Wexxon the Great Alien Warrior - Juno Wells Page 0,21

response. “No. Not really. I think we just…place less value in those who die.”

“On Xelxar, we are all equals until we enter the arena.” Palqeet took a few steps closer to me, her eyes looking me up and down. “Is this all he gave you to wear?”

“…Yes.” A wave of embarrassment made its way through me as I took note of the clothes Palqeet was draped in, the wrapped toga around her frame seemingly drenched in glitter and gold, the diamonds that hung around her neck.

Why didn’t Wexxon choose her as his wife?

Palqeet was clearly a woman of means, and from the way she was quietly sizing me up right now, she had just as much social grace and tact as him, too, an ability to figure people out before they’d even uttered more than a few words her way.

Fuck.

They could’ve been a match made in heaven.

“Are you one of…” My question trailed off before I had a chance to get the rest of it out. “Were you and Wexxon ever…”

“Were we lovers?” Palqeet grinned. “No. Not to offend you, Rachel—I know that he is now your husband—but Wexxon was never quite my type. Now, his brother, on the other hand…”

“Wexxon has a brother?”

“Reddin,” she answered before letting out a small sigh. “A mighty warrior. But one I’m sure I’ll never see again.”

“Why not?” I pressed. “What happened to Wexxon’s brother?”

“I don’t understand how he could bring you here and not offer you a closet of clothes,” Palqeet casually changed the subject. “Here. Come with me.”

“Where are we going?” I asked. “I don’t know if…I think I’m supposed to stay in the room.”

“And do you always do whatever a male tells you to do?” Palqeet chuckled again. “My, oh my. No wonder Wexxon is so taken with you. He always did want a little doll that came to life.”

“A little doll that came to life, huh?” I smirked at Palqeet’s teasing comment. “Fine. We’ll see who’s the little doll.”

I then brushed right by Palqeet before I stepped out of the room. And soon enough, I heard Palqeet’s footsteps following right behind me, nearly matching my own, step for step.

“Xelxar males are so impatient,” Palqeet whined as I sat down in a chair. She was standing right behind me, with several tools I didn’t recognize, although I had a feeling they were supposed to be used on my body and hair. Thankfully, I had a full view of her from the mirror that was situated right in front of me. Although, unfortunately, the mirror provided me with a full view of myself, too.

I looked awful.

There were bags underneath my eyes, and even though I’d been able to scrub off all the dirt on my body after Palqeet taught me how to turn on the faucets in the castle showers, I still looked like I’d been through hell. Even as Palqeet ran her fingers through my long, brown hair, I slightly despised the woman looking back at me in the mirror, especially when I compared her to a woman as graceful as Palqeet.

I wasn’t good enough for this castle. I wasn’t good enough for Wexxon.

And I wasn’t good enough for this kind of spoiling and pampering, either.

“I once went out with this castle guard who wanted me to accept his marriage proposal the next day. And after just one date!” Palqeet scoffed before she brought a beige cloth down across my chest, covering my naked frame. “Can you believe it? I swear, they’re getting more intense about this stuff every year.”

“Wexxon married me after our first date,” I tried to make conversation with her as she ran her fingers through my hair yet again. “I mean, we didn’t really have a first date, per se. But the first night we met, he decided to take me to the church.”

“Oh, but that’s different.” Palqeet beamed. “From what I hear from Grindeem, Wexxon was taken with you.”

“What does that mean?” I asked. “Taken? Why’d you say it like that?”

“You don’t know about the connection?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Palqeet.”

“He didn’t tell you? That scoundrel!” Palqeet laughed as she spoke. “It’s something we on Xelxar feel for our mates, or at least, the people we think are meant to be our mates. Of course, things don’t always work out, but connections, much like love, are able to be fostered and grow. And when you are close enough, you’ll be able to feel each other in the wind.”

“That sounds…”

“Magical?”

“Obsessive,” I offered.

And Palqeet laughed