“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?”Lynx asked as he and Shiloh strode into the royal suite—a place of easy comfort where the three of them could cast off their royal status and duties and be themselves.They’d cleared out most of the furniture used by Lynx’s parents, the former king and queen, and had gone for the minimalistic look they all favored after living in cramped conditions aboard spaceships.
“Problem?”Jannike, formerly from Manx Two and their mate and queen, handed them each a glass of apecot port.Her blonde hair hung down her back these days, longer and arranged in a messy braid.Her face and body were also rounder since she carried the royal heir, a fact that still amazed Lynx.They were going to be parents.Mind-blowing and a little scary.
“Gweneth.”Shiloh summed up their discussion in the one word.
“Ah.”Jannike poured herself a cajuice, activated a hover-table to rest her drink, then flopped onto the nearest gel-chair and propped up her feet on a sturdy yet priceless antique table from Septius.
Shiloh bent over to pat her rounded tummy.She batted his hands away.
Lynx chuckled as he sank onto a gel-seat opposite her and set his feet on the same sturdy table.Shiloh joined him, his mates’ proximity pleasing his feline.
“Well, is that it?”Jannike fixed them both with an intimidating stare.“I’m the queen.You can’t keep secrets from me.What has Gweneth done now?”
“She organized us all to get sprayed with perfume.”
Jannike’s lips twitched, and her shoulders moved in tiny, jerky increments.
“But you knew that,” Shiloh said, cuddling into Lynx.“I’m wagering you helped with the spraying.”
Her eyes glowed, her feline pushing to the surface.She stood and sauntered over to the gel-seat he and Shiloh sat on, squeezing between the two of them.“I might have.Tell me what happened with Gweneth.”
“She asked us to pair her with Ellard,” Shiloh answered.
“She came up with a brilliant idea to attract visitors.A festival that spotlights food, the arts and attractions here on Viros.In order to move on the idea, she suggested we visit neighboring planets in pairs to solicit other races and make it a combined effort.”
Jannike leaned into Shiloh and smiled.“She wants to have some alone time with Ellard.A bold plan.”
“It’s a gamble,” Shiloh agreed, his hand coming to rest on Jannike’s stomach.“My brother is stubborn and edges toward inflexible about some things.He’s decided to do without women.”
Jannike gasped with exaggerated horror.“No sex at all?”
“I never alleged that,” Shiloh said dryly.“I believe he visits the whorehouse on occasion.”
Jannike tugged on Shiloh’s ears.“I’d better not discover you and Lynx visiting the whorehouse.”She paused and Lynx could practically see her thoughts whir.“In fact, I think I’ll outlaw them.I’m the queen.I can do that, right?”
“No, you can’t,” Lynx said.“Some of the soldiers would revolt.But back to Gweneth.We told her we’d honor her request, although I’m not sure how to pitch it to Ellard.”
“Make it impossible for him to say no,” Jannike suggested.“You say others are going to visit neighboring planets?Send Ellard away to do something for you that will keep him out of the city while you arrange the rest of the visits.Keep one aside for Ellard and Gweneth, and once everyone else has left, pitch it to Ellard that Gweneth deserves a spot since it was her idea, but you’re worried for her safety.Appeal to his chivalry and his bodyguard profession.Make it so he can’t refuse.”
Lynx shared a glance with Shiloh before turning his attention to Jannike.“That is plain sneaky.”
She grinned.“Yep.”
Shiloh brushed a lock of black hair away from his green eyes.“I think it will work.Let’s do it.We’ll make a list of suitable planets—those with peaceful inhabitants, and meantime, I think Ellard and Jarlath could go to the colored sands on the other side of Viros to check on suitable building sites.The perfect place to build another hotel.”
Jannike sipped her cajuice.“Excellent.Now that we’ve organized Gweneth’s love life, can we focus on our own?”
Lynx’s office, House of the Cat castle
“No.”Ellard bunched his hands to fists.Even his artificial fingers flexed more than usual, such was his determination not to agree to the king’s assignment.“Can’t someone else go with Gweneth?”No way in this universe he was going anywhere with the bewitching woman.Bah!The idea of being alone with temptation… No.Just no.
Lynx sighed with exaggerated patience.“I’ve told you.We’ve already sent everyone else off in pairs.The dragon shapeshifters on Narenda were the last to reply.Originally, Gweneth wasn’t going to go, but she has done so much of the organization.She deserves a trip to Narenda, but I can’t send her alone.It’s not safe.You’re a capable bodyguard and the only trustworthy male free to undertake the task.”
“My job is to watch Jarlath.I can’t leave him,” Ellard protested.
“Jarlath is going to help us with matters on this end.”He gestured at the silent Shiloh standing at his side.“He and Keira are staying at the castle for the duration.”Lynx looked as if he fought a smile.“He’ll be quite safe with us.Besides, he’s been training with Ry and Jannike.He’s not the same pompous upper-class jibberjabber he was when Shiloh and I left Viros.”
A smile curved Ellard’s lips, despite his bad temper.True.These days Jarlath held responsibilities, a worthy man, and Keira, his mate, was perfect for him even though Ellard had thought otherwise at the onset of their relationship.
