Lacey's Warriors (Bondmates #6) - Ann Mayburn Page 0,56
off the planet?”
“Not exactly.” Her mom looked at the night sky, then pointed to a distant moon, much smaller than some of the others glowing on the fantastical horizon. “See that moon? It’s being transformed right now to be a replica of Earth. Not an exact copy, because the lands will be different shapes because of the moon’s geography, but it is already being settled. The Kadothian scientists are bringing over samples of ever plant and animal life from Earth and trying to reproduce our environment. They’re having some trouble getting the atmosphere right, something about our suns being very different, but there are already Kadothian families settling on it and claiming Territory. The High Congress wanted to banish you there. As a potential Matriarch, you are far too valuable to waste by getting rid of you completely.”
Lacey watched a large bug with glowing blue wings bounce lightly off the privacy shield as she said, “That doesn’t sound too bad. I mean, I’d rather be here on Kadothia with you, but we’d only be like a planet away. That’s the Bel’Tan galaxy equivalent of living the next town over, right? We’d have to fly a couple hours to go visit grandma. No big deal. I thought you were going to say the High Congress wanted us executed or something. Living on an emerging planet would be neat.”
“No, you don’t understand. You would not have a territory. You’d be secluded with your husbands to an isolated island, forbidden from leaving for one hundred years.”
Swallowing hard, Lacey croaked out, “Changed my mind. That would suck.”
Reaching out, Tara stroked Lacey’s curls back with a worried look in her eye. “How much did Gwarnon tell you about his mother, Lady Melissi?”
“Enough to know that she’s a complete pscyho and a bitch of the worst kind.”
“Then you won’t be surprised to hear that she is working against you. She has a great deal of influence on the High Congress, more than Lord Rell initially realized. And she…” Lacey’s mom gave her knee a sympathetic pat, “she is not a good mother to her son.”
“That’s the understatement of the year,” Lacey growled.
“Lord Rell believes that Lady Melissi has recently become aware that Gwarnon plans on taking a great many of Lady Melissi’s citizens to what should be your new Territory. She is, of course, furious at the betrayal and wants to punish Gwarnon, Chel, and you. Lord Rell believes that the High Congress, due in part to her influence, will demand you relinquish your Territory, and all the people in it, to Gwarnon’s mother for safekeeping during a short time of exile to a prison island—probably no more than five or ten years. I could petition for control as well, but everyone highly doubts the votes would go in my favor. Not only am I a new Matriarch, I’m from Earth, which is a one two punch against me right now. Whereas Lady Melissi, despite all of her manipulations, still manages to maintain a good public persona. She would no doubt get stewardship of the land.”
Lacey chewed her lower lip before she said, “And her first act would no doubt be to get revenge on those who’d been rescued by Gwarnon, or left her Territory for his. Not to mention, I could easily see her burning an entire Territory down to ashes out of spite.”
“Exactly.” Her mom nodded, her blonde curls the exact same shade of pale blonde as Lacey’s shimmering in the moonlight. “But Lord Rell has a plan to prevent that. It isn’t an ideal situation, but it is better than nothing.”
A tiny, glowing red bird buzzed past their bubble, it’s bright light distracting Lacey momentarily before she turned back to her mother. “What’s the plan?”
“Well, it’s com—”
Lacey held up her hand with a grin. “Wait, let me guess? It’s complicated.”
“Yes, smart butt.” Her mom rolled her eyes. “It is complicated. But this time, those complicated laws are working in our favor. And it helps that we have Lady Elsin on our side.”
Lacey’s crystal implant helpfully supplied that Lady Elsin was basically the leader of the Northern Continent and an immensely powerful woman. Four of her seven sons had died in battle with the Hive, and of the three remaining, one happened to be a Warrior by the name of Lorn—now known as Lorn Westfall, Casey Westfall’s husband, and Roxy’s brother-in-law.
Tara’s gaze grew distant as she said with a fond smile, “Lady Elsin reminded me of the old Kadothian law about giving a daughter