The Consort (Tellaran Series) (34 page)

“It is not too late then?” the empress asked shakily. “I might yet live?”

One of the men already had a medscanner out and was checking the readings. “Before we start any kind of treatment I’d like to have her moved to someplace a little”—he took in the soaring throne room with wide eyes—“uh . . . quieter.”

The empress hesitated. “What of my people?”

Kyndan glanced at Alari. “I didn’t save the Az-kye from Sechon to see them destroyed.”

Azara glanced at the elder, at the medtechs and her daughters. “I did not believe a Tellaran could ever show himself worthy . . . I was mistaken; you are indeed the equal of a warrior, Kyndan Maere.”

He inclined his head. “Well, I’m sorry for believing what I did about you too. I’m glad it wasn’t true.”

“Sir—” one of the medtechs prompted.

“Right.” Kyndan stepped back as servants were summoned to carry the empress. He gave permission for Mezera, Saria and the high priestess to accompany her.

The elder clasped her hands before her. “Had I known what you would bring us to, Alari, I would have thrown you to the rocks myself.” Sechon’s lip curled. “Imperial Regent Alari, last ruler of the Az-kye. She who let a great people be crushed beneath the boot of barbarian conquerors. Generations will curse your name.”

“Hey, do me a favor, Utar.” Kyndan scooped up one of the swords Alari’s honor guard had dropped when stunned and tossed it to him. The warrior caught it deftly. “Get
her
”—with a dark look at Sechon—“out of my sight for a little while.”

“Elder?” Utar indicated the door. With a final cold look, Sechon swept past them.

Kyndan turned toward her and Alari lifted her chin. The silence of the soaring space echoed around them as they two, Tellaran and Az-kye, faced each other before the empty throne of a conquered Empire.

“So, you have made me your slave after all,” Alari said at last.

“Hardly,” Kyndan scoffed. “You’re Regent of the Az-kye Empire.”

Alari sent a meaningful look at the wall of windows behind the throne, at the night sky above. “Your battleships surround my world, Commander. Sechon is right. I am a defeated ruler.”

He threw a dismissive glance that way. “Once I’m sure the situation is stabilized here those battleships will be on their way back to Tellaran space.”

Alari blinked. “You have conquered us.”

“I did what I vowed to do in Lashima’s temple. I protected my mate.”

Alari searched his face. “I do not understand.”

“You would never have listened to me if I’d tried to warn you from Tellaran space and for Sechon to pull this off at all she had to have help. That meant you were here, surrounded by enemies and dependent on your worst enemy of all. You needed me, and the only way I could come back to the Imperial world was pry myself a way in with a Tellaran armada.”

“Why would the Tellarans withdraw?” she demanded. “We are defeated.”

Kyndan gave a short laugh. “Not defeated, more like stunned by a sucker punch. My lockout isn’t going to last forever and that’ll leave all those Tellaran ships smack in the middle of Imperial territory and surrounded by very, very angry Az-kye. Believe me, getting those cruisers here is a hell of a lot easier than
keeping
them here. It would cost oceans of Tellaran blood to hold this territory—if it even proved possible, which I doubt. But the Tellarans are getting something even better for their efforts.” Kyndan’s mouth quirked upward. “Soon the whole Empire will know exactly who just saved their collective butts from the traitors to the throne. There’s a lot to be said for the value of Az-kye obligation.”

“So now we are in the Tellarans’ debt,” Alari said, her voice sharp.

Kyndan folded his arms. “Yup.”

“What will you have of us then?” Alari asked tightly. “Our servitude?”

“Well, those peace accords I was originally sent here to get, for one. I convinced the Council that saving the rightful heirs and getting a treaty pushed through quickly would be a whole festering lot smarter than fighting a war against the pretenders. And they’re eager to open trade, of course.”

“‘
They’
are?”

Kyndan raised his eyebrows. “In case you missed it, I just saved your throne. The empress just
apologized
to me. Restored my name, praised my honor, declared me as worthy as any warrior . . . for fuck’s sake, Alari, weren’t you paying attention
at all
?”

“But you—you said you wanted me
off
the throne.”

“Well, hell, yeah.” In a swift move he caught her against him and gave her a quick smile. “How else am I gonna kiss you?”

She saw a flash of blue eyes then his mouth was on hers, hot and demanding. She softened against him instantly, her arms going around his neck to return his kiss.

When he broke away a little breathless, she searched his eyes.

“I released you from our vows,” she said thickly, tears suddenly stinging her eyes as she drew away a little. “I was unbound. I thought—Were you not, Kyndan?”

His face clouded. “Yes,” he said fiercely. “And the worst of it was that Sechon’s manipulations
took
you from me and there wasn’t a godsdamned thing I could do to stop it. I didn’t even realize what Sechon had done till I was out of Az-kye space. I left you
alone
, surrounded by enemies and completely unprotected because I was too blinded by worrying about being Az-kye or Tellaran. What I should have been concerned with was being the mate I promised to be, the one you deserved.”

He touched his forehead to hers. “The mate I will be now. If you’ll have me, Alari.”

Tears blurred her vision. “Of course I will have you.”

“I miss what we had. I miss being bound to you but being unbound never changed how I feel, not for an instant.” Kyndan’s fingers whispered over the skin of her cheek. “I love you, Alari.  All that matters to me is that we’re together.”

“I love you too.” She closed her eyes briefly. “I never stopped loving you. Being unbound was torment.”

His smile was rueful. “I know we can’t get back what we had. I know it won’t be the same, Alari, but we can still be married the Tellaran way.”

Alari’s brow creased. “Then you do not wish to be mated the Az-kye way?”

“Mated the—?” Kyndan went still. “Wait, you mean it’s possible for us to be bound again?”

“Of course,” Alari said, surprised.

His blue eyes were riveted. “Bound . . . the same way?”

She could not help but laugh at his intent expression. “Yes, Kyndan.”

On no one, Az-kye or Tellaran, had she ever seen a grin as wide as the one that now spread across Kyndan’s face.

“Oh, Princess,” he said huskily, pulling her close again. “What are we waiting for?”

The peace accord celebrations rivaled even the festival of Ren’thar. The air was turning cooler but one would have thought it springtime for the excitement on the Imperial world.

In the eastern park of the palace grounds, pavilions were set up, bright with streamers, their colors mingling in the breeze as Alari watched the guests, both Tellaran and Az-kye, stroll the grounds.

“It is going very well,” Saria said, coming to join her. She looked over Alari’s lilac dress and shook her head. “I did not think to ever see you in colors.”

“Nor I you,” Alari said with a nod at Saria’s crimson gown. “You may be the only First Daughter who has dressed so since the Xar dynasty.”

“Yes, well I have your mate to thank for that,” Saria said, smiling. “But we all have much to thank your mate for.”

Alari’s gaze went to where the empress stood talking with the Tellaran ambassador. “Do you think she was disappointed?”

“When Kyndan named his reward? I think our mother would have your heart happy.” Saria giggled.  “But I do think the court as equally scandalized by the new wearing of colors as they were to hear their former regent would now be a Tellaran artist.”

“I will still be Az-kye,” Alari reminded. “And the Dethara Academy is one of the finest schools of art in Tellaran space.”

Saria took her hand as she had when they were girls. “I will miss you.”

“I will come home to visit as often as I can,” Alari said. “And I will be the artist I longed to be.”

“You are still Second,” Saria reminded.

Alari laughed and put her hand over her heart. “And I do beg you, Sister—choose a mate soon so I may be just an Imperial Daughter!”

But Saria was not smiling now. Alari followed her eyes to see a warrior, his gaze hot on her sister for a moment before he turned away to speak to an older man.

“Do you know that warrior?” Alari asked.

“No.” Saria let go of her hand. “I do not.”

Frowning, Alari took a step to follow her sister when Kyndan caught her from behind.

He kissed her temple, and she smiled over her shoulder at her mate, looking handsome in his blue and white dress uniform.

“Best Tellaran–Az-kye party in history,” he said approvingly, his cheek against hers.

She laughed. “
First
Tellaran–Az-kye party in history.”

“My father just told the Niman ambassador that he thinks Aris’ll be talking any day now,” Kyndan said.

Ryndar Maere had hardly relinquished his granddaughter since his arrival. Kinara and even Aidar watched with warm amusement as he doted on the baby. The admiral proudly displayed Aris, who took in everything with her father’s dark eyes and her mother’s smile, to visiting dignitaries and clan leaders alike. 

“She is but four months old!” Alari protested.

“Yeah, of course the ambassador got her job by knowing how to be diplomatic. She was nice enough not to contradict him.”

As the Tellaran dignitary moved off, the empress nodded in their direction.

Kyndan caught her hand. “Looks like your mother wants to talk to us.”

The empress, now restored to health, looked twenty years younger and her eyes on Kyndan were genuinely warm. “I was just discussing the possibility of Princess Saria making a state visit to Tellaran space.”

Alari smiled. “Mother, that is a wonderful idea.”

“Now that the Tellarans are our allies,” the empress said, “it is important that we learn as much about each other as we can.”

“Maybe you should make a visit too,” Kyndan said. “No reason the Imperial Daughters should have all the fun.”

The empress blinked. “I did not—” but then she smiled. “Yes, perhaps I should.”

“Imperial Majesty,” Kyndan said suddenly. “Is it my imagination or are you wearing
blue
?”

“It is dark blue,” Azara said a little defensively. “I thought—well, if the Imperial Daughters have decided to honor the Goddess Azis by the wearing of bright color perhaps I too . . .”

“It’s very becoming,” Kyndan said seriously. His glance went to Utar standing nearby, dressed again in warrior black. The empress had also granted Kyndan’s request and issued an Imperial edict to empower the owner of any clanless to free them. Kyndan had freed Utar before the seal had time to cool. “I bet I’m not the only one who thinks so.”

Utar flushed but surprisingly the empress did too.

Alari hid her smile.
Apparently we are not only ones who have noticed those admiring glances.

“You know, Tellarans make a fabric called shimmersilk,” Kyndan said. “I had my father bring some for Alari. Perhaps you would honor me by accepting a bolt as well?  Maybe in an emerald green?”

Still pink-cheeked, the empress inclined her head graciously. She also suddenly found a pressing need to speak with the Apovian representative.

“You shouldn’t tease her like that,” Alari said, smiling.

“I was teasing
him
,” Kyndan corrected, watching Utar hurry in the opposite direction to join his son and daughter by the fountain. “You’d think a warrior who took the famous Nuhar apart in the contests would have enough courage to ask a woman to dinner.”

“He would be asking the empress to dinner.”

“Okay, so we just need to get
her
to ask
him
.” He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t disapprove, do you?”

“You mean of royalty taking a once clanless man as mate?” she asked mock-scandalized.  “Can you imagine?”

“Almost as bad as being mated to a Tellaran.”

“You know there will be many more such pairings to come,” she said, with a nod at the Tellarans and the Az-kye mixing, the lingering glances and flirtations.

“You know, I don’t know if I mentioned this,” Kyndan murmured into her ear, “but the only thing better than getting bound to you once, Alari, was getting bound to you
twice
.”

“I think you might have done,” she said with a laugh.

He pulled her close and touched his forehead to hers, his blue eyes shining. “Then have I mentioned today how much I love you, Princess?”

“And I love you,” she said, lifting her face for his kiss. “My brave, wonderful Tellaran warrior.”