but I would not be rude to my best friend or his mate. “Thank you. I would like that.”
There was a knock on the door and Quill shouted, “Come in.”
Teo stepped into the living quarters, bowing first to Quill and then to Sabrina.
“Good morning, Teo,” Quill said. “You are just in time to join us for breakfast.”
“Thank you, Quill,” Teo said. “But I am afraid I did not stop by so early for food.”
“What’s going on?” Sabrina asked.
“The Emirans and Cillades are at war.”
“Again?” Sabrina glanced at Quill. “Didn’t the last war between them just end six months ago?”
Quill nodded. “What are they quarreling about this time, Teo?”
“Who knows, my king.” The disgust was evident on Teo’s face. “It does not take much to set either race off so it could be almost anything.”
“Are the Emiran’s requesting our assistance?” Quill asked.
“No. Not yet. But both races have sent war ships to each other’s planet and they are currently warring in space. Their battle is blocking the Tyranian jumpgate.”
“For Krono’s sake,” Quill groaned.
Quill’s annoyance was obvious, but I could hardly contain my grin. The Tyranian jumpgate was the jumpgate to Earth’s galaxy. With the Emirians and the Cillades fighting around it, we were effectively grounded. Quill would not risk sending a Draax ship to Earth, not when it could be caught in the crossfire of the Emira and Cillade war.
“Are there any of our Draax on Earth currently?” Quill said.
Teo scrolled through his tablet. “Neani and Venta are in the province,” he paused and glanced at Sabrina, “I mean, the state of California. They were delivering gallberry juice to one of the hospitals. I have been in contact with them and informed them that they must arrange living quarters on Earth for now. I have sent messages to Earth’s various leaders, informing them we will not be delivering gallberry juice for the foreseeable future. As well, I have contacted the Iowa authorities regarding the thief and told them we would be unable to deliver her before she died of the cancer sickness.”
I stared at Teo in irritation. “Obviously we will cure her cancer while she is here.”
“Why would we?” Teo said. “She is a thief.”
“She is a female,” I said.
“A female who is too small to breed with,” Teo said. “Even if she was not a thief, no Draax here would breed with her. Trying to carry a Draax child would kill her, even with a constant supply of gallberry juice.”
I wanted to shake the old Draax, but he honestly meant no ill will toward the little human. He did not understand the value of human females beyond breeding capabilities.
“Not all Draax want children,” Sabrina said with a glance at me. “Besides, with this new work program in place, human women have more value than being breeders, Teo.”
Sabrina’s cheeks were flushed, and I could hear a hint of annoyance in her voice. I couldn’t blame her. She’d worked hard to convince Quill that hiring women to work on our planet, rather than just trading gallberry juice in exchange for them carrying our children, was a good idea. While Quill backed her on the new work program, it was still viewed by many Draax in the castle as a waste of human females.
“That is true, my queen,” Teo allowed. “But even those who are working in the castle are healthy and large enough to carry a Draax baby.”
Teo made a point. Every female who worked at the castle was on the bigger side with wide hips and the lush curvy body that we Draax found appealing. Quill had agreed to his queen’s idea of a work program for the females, but only on the condition that the females who worked in the palace carried the gene necessary to breed with us. Although Quill often said he could not deny Sabrina anything she asked, he could not be persuaded to allow a female who was not breeding compatible to participate in the work program.
I supposed that wasn’t completely true. There was one in the program who was not breeding compatible. The woman named Candala was a friend of Evelyn’s, and Sabrina had asked Quill to allow her to join the program as a favour to Evelyn.
“The human will be given serum and juice until she is healed,” Quill said.
“As you wish,” Teo said. “Once she is healed, I will have her sent to Iron Gate.”
“What?” I jumped up from the couch, making Jovie cry out and cling to Quill in surprise. “You are