"Holy shit," Maddie breathed, her face going pale.
I knew about the Garoot Healer. The little machine that could cure any illness, restore youth, and extend lifespans. Since Kaelaks lived to be around 250 to 300 years old, I'd decided to take a spin in one myself to give Xabat and me more time together. But this—this was something else entirely.
"Are you saying that Nigel Hewes has been using the Garoot Healer to keep himself young and pretending to be his own son and grandson?" My voice came out strangled, disbelief warring with the horrible, twisted logic of it all.
Nobody answered. Nobody had to. The silence was confirmation enough, and it made my skin crawl worse than watching that video.
"As long as he remains on Earth, he will remain a danger," Cristox said, his claws tapping an agitated rhythm against the table's surface. "In Alliance hands, he can be sequestered on a prison planet without the means to cause trouble."
"I agree," Lady Prime nodded, her braided crown shifting with the movement. "But this will require some thought." Her gaze flickered to Duke Ako, receiving a nod before turning her attention to Adtovar. "Captain, theHistoriawill remain in Earth's vicinity monitoring for Nigel Hewes's possible escape attempts. I will convene with the Council on our next course of action."
"Of course, my Lady," Adtovar responded curtly. Cristox and Rickon exchanged a glance, but neither seemed surprised by her directive.
Beside me, Xabat shifted forward, his deep voice cutting through the atmosphere like velvet over steel. "Lady Prime, if I may." His hand found mine under the table, those callousedfingers wrapping around my own with a gentleness that made my heart squeeze. His thumb traced slow, deliberate circles against my skin—a gesture I'd come to recognize as his way of grounding himself. "Is there news of my brother?"
The transformation in the Prime's expression was immediate. Those sharp, regal features softened, the hard lines around her golden eyes easing into something almost maternal. "No news yet I am afraid." Her gaze shifted to me, and I felt the weight of her assessment, that curious intelligence taking my measure. "Do you worry about his reaction to your mating?"
Heat crept up my neck. It wasn't exactly a secret that half the ship believed I'd been claimed by Xabat's brother first. The shocked stares I'd endured over the past week were proof enough.
My fingers tightened around Xabat's, interlacing with his as a fierce surge of protectiveness flooded through me. Those stares weren't just surprise—some carried judgment, whispered accusations of impropriety, as if Xabat had somehow betrayed his own blood by loving me. But he'd done nothing except treat me with affection, kindness, and respect from the moment we'd met—which was why I’d fallen in love with him. I wouldn't let anyone make him feel ashamed of that.
"Xabat did nothing wrong," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady even as emotion threatened to crack it. "Xytol and I were never anything more than friends."
"Of course." The Prime's smile held understanding, but also something else—a knowing that made me wonder what lay in her own past. "Xytol's mating claim would not legally stand without him having met you in person, but that does not prohibit him from being hurt and angered by your actions."
Xabat's jaw set with that stubborn determination I'd come to love. "Then I will beg my brother for forgiveness."Under the table, he squeezed my hand so tightly it almost hurt. "But I will not give up my mate."
"Of course not," the Prime assured him, and I could have sworn I saw approval—maybe even admiration—flickering across her face.
The call ended with the usual pleasantries, the holographic images fragmenting and dissolving like mist in morning sunlight. I felt a bit creeped out about the revelation of Nigel Hewes. Thinking that Declan was obsessed with me was bad enough. To realize he was a 120-year-old geezer using alien technology to keep himself young and handsome increased the creepiness times a thousand.
Xabat didn't say a word as he led me through the corridors back to his quarters. His hand remained wrapped around mine, his grip firm but gentle, like he was afraid I might disappear if he let go. The silence between us felt heavy, laden with everything revealed in the meeting.
The door to his room slid shut behind us with a soft hiss, sealing us in together. Only then did he release my hand, turning away from me to stare out the viewport at the stars beyond.
"Xabat—"
"I have shamed myself," he said quietly, his shoulders rigid with tension. The pale green of his cheeks grew a darker sage. "I claimed you even knowing what my brother might feel for you. I let my desire override honor, override duty to family."
I moved closer, placing my hand on his back. His muscles were coiled tight beneath my palm. "You didn't claim me. I chose you."
"Harper." He turned to face me, and the anguish in his purple eyes made my chest ache. "Xytol has been missing for years, but he is still my brother. What if he believed you were his to love?"
"I was never his," I said firmly, stepping closer until there was barely any space between us. "Xabat, listen to me. Xytol and I..., we talked about books and Earth culture and how both of us were touched by grief. We might have even spoken about meeting once or twice. But that's all it was—talking. I never felt this...." I pressed my hand over his heart, feeling the rapid beat beneath my palm. "I never felt my heart race simply from hearing his name. I never dreamed about what it would be like to touch him, to be held by him to have a future with him—not like I do with you."
His hand came up to cover mine, holding it against his chest. "You do not understand what this means. The dishonor—"
"Then we'll face it together," I interrupted. "You said you'd beg your brother for forgiveness. Fine. I'll be right there with you. But I'm not giving you up, Xabat. I won't, no matter how Xytol feels."
Something shifted in his expression, the anguish giving way to something fiercer, more possessive. "You are certain? Even knowing the complications it might cause?"
"I've never been more certain of anything in my life."
The words had barely left my mouth before he was kissing me, his hands cupping my face with a tenderness that contrasted with the desperate hunger in his lips. I melted into him, my arms wrapping around his neck as I kissed him back with equal fervor.
"I will do anything," he murmured against my mouth between kisses. "Anything to keep you. To stay with you. You are my mate, Harper. I knew it the moment I saw you, and I know it now with every fiber of my being."
"Then keep me," I whispered, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "I'm yours, Xabat. Only yours."
