“I have heard that there is unrest in some of the outposts,” Bruxilia said, almost nonchalantly, like she was talking about the weather or the food that was on its way.
Kate’s body jolted and then froze.“Unrest?” she asked carefully.“How so?”
“Vaxa’an has not mentioned it to you?” she asked, prying for answers like the gossip she was.The older woman was one of the few Luxirians she’d met that used her mate’s actual name and not the proper, respectful greeting for the Prime Leader.Bruxilia had told her it was because she’d known Vaxa’an since he was a child and had been close friends with his mother.
Kate looked down at her lap only to find that her hands had unconsciously come up to cradle her already-growing belly.Bruxilia’s gaze caught on her hands and her shrewd eyes narrowed, but she said nothing.
Kate swallowed and said quietly, “I know that something has been bothering him.But he told me not to worry.”
Bruxilia blew out a sharp breath, followed by a chirring noise that Kate had often heard her make.“You should be worried,” the older woman said.
Kate sucked in a breath.“Why?Is it very bad?”
“Not yet, but that is mostly because Rixavox and Cruxan have handled the uprisings well on their outposts.”
Kate had met Rixavox, but not Cruxan.She knew that both had gone through military training with Vaxa and that they were both her mate’s appointed ambassadors, watching over a Luxirian outpost each.
Dread pooled in her stomach.So this was what Vaxa had been so worried about lately…
“Why?” Kate forced herself to ask even though she feared she already knew the answer.“Why are they uprising?”
“You know why,” Bruxilia replied, gazing around the empty hall of the archives.No one was in there that early in the morning, but some would trickle in after the first meal ended at the meal hall.“It is true that Luxirians have mated with other species before, but most live off the planet.Some do not agree with the Prime Leader’s decision to take a human mate.They think that it pollutes our bloodline and threatens the Luxirian race.”
Kate bit the inside of her cheek.“No offense,” she started softly, “but I don’t think Luxirians have a choice.The airborne virus your enemies unleashed on you…it killed most of your women.The ones that survived areinfertile.I see people in this city, couples, warriors, merchants…but what I don’t see are any children younger than ten.”
“Some believe that our females will heal with time,” Bruxilia said, as if Kate hadn’t spoken.
“And do you believe that?Truly?”
Bruxilia made that chirring sound.“Nix.They are fools,” she said, waving a hand dismissively.“Vaxa’an knew a long time ago what his duty was to his people.Now that you are bonded…it makes it real.Real enough to make some uncomfortable.That is why they are uprising.”
“I—I don’t understand why Vaxa couldn’t just tell me this himself,” she said softly, her eyebrows furrowing.“I mean,youknew about.If it’s being talked about, then of course, I would’ve found out eventually.”
Bruxilia placed a soft, cool hand on her shoulder.“He did not want you to worry for him.That is most likely why.”
“I wouldn’t have worried that much,” Kate murmured.“I believe him when he says he has everything under control.”
Bruxilia studied her, looking like she was on the verge of saying something.But then a loudbingsound filled the archives and the older woman popped up off her cushion before Kate could move.The food had arrived.The archives was one of the few buildings that had a meal delivery tube, much like what Kate had experienced on Vaxa’s spaceship when he’d first taken her from the Pit.Bruxilia slid open the tube door and returned with two heaping plates of food.It never failed to amaze her how much Luxirians ate.Even though she was a curvy girl herself wholovedher food…she could only ever eat a quarter of the portions, much to Vaxa’s dismay.He always worried she wasn’t eating enough, despite her plump size.
“Eat,” Bruxilia ordered, thrusting the warmed plate in her hand.On it wastrixava, a tender meat, andpillirax, a root-like vegetable that tasted surprisingly sweet, and a purple fruit with bright blue seeds and a savory stringy pulp that Kate couldn’t pronounce.
Even though it looked delicious, Kate suddenly found that she had no appetite.
Around a mouthful of the fruit, Bruxilia said, “Eat.That child will not grow strong by itself.”
Kate was convinced that there wasn’t anything this woman didn’t know.
TWO
“You have been formally challenged to the Trials, Prime Leader,” Rixavox said, his voice raised high enough so that all of the council could hear, even the elders.
Vaxa’an’s chest rumbled.It was something that had been inevitable since he’d first heard of the uprisings disrupting a few of his outposts.
“How many are challenging me?” he asked, gazing at his war general and close friend.
“Two, so far.I suspect more will follow once the news spreads.”
“Who are they?” he asked next, his eyes narrowing.
