“I’m not going to leave her side,” Kaede snapped. “She will be protected. I’ve got a dozen drones just waiting to zap someone, and if a fight breaks out, they can suicide-bomb the enemy.”
“I’d rather you refrain from judging my Favored the way you just did,” Selena hissed, lowering her hand. “I remember being told that even a Circuli civilian is armed with lethal venom. If I am attacked, I’m sure they will be able to subdue the culprit.” She turned to Xylo. “Am I right?”
He nodded as he stared down the princes. “I’m more than capable of defending our nestqueen. You know full well Selena is right, more so since we are bonded and our bodies naturally produce a more potent venom.”
“You may be right, Selena, but we don’t like it,” Z’fir voiced.
“But we will respect your wishes if this is truly what you want,” V’dim replied, turning toward Kaede. “You better not fail. We are counting on you and your drones.”
“Selena’s life is worth more than you will ever know.”
Chapter Twenty-One Zirene
“You have failed me for the last time, son,” his sire’s deep voice boomed, staring directly at Royak beside him.
Zirene kept his head down, even though his pride clawed at him to snap back—to show this old male who was the strongest. Zirene didn’t want to take over the empire, or else he would have ended his sire’s life a long time ago. Now he and his brother had to deal with another lecture about siring cubs and expanding the empire through his grandsons.
“How have I failed you?” Royak asked. “I’ve done everything you have asked of me.”
“Everything but finding a Seedbearer,” the Sovereign growled. “What use are you to me if you can’t handle a simple task?”
“You still have many years in your prime before you have to step down. Why must I produce heirs now?” Royak replied. “Besides, Zirene sired three perfectly healthy cubs.”
The man who was, unfortunately, his sire chuckled, his deep laughter rolling through the throne room.
“Those abominations?” he snarled. “Zirene is lucky I don’t sell them to the highest bidder.”
Zirene growled, a low and deep rumble, as he raised his eyes to challenge his father. “You wouldn’t dare touch them.”
“Or what?” taunted the male who looked so much like Royak.
Though he looked older—more mature—and his fur was starting to whiten, and Royak hadn’t been gifted with their sire’s amethyst eyes, they could almost pass as the same male. Zirene’s coloring was darker than both of theirs.
“They have nothing to do with this, and you know it,” Zirene said, avoiding the question. He wasn’t the only one capable of playing mind games. “Other than the cubs we haven’t sired for you, what is it that you really want from this meeting? I don't know if you read my reports, but the Quaww have gotten bolder in testing our shared border, and I would like to return to supervise the battles.”
The Sovereign chuckled once more.
“Do you think I’m a fool, Zirene?” he mocked. “I asked for one thing, and you both have failed me. What use are you to me if you won’t plant your royal seed in a Seedbearer? I have been patient, but I’ll wait no longer. Zirene, you decided to take in some experiment and taint your seed—and our royal name—with such an abomination. You are a disgrace to this family, and now you must repent for your mistakes.”
Before he could open his mouth to respond, the chamber’s doors burst open, revealing his worst nightmare. He would have rather burned all the fur off his skin than face this reality.
Selena entered the room in all her glory, flanked by an angry Agent Kaede and her two Favored. Zirene hissed when he saw over two dozen Aldawi royal guards surrounding them with laser guns raised.
“What is this, father?” Zirene spat, standing. He refused to remain kneeling, submitting to a weaker male, now that his Nova was present. He was willing to entertain his father by suffering through his planned punishment, as long as his Nova and their clan were safe.
“I summoned them as soon as you were en route,” he purred. “You see, I wanted some insurance to make you two behave. Consider this a test of your loyalty, to see how much you’re willing to sacrifice.”
“What do you mean, father?” Royak asked, his flicking tail revealing his hidden annoyance.
“Are you willing to kill this Seedbearer and give up your cubs to find a new female and provide the royal line with true offspring? Should you refuse, you will be exiled from the royal family, and everyone I’ve summoned today will become an instant enemy of the empire.” He grinned. “Kill. On. Sight.”
“Be reasonable, father,” Royak begged. “What if you help me find a Seedbearer, and I provide you with however many cubs you want? Would you leave Zirene alone then?”
“He wouldn’t,” his Nova announced, instantly activating his protective instincts.
“Selena,” Kaede hissed, stepping closer to her. “Not now.”
“No, I’ve had it with him acting like I’m not here,” Selena snapped. “He clearly thinks I’m a worthless animal, but he wants me dead for no apparent reason other than getting impregnated by his prized son.”
“You corrupted him into the male he is,” he growled, standing.
Zirene stepped between his sire and Selena, trying to pull his attention away from her.
“But my cubs are the only heirs your sons have provided you,” Selena mocked. “Too bad I didn’t bring them with me. I knew you would be an ishing frax and try to hurt them.”
The Aldawi Sovereign took a few more steps forward until he stood chest-to-chest with Zirene.
“Move,” he barked, his thick dominant aura suffusing the room. His amethyst eyes widened when Zirene’s stance didn’t falter.
“No,” he growled. “You won’t touch Selena or her clan.”
“You are making a mistake, boy,” he hissed, leaning closer until their noses almost touched. “Move.”
A hand landed on his shoulder, and instantly he knew Royak
