they are barely of an age to mate, yet they are devoted to each other in the way we always desired to be with our queens of old. It pleases me to see one of my own enjoying the tenderness of a truly remarkable queen.
Even now we spoil her with lovely gowns, gemstone jewelry and delicate human foods. Our clade is wealthy beyond the ability of most beings to imagine, and far too generous with our only queen. Queen Molly is too precious to expect her to forgo being outfitted in finery or to toil her day away. Our clade does all within our power to protect her frail form.
To be honest, we thought to lure queens to our clade with riches, but this little queen cares not at all for our wealth. She only wishes to dote upon my scion like he is the most important being in all the ’verse. Even now she rubs her nose along his cheek. She shows him affection according to our customs and he receives her love with gratitude.
I am old, but my eyes miss nothing. When his hand goes briefly to her gently rounded stomach, I realize something that my nose should have told me already. Leaning over, I scent her deeply for the first time and manage to back away half a krik before Eltran’s fist connects with my nose. A feral grin spreads across my face. “I now understand why you have been so protective of your queen.” Taking a step back, I dip my head respectfully. “Congratulations, Queen Molly. Carrying young agrees with you. I knew there had to be some reason why you are growing ever more lovely with each passing day.”
Eltran growls and his wing comes out to shield her from my view. “Out, my sire.”
His poor attitude earns him a scowl from me. “I am not your enemy, my scion. Control yourself. Having a queen does not give you leave to disrespect your clade leader.”
Since I will not leave, he tucks his pregnant queen under his wing and heads for the door. I drop down into my seat again, realizing I am left to finish packing our things while my two scions dedicate their time to chasing beautiful queens. Sighing, I tuck my wings firmly together and get to work.
Images of General Watson drift through my mind. Now, she is a queen fit to snare a warrior’s heart. The way she moves in battle is a thing of genuine grace and beauty. The way tiny wisps of her hair escape its fastener and fly about her head is so appealing.
I imagine what it would be like to have her moving around our personal space, ordering everyone around as she is prone to do. I cannot imagine anyone refusing her requests; even Queen Molly, for the general is a queen among queens. Just when I settle into a steady work pace with visions of the beautiful general marching through my head, Kryos comes barreling through the door.
“Greetings, Borak. The Sonarian you captured is mutated beyond anything I could have imagined in my darkest nightmares. Never before have I seen the like.”
Snapping the lid closed on the crate I just filled, I turn to face my old friend. “Has Mathadar interrogated him yet?”
“The healers are working on him even as we speak. I imagine he will call us to him in short order to do so.”
I disclose the thing that worries me most. “The Sonarian kept calling us food and asking us to stand still to be eaten. To be honest, it tore at my heart to see him so desperate and despoiled.”
“None would suspect you of being so tenderhearted, Borak.”
I sweep out one wing, and my primary talon almost makes contact with his face. “I am not weak.”
He ducks away, swatting at my wing with an open hand. “Calm yourself, my friend. I mean no insult.” His expression turns serious once more. “I was told General Watson almost established a psychic link with our smallest allies.”
“I intervened. The tiny creatures seem to mesmerize our queens. The general was drawn to them, much like the queens of your clade are drawn to their counterparts back on our home world.”
His mouth falls open in shock. “Queen Becca and Queen Willow do not have a wealth of military information locked in their pretty heads.”
“Be calm. Once I reminded her that the creatures could look into her thoughts during a mind link, she left off attempting to communicate with them.”