there’s a hidden message there and that I might be overthinking things.
We have a leisurely dinner. Though it’s considered rude to have com units at the table, Eltran gets a message on his and has to scurry off to help fix something in the engineering department.
It doesn’t take Lugon a full three seconds to nab Eltran’s meat and stack it neatly on top of the one he’s still eating. Molly just sighs like this is some kind of reoccurring problem. We’ve clearly got some issues to work out, but not today. This dinner is a conflict free zone.
Demarcation
Borak
After dinner, I escort my new queen to her quarters. Though she has many personal possessions in storage, her room is easy to pack. I help her load box after box and send them with the worker droids to my personal space in our clade quarters.
My queen sounds off at my side. “I packed all the things I can’t do without for a week in one bag. That way we don’t have to unpack everything and repack it in a week.”
“I would gladly do such for your comfort, my queen.”
“That’s a nice offer, but totally unnecessary. Did you get things worked out with your friend Kryos?”
His wings clinch together and he shakes his head. “He says that until you have officially selected a mate, he has as much right as any to speak with you.”
“Well, it’s not like he’s annoying or anything. He just talks in passing.”
Borak flutters his wings. “He accused me of feasting upon your beauty like a tick feasting on the blood of its host. Not even my fist to his face turned him around on this subject.”
She rubs my shoulder. “That’s a horrible thing to say to a longtime friend. I guess once we tell him you’ve been chosen he’ll finally be able to let it go.”
“I do not think you understand how competitive old blood warriors can be, especially when it comes to luring a soft human queen.”
“I can’t believe he hasn’t given up already. He’s being really weird about this whole thing. Since I know it isn’t because I’m too irresistible to pass up, I’m going to go with him being butt hurt because there are so few female age mates for him to choose from.”
Lifting the last box up and sliding into the waiting arms of a droid, he turns. “I recognized what a rarity you were right away. You are a warrior, and female warriors are rare. As the leader of Earth Gov’s military, you are a queen among queens. In addition to your warm coloring, you are tenacious and always seem willing to fight the good fight. Many see you as a beautiful hero, like our ancient queens.”
“I don’t see myself like that at all.”
“I almost forgot to say, you are humble. We see that as a desirable quality in a queen.”
“Okay, give it a rest.”
“Lastly, you have born a queen of your own. Many Draconian queens spent their entire lives attempting to spawn a little queen to take their place. You succeed in your very first attempt at producing young. Some still see that as a worthy accomplishment.”
She grins up at me. “This is starting to feel like one of those checkoff list kind of things. In my attempt to survive and protect the people I love, I’ve inadvertently impressed a bunch of men I don’t want.”
“And one you do want.”
That comment earns me a kiss, a nice long one.
I lick my bottom lip, not wishing to presume to know her wishes. “I wish you to know that my private room is soundproof and was once a clean room, so reverse airflow capabilities have been installed.”
Her expression morphs into one of confusion. “I know you’re probably trying to tell me something important, but I’ve got no idea what.”
Tugging her closer, I smooth the side of one claw down the side of her face. “What I am attempting to communicate is if you wish to breed with me, you can rest assured no one will hear us and the vents will keep others in our clade from inhaling the scent of our arousal.”
My queen gives me a slow smile. “What kind of sex are we talking about?”
“The walls of our battleship do not lend themselves to staking, but I have created something especially for you. Once we arrive at my keep, we will have access to the metal stake I forged when I came of age.”
She glances around her quarters one final time before