take home.”
He bounced his fist on the tabletop in appreciation. “I’ll tell you what’s good,” he said. “Half tik of this sellah, and some really filthy human breeding recs on the holo-core.”
“Aren’t you too young for that?” He wasn’t, but I had to get my jabs in where I could.
“Nah, but you might be too old,” he said, stroking his hairless chin. “Better do a heart scan first. The sellah’s good medicine, but I wouldn’t kick back for the porn unless you’ve got at least a fifty percent rating on the crusty old rock in your chest.”
“Worry about your own health,” I groused, taking another hit of sellah. It was good shit, I had to give it to him.
“Oh, good,” Zacal said, striding back into the room. “My son and my lieutenant, getting high after an important meeting. Just what I hoped for.”
“You want me high for this,” I said, pointing an accusing finger at him. “You’re about to piss me off.”
“So what if I am?” He glared down at me, grasping the back of his chair. “Pisssed off, I can deal with, as long as you do as you’re told.”
I breathed the sweet sellah deep into my chest like sacred incense, praying for patience with my uncle.
“I won’t mate with that murdering ga’ad.”
“We need this alliance,” Zacal said, baring his teeth. “You’re my second in command, and unmated. I can’t pass her off to anyone else. Bruukto won’t allow it.”
“He said it has to be me?”
He slashed a hand through the air. “He didn’t have to. You know how this works. It would be an insult to you if I gave her to another, and an insult to her if I didn’t promote them to your position. It must be my most senior, unmated soldier.”
“Oh yeah,” Evik chuckled, sucking on his own cartridge of sellah. “You’re definitely most senior, Yiri.”
“Let Evik deal with her,” I said. “It will be good for him. He’ll have to stay sober enough to avoid the knives she’ll try to put in his back.”
Zacal sighed. “Evik isn’t ready for a mate.”
“What?” the kid sat upright, hands braced on the table. “I’m ready. I’d be a damned good mate. I’ve had lots of practice.”
“Holo-core projections are a far cry from the real thing,” Zacal said. Asshole beat me to it.
“I’ve had more than my fair share of females,” Evik insisted.
“A kiss on the cheek from Della doesn’t count,” I teased him. Zacal cracked a smile at his son’s expense.
“Give me a mate. I’ll satisfy her and fill the roster with soldiers!” My young cousin was incensed, and I couldn’t blame him. At his age, I was just as eager. But that was before I met D'vinda Shek, the honorless female who lied and cheatedher way into my brother’s heart, and then left him dead in a Cendaquan gutter.
“Give the kid a chance,” I said, not all that hopeful Zacal would heed my advice. “If he survives her, he can be your heir.”
My uncle rolled his eyes. “He’ll beyourheir. But fine.”
“Fine?” I blinked.
Evik bolted to his feet. “Fine?”
Zacal pointed at me. “Find a mate. Immediately. Make Evik next in line, and I can offer him for D'vinda.”
“Aw, fuck.” Evik slumped back into his seat. “I have feelings, Dad. Why do you get my hopes up like that?”
“I mean it,” Zacal said. “Move quickly. Find a mate.”
“This guy?” Evik complained. “He thinks we hatch from eggs on the beach.”
“Your word,” I asked, “If I find a mate?”
