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Chapter Sixteen

Xaixek

Alliana who stood beside me on what was called the terrace of the King’s grand pod mansion.

The grand terrace was a large, flat deck connected to King Crencik's shelter pods, which were extended and numerous and spanned at least three levels. Beside me and Alliana standing there, off to our right, was the pirate. He was locked in a large cage, out on display as a prisoner and a terrorist for all those in the colony to ogle at. If any citizen saw anymore of these creatures, they were ordered to defend their lives and kill if they had to.

Alliana and I stood before the king, awaiting orders at what would come next.

“What do you think he’s gonna say about me?” Alliana asked. She was nervous. I could tell. On Earth on her settlement, she had explained that everyone was very much in fear of their lives all the time because of corrupt public officials, but I explain to her time and time again that our King wasn’t like that.

“Just try to relax,” I encouraged. “He will pick up on your angst. You don’t want that. He’ll probably think I cause you stress.”

“Oh no,” she breathed.

“You have nothing to worry about. I won’t give you up, no matter what. And even if…I’m not going anywhere.”

“Even if,” she balked.

I placed my hand at the small of her back and massaged the tension away.

King Crencik approached us, not giving us anymore time to swim in suspense. He extended his arms out to his sides and the crowd behind us hushed in response. King Crencik stately gazed out upon his colony, waiting for full silence before he began his speech to the onlookers.

Even though Roult’s real killer was captured and made to suffer in a cage until his death, this day of judgement had already been scheduled. And as such, since Roult’s possessions were being overseen by the King, there was still the question of where Alliana would end up.

This wasn’t the first time a Zunatorian warrior had died either right after or just before taking a mate. In Alliana’s case, she was human and not yet a full citizen of Zunatorian, so there was a chance that the King could give her to another warrior who was ready to breed at a moments notice. As long as I was breathing, that would never happen. Alliana was mine and she had my heart, which I had opened to her and given freely. But I preferred for things to be worked out amicably rather than me having to bring a violent end to any warrior that dared to claim her.

I acknowledged the King’s presence, bowing to show him both devotion to the crown and my willingness to comply with the formality of the trial unfolding. Alliana followed suite, doing the same.

“King Crencik,” I began, addressing him only after he nodded his approval for me to speak.

“I’ve brought before you all of Roult’s possessions in addition to the contract obligations he held with others. Alliana was supposed to become his mate. They were to breed and produce an heir, per your formal decree. However there was no commencement of the mating as I’m sure you’ve heard.

“I’ve heard,” King Crencik boomed. “That was your uncle’s first and only mistake.”

“What do you mean?”

“For who would not want to have a mate such as this. Loyal. Devoted. And knows how to fire weapons of mass destruction.”

Many in the crown laughed at the joke cracked by King Crencik.

Alliana smiled and it was the first time since we arrived in the terrace that I realized that she didn’t look fearful of the outcome.

King Crencik leaned forward and studied Alliana. “I see that she was become your friend and your—”

“She is more than a friend, King Crencik,” I interjected. “I truly wish to take her as my mate. I won’t allow her to be auctioned to another. I’ll fight for her. Any one. A man.”

My heart pounded, but the breath in my lungs was suspended with dreadful anticipation of the king’s reaction to my advisement.

King Crencik narrowed his eyes and studied me as if he were trying to gauge if I was declaring the whole truth. His mouth broke into smile. “But of course she is your mate. I see it written all over your faces. I don’t think any warrior here would object to your union. You’re earned her. You’ve both earned each other.” His eyes shimmered and a warm smile emerged, curling at the edges of his lips. A devious flicker of excitement shimmered all around him. “Either way, I knew it would come to this. I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist her.”

“You knew?”

“Mak, I knew. Why do you think I sent you specially to find her and bring her back? I have plenty of capable bounty hunters hungering for mates and future heirs, but I sent you, Xaixek. This was your mission. To find your mate.”

It had always been rumored that King Crencik could see glimpses of the future. I was surprised to learn that the King had interpreted a vision of me to confirm that Alliana would be my mate.

King Crencik turned to face Alliana, casting her a look that a cynical father might give while interrogating a potential mate for his offspring. I was no offspring of the king, but I appreciated his considerate attitude about the situation. He was an honorable king, vowing to uphold his promises to protect his own, no matter the cost.

“You have not said a word, Earth girl?”

“I only want to say this, King Crencik. If I am to stay here on Zunator, I want to spend the rest of my time with Xaixek. My heart wouldn’t be right if I couldn’t be with him.”

The King smiled and cupped his chin. “And so it will be. Will you take Xaixek as your mate now and forever?”

She answered quickly in the affirmative. Passion and vigor shimmered in her intoxicating gaze.

“Then Xaixek…she is yours.”

Alliana did something that shook me and maybe even the King and all the witnesses standing around us. She held out her wrists, offering me her promise of forever. It was part of an old-age Zunatorian ritual were the woman offered her wrists to the warrior and he would then bind her with ropes and led her to his pod where they would cross the threshold and immediately consummate their mating. Many still performed the ritual.

My heart blazed a new with fire. I produced a rope from my sack and intricately looped them around her wrists, until an infinity symbol was from.

When I was done, I was grinning from ear to ear and so was she. Instead of pulling her along on the rope, I scoped her up and threw her over my shoulder.

She giggled and when I clamped a hand over her backside.

“Let’s go home, love. We have babies to make.”