Kat read him easily.It was almost frightening how well she seemed to know him, so it didn’t surprise him when she pressed a small kiss to his lips and then said, “Tell me what’s wrong.”
So, he told her, as he said he would.
He told her about how her words about the Pit had struck something in him, about how shameful he’d felt afterwards about his involvement, about how he’d sent Lihvan and Vikan away on an infiltration mission with a full crew of warriors, one of them being his last challenger in the Trials.
And then he told her about that span, about the distress call and the following messages from Vikan.About how Lihvan had been taken captive by the Jetutians and about the human females that were on their way to Luxiria.
His Kat listened patiently and quietly, hearing the words that were pouring out of him, seemingly unable to stop, without judgment or interruption.
When he finished, he murmured, “I am at fault for all of it,luxiva.I endangered Lihvan, and Vikan, and the warriors’ lives by sending them away.I worry for them.”
Kat’s eyes softened and she grasped the sides of his face so that he focused solely on her.“They believed in it as well, Vaxa.They believed that they were doing the right thing.”
“I fear that I have welcomed war, now that the Uranian Federation has refused us aid.”
“War was already here by the sound of it,” she said, shaking her head.“You’ve been at war with the Jetutians for many years.This is just another encounter, one that you will fight and emerge from successful.You trust in Lihvan, don’t you?”
Vaxa’an nodded.“I do.”
“Then he will be fine.Like you said, there is not much you can do right now.You will wait for the Jetutians to make their next move and then you will counter.”
“And what of the female they reportedly took?What do you make of that?”
“I’m not sure,” Kat admitted, gazing up at him.It was dark out on the terrace but the moon was enough illumination to see her clearly.He stroked her cheek.“But you have to trust that both of them will be okay.Do not feel like this isallyour fault, Vaxa.It isn’t.All of your ambassadors chose this once you explained it to them, didn’t they?They made their own choices, as did you.”
“As Prime Leader,” he said, remembering words his own sire had said to him, “every action taken under my command is my responsibility.”
Kat watched him carefully and then said, “Then that makes you a good leader.A lesser one would wash their hands of this and point the blame elsewhere.You care deeply for your friends and your people.Youaredoing the right thing, Vaxa.”
Vaxa’an let out a rumbling sigh.What he needed right now was a long soak in their hot springs and try to refresh his mind before the morning brought a new span.A fresh mind might see more possibilities, more courses of action to take.
But hisluxivawas right.Of course she was.It would do him no good to shoulder all the responsibility and let it swamp him, weighing him down with guilt.He had very capable and very strong ambassadors with some of the best minds in all of Luxiria.
They would get past this.They would find a way to help Lihvan and this female.They would succeed.He needed to remember that.
“Why do you always make me feel better?” he asked, leaning down to kiss his mate.
“Because that was part of the job description as your mate,” she teased, although he had no idea what a ‘job description’ was.
“I apologize for what happened between us earlier,luxiva,” he murmured, stroking her hair.“I did not mean to accuse you of something we were both guilty of.I was not thinking.It was wrong of me.”
“I forgive you,” she said and then smiled sheepishly.“I think it’s something we will both need to work on in the future.”
“I have faith we will,” he said.
“Me too,” she whispered, a little smile on her face.“There’s still a lot to learn about our relationship, but there’s no where I’d rather be than right here.With you.On this crazy, hot planet.And pregnant with your kid.”
“Luxiva…” Vaxa’an laughed.“Fates, I do not know who to thank for bringing me to you.”
“Well, you can start with those ugly, lizard aliens that kidnapped me from Earth,” she joked.
Vaxa’an leaned his forehead against hers as a warm breeze blew in from theRavrax’tor.The Fates had blessed him with this gift and he would cherish her for as long as he lived.
He opened up his blood bond to her, letting her feel the depth of his feelings, the depth of his love for her, and she gasped, which he swallowed with a kiss.
Afterwards, Kate whispered, “It’s only the beginning, isn’t it?”
“Tev, female.It is.”
