”Welcome, my king,” he says, dipping into a deep bow. He eyes Opal slumbering against my chest. “Sir, I do believe the queen is drooling. May I assist you?”
He removes the white square of fabric from his jacket pocket. I chuckle, but raise a hand to dismiss his offer. I scoop up my slumbering wife and make our way into the ancient castle.
?OPAL
I’m roused from sleep as my body slides into the warm and bubbling waters. My head jerks up and my eyes whip open to see Ke’ain’s gray face smiling down at me.
“Shhh…I told you I’d help you sleep,” he whispers as he cradles me in his arms.
“Ke’ain, I told you before I can’t sleep in the water…” I say as he floats his big body behind mine, as if he’s some kind of living pool raft. The water is the same as from our wedding—blue, glowing, and warm.
I think my alien husband can control the buoyancy of his body. I feel him adjust and Ke’ain drops his torso slightly down so that I’m enveloped in the heated liquid. My head rests in the hollow spot between his pectorals as he holds me.
I want to tell him I love him. That I treasure him so much.
Instead, I just let the gentle motion of the water rock me back into sleep.
Home.
CHAPTER12
?PERSONAL SPACE IN OUTER SPACE?
?OPAL
I seemto drift in and out of sleep. One second I’m in the warm waters of the alien hot tub and the next thing I know, I’m being cradled by my big alien husband.
“Ke’ain—” I whisper as I peek from beneath my eyelids.
“Shhh, Opal, get some more sleep. You’re exhausted,” he says as he kisses my forehead.
“Are we going home?” I ask, still thick with the confusion of sleep.
“We’re still in the old palace, but I had Al’frind bring a feather bed here for you.” He pushes through a doorway into a massive, darkly lit chamber. This entire building is made of the same ebony rock I’ve seen in smaller applications at the new palace.
The room is foreboding, all sharp edges and angles. For a second I’m worried, but that’s only until Ke’ain lays my head onto what might be the softest thing I’ve ever set these old bones down on.
“Jesus fuck, is there some kind of alien angel you skinned to get something this soft?” I coo.
Ke’ain cocks his head. “We don’t have angels here, although the wings must be quite impressive to behold.”
I roll my eyes when I realize his translator chip must have shown him a painting of the archangel Michael and that aliens probably don’t subscribe to Christianity.
“But these are feathers from the ckra’rot, and they are quite difficult to get.” He pulls a soft blanket up to my chin.
“Aren’t you gonna join me for some married snuggles?” I frown, realizing he’s already dressed in his formal green suit.
“I will meet with the war committee to discuss our first move against the Deenz and how best to acclimate our human refugees.”
I bolt upright. “Without me?” I ask, a little hurt.
“You’re joining me tomorrow morning. The sun is almost setting now—you’ve slept through most of the day, Opal. We can start anew in the morning if you give me some peace of mind and just a few more hours of sleep. You need some recovery time. The rituals pushed you too far yesterday.”
He presses my shoulders back into the deliciously soft bed.
“I want you to know, this is your one freebie on telling me what to do—and you're lucky this bed is so damn nice….” My eyelids drift closed against my better judgment.
“Noted,” Ke’ain says as he makes his way toward the chamber doors. “I have some tailors coming in a bit for your new wardrobe as well. I’ve instructed Al’frind to allow them up once you’re ready.”
