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I study him. Where is the flippant attitude? Where is the male who wasn’t impressed by my title or power? The one who baited and goaded me the last time we faced each other?

Horek says my name. I tear my gaze from Janik to focus on my cousin. “Why don’t we all take a seat? We can resume our discussion once we’re all more comfortable.”

A smile threatens to escape. Since when has the commander learned such diplomacy?

“What an excellent idea. Please, sit.” I gesture to the long table near the far wall that runs half the length of the room.

Carrik and Horek share a glance and appear to communicate silently with each other. Janik and Mak move first, while my royal spy and my cousin follow. I trail the four of them. Janik sits to the right of the head of one side of the table. Carrik chooses the chair opposite my mother’s son. Horek chooses the one immediately beside Janik. If I don’t want to appear disconcerted by his proximity, I’m forced to take the chair beside Carrik and diagonal from the former rebel.

I keep my gaze on Horek as I speak. “Now that my heart’s fire and I have had time to settle into our mating, I thought it best to return to my duties as prince of Bohna. Much has happened these last several moon cycles that I have missed, and I would like to be debriefed on any major occurrences I should be made aware of.”

For several ticks, no one speaks. Horek merely observes me with the severity he always maintains. Beside me, Carrik is preternaturally still. I’m not even sure he’s breathing.

“Well, this is awkward,” Janik says drily after an extended length of silence.

My carefully maintained control snaps, and I jerk my head his direction expecting a smirk on his lips that will enrage me. Only it’s absent. In fact, he’s almost expressionless. He returns my stare blankly. I can’t dispute what he said though. This is awkward, because for a moment, I forgot I am no longer the only prince of Bohna. In fact, if Janik has done all the things Horek spoke of at our meal, then I have already been briefed on the major occurrences I should be made aware of.

“Perhaps you are right, but while you have taken up the mantle in my absence, you no longer have to do everything alone. My priority has always been the safety and prosperity of the Bohnari people and our planet.”

“A valid priority to have. I believe we all share the same one, yes?” Janik glances between Carrik and Horek, who both nod in agreement.

“Yes. At the moment the major unresolved issue is the whereabouts of Mohneek and Orvak,” my cousin reports. “While you were…indisposed, rebels who were under the rule of the female and her consort set off multiple explosives that destroyed a significant portion of the city center as well as nearly a fourth of Preska’s port. A few minor skirmishes occurred in Santeeka, Noleska, and Toveeka, but were quickly squashed by the guards stationed in those cities. The primary location affected was Preska.”

I turn to Carrik. His role as my spy has been a closely guarded secret for ten anums. Except, it would appear that secret is out. “I understand from Devon that you had a potential lead to the female?”

Carrik nods. “A male by the name of Ryvik. He was part of the rebellion. In fact, he was the primary strategist who planned every move the rebels made. He organized the disruption of all the trade lines and the stealing of supplies. He was the mastermind behind the various multiple equipment failures and sabotage, including the mining equipment malfunction the night of the welcome banquet for the human females. Konek’s was the first Bohnari death to occur, although from all accounts, it truly was an accident.”

“And how was Ryvik connected to this Mohneek and Orvak?”

Janik answers. “He was Orvak’s son.”

“Was this common knowledge?”

Carrik replies. “No. In fact, the two of them went to great lengths to wipe away any proof of the existence of their relationship. Except they did not count on my brother and his fascination with learning all about Bohnari history. Since childhood, Bannik has always read and studied the annals within the Archives. At some point he came across their names and Ryvik’s birth registration. It wasn’t until I had arranged a meeting with Ryvik where my brother and I switched roles that Bannik revealed the truth after he’d gone back to the Archives building to confirm it.”

“And during this revelation Rvyik was killed?”

“Yes,” Horek answers. “Ryvik shot Carrik and grievously injured him. Vornak was nearly unable to save him. Bannik returned fire and struck Ryvik with a kill shot. He died in the old rebel camp within the rainforest where the meeting had been set up.”

“So our only lead to the female and her lover was his son who is now dead.”

Janik nods. “Correct.”

Gods’ blood. “And we have nothing else to go on?”

The three of them exchange a look I don’t like. I zero in on Janik, because there is more to his apparent discomfort than the other two’s. “What haven’t I been told?”

“You’re aware that it’s been revealed who I truly am,” Janik phrases it as a question, although we both know it’s not.

I answer anyway. “I’m aware.”

“My entire life I grew up being told that King Danik was the male who abused my mother—Mohneek. My bloodline was the sole basis for us to recruit members to join the rebellion. It was the story I was told as to why I was the rightful heir to the throne. Mohneek painted you and your father as the villains. Your father as the one who assaulted her. You as a male who cared only for credits and power. A male who withheld kanet powder from the rebels as a form of punishment for turning against you.”

“I did none of those things!”

“Alik,” Horek cautions.

I close my eyes and take several long, slow breaths before opening them again and fixing my gaze on Janik once more.