Alien Lovers UNITE, ,
Welcome to the smuttier side of romance books with alien peens and the mates that love them.
Over the weekend, I went to my storage unit... and rediscovered ghosts of my past, from club t-shirts of every sports team I was ever on, steel drum band, plays, and the works, all the way to paperwork from my condo from well over 10 years ago, and bric-a-brac like you wouldn't believe. My hands were covered in dust and dirt from touching all of the things, and reorganizing to fit a LARGE storage into a smaller storage unit. We are trying to save money, and also just downsize in general. What are we paying the storage place to store? Mostly... junk... and yet... there is something wonderful about sorting through it all and revisiting memories. That is why despite the fact that I KNOW most of it is junk, I cannot bring myself to trash everything, because of that moment when I know I'll come back to my storage and rummage, and remember the times of the past.
This is actually WHY I do more than just press the star button when I finish reading a book. I write my thoughts on it as well, because occasionally I like to sift through my reviews and smile at the enjoyment I received from a book and remember the fun I had reading it. It's not quite the same if I don't put my thoughts down because I have a HORRIBLE memory until something SPARKS it. There are some books that I rated 5-stars in the past, and I look at that book on in my shelf and I remember that I loved the book... and yet... I don't remember the story, exactly, or what I loved about it.
So, this is a friendly reminder to share the love of a book you recently read, and make sure to create a memory of it that you can revisit another time. Not only is it nice for yourself, but it helps the author as well!
Here is what I want to read next!
Quick! L.P. Peace has her books on the low and it's ending soon! Swoop swoop! It's also on KU, and on my next to read list! <3
OVER 100+ 5-star reviews on the zon!
A Mercenary looking for a future. An escaped slave fleeing from the past. Their love will reshape worlds.
The Mercenary's Dawn is a full-length steamy SFR featuring a tenacious heroine and a possessive, but loving alpha. It also features a strong sci-fi universe, a thrilling adventure and a slow burn, enemies to lovers, story ending in a guaranteed HEA. This book is part of a larger arc and is best enjoyed as part of the series, however, it is also a complete story that can be read as a standalone.
A smuggler seeking to change his destiny. An enslaved trader desperate to go home. Can they survive the forces determined to drive them apart?
When Rhona is taken from Mars orbit by the infamous alien slave ship The Crucible, she knows she'll never see her family again. After three hundred years of stolen humans, she has every reason to hate aliens, but when she meets a sexy, horned Kathen, all of her assumptions are overturned.
Makios is a male on a mission, or he would be if he hadn't been taken by slavers. When the beautiful human female he's falling for is sold to a sadistic Amaran, Makios must save the girl, get on with his mission and help to reshape the their whole sector of space.
But with Rhona's owner determined to recapture his property, can Makios keep the woman he loves safe?
I finished reading the Alien Protector's Lady! OMG sooo good, I'm 30% through book two Alien Protector's Sunshine!
ALSO... if you have read any of the books I mention you're welcome to hit that reply button and share your love, or even join on my Sky's Smut Between the Pages FB group and share your thoughts!
OKAY, now on to author updates!
I have a couple signed copies left in the author store and they come with a free circle NSFW Mabel and Trent sticker in "Aliens do it Best" or "I read my p0rn like a f00king lady." The die-cut is also available in the author store as an add on and save on shipping by ordering them together! Save 20 prcnt when you bundle Her Alien Prince with Jewel of the Alien Bandit.
If you are enticed by the pretty, I'll just slide this link right here for you... nudge nudge. Brow wiggle. ---> https://payhip.com/BrokenBooksPublishing
I wrap it all nicely, well, okay... as best as I can, then shove it in a protective sleeve before it bounds off to its new home to whet your appetite. May your eyeballs enjoy, and your heart be full. Add the die-cut with your order and save on shipping ^_^ Buying direct puts more mullas in the pocket of the creator, instead of the big corps. Thank you for supporting indie!
Launch Week STATS!
WE DID IT!
54/50 Reviews on the ZON
We hit the review goal of the first 50+ reviews within the week of launch! With a heart bleeding 4.5 average rating! Thank you to everyone who helped with this launch by reading, reviewing, sharing, and giving of your support! Her Alien Prince is so on fire, that it's closing in on the reviews for Jewel of the Alien Bandit, which is sitting at 61 reviews!
Her Alien Prince made it up to 11,448 in the Kindle Store, #74 in Action & Adventure Romance, and #179 in Science Fiction Adventure, #225 in Science Fiction Romance! It isn't #1, but it feels like it. For an indie launch week in a new genre, with a new series, and having had no platform for this until January of this year with the launch of Jewel of the Alien Bandit, your support has really soared, and with your help I think we can get even closer to the top 100 in the Kindle Store in the next releases! I'm hard at work fixing up Her Alien Savior!
Check out some reviews that have come for Her Alien Prince!
"I love a good alien romance and this was right up there. I loved how the characters came together and the way the store played out was great! I loved how the ending played out too. Alien romances are my favorite genre or romance as of recently and this is going to be added to my āfavoritesā list. Good work!" - 5-star review from Veronica
"Love this series. This story has all the feels. All the interactions between the main characters kept me turning the pages. I want more in this world." 5-star review from Gale
OMG! I feel the love and if Katie reads this NL to this point, and sees her review here... maybe you can reply back to this email and let me know what ending would have made you squeal for joy... Mabel and Trent's story isn't quite over, and there are more stories to come... perhaps I revisit them. <3 Brow wiggle!
Check out the reviews on the zon here: https://books.steviemarie.com/heralienprince
You can add Her Alien Prince to your Goodreads here:
Her Alien Prince (Treasures of Trillume, #2) by Sky Robert | Goodreads
Dig the e-book out of your readers and read Her Alien Prince!
Share Her Alien Prince and tag me on socials ^_^
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(2) Sky Robert is writing spicy alien peen (@SkyRobertAuthor) / Twitter
I appreciate your help in shaking our asses as one large mass of alien excitement! It means a lot to indie authors like me simply to share the book around!
Thank you for being part of my launch team! And don't forget to drop on by the Facebook group: Sky's Smut Between the Pages: Sky's Smut Between The Pages | Facebook
Chat soon!
~Sky (Author of stuff and things, mom of humans in training, including my husband.)
https://linktr.ee/skyrobertromances
PS: Did you enjoy this email?
PSS: Countdown Kindle Deal on Blood Crescent and the divine series has ended and I'm happy to say that the series made it to #3 in Myth and Legend in the Kindle Store! And #11 in Paranormal Vampire Romance! Over 450+ downloads for Blood Crescent, and I hope that you'll take a bit of time to read and enjoy the book! I know the allure of free can sometimes be more of a "collection" addiction, and most of those downloads will never be read. That's okay, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that you may be deliciously frustrated by Chrystal and come to root for her and get sucked into the adventure as she discovers herself and her strength.
I created Chrystal because I find her to be very relatable, not necessarily as I am now, but how I used to feel as a teenager, confused and just following what life threw at me, following what my parents said, what my teachers said, what everone else tells me... until I realized... OMG... this isn't my life... it's theirs. This revelation completely turned my life around, as it does for Chrystal as well.
Don't we all start off this way? Weak, following, letting life toss us around until we take a modicum of control for ourselves and our lives? When we discover we have more power than what others tell us we do... that is when we truly live and become the gods/goddesses of our own actions.
Check out the divine series on Kindle Unlimited or grab it for cheaps during this week's countdown deal! https://steviemarie.com/divine
And for those of you who always scroll to the end of a NL, you're welcome!
If you were waiting for Her Alien Savior to be available for Pre-order on the zon instead of at my author store! It's open for pre-orders now! And for those of you who want to read the book early, you can still grab the book in my Author Store: https://payhip.com/BrokenBooksPublishing And it will be sent to you through Bookfunnel once I'm done editing! You'll receive it at the same time ARC readers do! No need to wait until launch of October 1st, 2023.
But if you don't mind the anticipation, and you like having your book auto delivered to your Kindle with all your sweet sweet formatting perks of a Kindle direct download, then pre-order here:
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Alien-Savior-Romance-Warriors-ebook/dp/B0C431MSSY
PSS: Catch up with Book One Jewel of the Alien Bandit! Now with over 50 reviews on the zon with a 4.5 average rating on Kindle Unlimited!
Read on Kindle Unlimited: https://books.steviemarie.com/jotab
Listen to Jewel of the Alien Bandit on Audible:
Happy Reading!
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READING TIME
Her Alien Prince
Chapter One
Mabel
Three loh jewels: one tiny jewel on my forehead and two larger ones on my shoulder blades. That's it. That's all I had to absorb the moon's radiation. Because of that I'd grown small and weak in the eyes of my peers. No male had looked at me with more than pleasant acknowledgement, since coming of age to participate in the mating ceremony.
They weren't mean, not overtly.
I was simply ignored, and it wasn't difficult to be distracted by more accomplished estrelds that glowed in the moon's light.
The mating ceremony had been open to off-worlders for twenty cycles now. I didn't even know who my father was. Nor did I really care to. I'm different from most multi-species because female offspring usually take more after estreld genetics, having just as many loh to absorb the moon's rays as their mothers. Me, well, I only have three.
Three lohā¦ and a freckle on my temple that glowed sometimes.
It was a sign of health to have many loh and, since most female offspring took after their mothers... Well, it wouldn't be wise to choose someone like me with so few loh to help an offspring grow and be strong. With the only mother I knew gone, the craving to have a family of my own burned inside like a cyclone of sand that my skin could hardly contain. I was one of many to my mother. She ran the offspring training center, raising hundreds, thousands even, of young. My only chance to raise even one would be to lure an off-worlder during the mating ceremony this cycle.
This year was my chance. According to all of my research as part of the M.R., Mating Research, team there has been a great correlation between offspring and an estreld's twentieth renewal cycle. Iāll be twenty cycles this mating season, one of the first offspring spawn from an off-worlder. There was bad data collection that first cycle. My estreld foster mother didn't even know what species my father was, and my birth motherā¦ well, it was easy enough to disappear into the fabric of duties and never return to the training center again. She could be anyone.
Sometimes, Iād look into the faces of females as they passed, searching for similarities between them and myself. Paying close attention to whether they were taking pity on the girl that had few loh, or if there was something more. Guilt, perhaps? It was foolish, and over the years I cared less about finding either parent. There were many to get to know, and there were many who faded the same way my blood parents did. Estreld males took turns caring after me in hopes of becoming my foster mom's sired mate. She never chose any of them. And I learned not to get too attached to any of them.
"Mabel, I'm glad you're here," Elder Ezra said without looking up from her microscope scanner. "I have your results back from your egg samples. Every estreld is required to be examined before participating in the ceremony, as you know."
She was always very clinical in the way she spoke about the mating ceremony. The future of our species depended on her, and she relied on my data collection from other estrelds by interviewing them before, during, and after mating. That was my job. The more we knew about the intangibles, the more it could guide Ezra's research on the offspring decline.
I correlated the data, and provided statistical probabilities of the likelihood of factors contributing to successful offspring.
"Did you do the tests yourself?" I asked.
Pressing her lips together flat, never a good sign, she clicked off her tablet. Again, not a good sign, prying her away from her work was never easy. Ezra took a deep breath preparing herself, she had never been great with the communication bit of her job. That's why she relied on me to do the social interaction necessary for the job.
"I reran the tests several times myself after hoping there was a mistake with the synthesizer. I wanted to inform you personally before Almder summoned you, as all results are automatically uploaded for her this close to the ceremony. She likes to review them personally and verify electronic data with verbal acknowledgements to confirm their accuracy." She was rambling and relying on facts to help her get through what she needed to say. My heart pounded in my chest, waiting for her to reveal what needed her direct attention. This build up didn't do me any favors, but I couldn't blame Ezra for that. "Mabel, you know as well as I do that we've yet to see any estreld establish offspring with no endometrium to attach to. There is simply no place for the eggs to secure themselves should they fall."
"What are you saying?" My voice quivered with fear for what I knew she would say but didn't want her to confirm. This would mean I failed my examination and would be disqualified from joining the mating ceremony.
"Mabel, if you meet a compatible mate... you would be risking your life. Dropping your eggs without a lining is dangerous. They could try to attach anywhere to seek purchase, and that anywhere could kill you and the unborn offspring. The safest thing for us to do would be to remove your sack from beneath your shoulder glands. You could still have some fun without risking your life," she explained.
I stared at her, stunned. I was twenty cycles... Perfect estreld age for offspring, for starting a family, and she wanted to remove my eggs. Gulping back my fear, I asked, "There's no way to wait until they drop and then safely transfer them to someone else? Or perhaps keep the eggs and test to find a compatible donor to incubate?"
Her eyes lowered and distracted themselves with a spot on the wall, not wishing to look at me directly. "So much technology," she said wistfully. "So much advancement, but I can't risk it. I can't risk you. Of course, there are tools out there," she motioned to the stars outside of Estreldez, "but we don't have an alliance with Trillume directly. We are on the outskirts of the galaxy. Everything we get outside of our planet is from Krelis, and we can't risk trade with Necias Delta Fal. They are outlaws from even their own kind. There's no telling when trill enforcers will return to bring order to this sector, or if we even want them to."
"What do you mean, āif we even want them toā?" My eyes were stinging as I held back my emotions about being told I was broken. That I wouldn't have a family of my own.
Ezra quieted when she leaned in to say, "Sometimes being left alone is better than the cost of being 'helped'."
But the trill could help me, I thought rebelliously. "Allow me some time to process this," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt. I knew she would want to perform the surgery to remove my egg sack sooner, rather than risk meeting a compatible mate when all the off-worlders joined shortly. Their ships were already orbiting our largest moon, and they'd be landing once their examinations were verified. It was my job to interview the mating candidates, and Ezra wouldn't want me around any mates if I might be compatible.
"Please return before the ceremony begins," she directed, her usual monotone, business-as-usual voice back in place.
I left the labs and went to meet with the leader of Estreldez, Almder, to see if I could get her approval to continue being her advisor despite my new status as infertile. There was more at risk besides not being able to have my own offspring; my whole career was on the line. Not only was I half estreld and half unknown, I only had three loh and had now failed my mating exam. I would be cast to a new position outside the palace, because it would be seen as a bad omen to have a mating advisor to be infertile. Perhaps I could convince Almder that I could at least train my replacement for a time being.
When I arrived at the central alcove carved from black tarnpul deposits to focus the moon's rays, Almder was busy speaking with a tall male with blonde hair... and horns. A krelin... in such close proximity to our leader, and her guards so far away? Whatever concerns I had for myself vanished as I watched with curiosity and a bit of fear. Luan would be appalled to see such trust shown to the krelins after what they pulled with our last import trade. Iād worked so hard to become an advisor to be of use to Luan when she took over as Almder one day. We were going to change Estreldez together. She'd risk going to the trill to help our planet, if need be. I knew she would.
"And the queen has agreed to this already?" Almder asked the krelin representative.
"Queen Kai seeks resolution to the tension between our trade agreements. It is reasonable to believe sharing biological ties between our species will bridge the gap we've found ourselves falling into of late. Krelin warriors are growing restless with our increased male population and are in need of females to calm their minds.
āAs you well know, the hive shares a connection that all of Krelis feeds from. Many do not have the patience nor the desire to cull that connection when it overwhelms their sense of self. This has caused avarice to spread through the hive, infecting many warriors with a need to claim more than what is owed to them. Our export ships have taken advantage of their supply, and, without something for them to latch onto, they will continue to increase their efforts."
"Are you threatening Estreldez?" Almder thundered back, and I took a step back, feeling the increased tension in the room.
"Of course not. I am merely stating facts. I aim to prove the krelins are compatible mates with your females and promise you peace should you grant me the opportunity to prove the same to my species. To all of Krelis. Give me time with a strong leader of your clan. Should she reject me, I will respect her decision to do so." He bent down on a knee and bowed his head to Almder. It was very unlike a krelin to posture themselves in such a manner. To bow to someone other than their own queen was unheard of. It was almost like begging for them; their pride would never allow it, but there he was, kneeling at my Almder's feet.
"Very well," Almder conceded. "You've proven yourself to be reasonable for your species, and I agree with your queen that a union between our clans would solidify peace for many generations. I will allow you to join the ceremony, since you've passed all of our examinations. However, as you said, the final decision is not yours. It belongs to any female that is compatible with you. I will even grant you a single offering to spend some time with our strongest female this mating cycle, on the condition that you discuss other ways our clans may seek peace together once a union is formed."
"Agreed." The krelin male stood, and his back muscles flexed and bulged before straightening. He clicked his tongue, making noises that bounced within the stone carved dome. "You have company," he said without turning to see me there.
"One of my advisors," Almder explained my presence, and I flushed with embarrassment at not removing myself as soon as I saw she was already with someone. Something about the krelin made my feet plant where they were, and all I could do was stare. All I saw was the back of his head, but he was very handsome. I shouldn't have thought like that at all, considering what he was, but my skin heated as I watched his shoulder blades move, and I gasped as I noticed something reflective that shifted along the leather strap across his back. He wore armor coverings all overāexcept for keeping his back exposedābut as the moon's light moved across him, it was almost like there were iridescent bones twitching as he moved. How could no one else see this?
He had wings!
Only the most powerful of the krelin warriors had wings, the ones that led the armies of their fleets. Not a single delegate had ever come to Estreldez with wings before. He was escorted out of the alcove by one of Loric's best trained guards, Gaven. Whenever Loric went off-world, he always took Gaven with him. It was a relief to see they wouldn't give the krelin free range around the palace.
Golden eyes captured me as the krelin passed, and like one of the glilor reptiles near the waterholes they blinked with a second lid that watched me with curiosity. I sidestepped and plowed towards the Almder with purpose, not wanting to embarrass the Almder further, should the krelin think I didn't belong amongst dignitaries. Of course, he'd have been right. I shouldn't have been here while she was discussing diplomacy with Krelis, but I was an advisor, and I wouldn't shame the Almder by letting the krelin know I wasn't summoned.
It wouldnāt be the first time Iād gone somewhere I wasnāt supposed to. The trading post on the farthest moon, a favorite of my excursions, was where I acquired nectar from a krelin called the Chief. The thought was almost enough to distract me from what I was doing here to begin with.
"Almder," I addressed, bowing my head. Her crystal, silver eyes dulled as she shook her head at me. As soon as the doors closed behind Gaven and the krelin with a thud, I cringed.
"I understand why you are here." She sounded sad. "You've always been like a seventh daughter to me," she explained, and my heart sank even farther into my gut. Luan was her only living daughter. Five others did not survive gestation. To be her seventh daughter was a great honor, and the sadness in her tone broke me. All I've ever wanted was family. Luan and my Almder were all I had left.
"I didn't mean to interruptā"
She stopped me from continuing with a lift of her hand, I bowed my head once more to accept whatever punishment she saw fit for my intrusion. I took liberties with my role as advisor because of her affections. Being around her daughter since we were offspring, made me feel like I was family. A point that was often dismissed by others, but it was times like this one where the Almder looked at me with those caring silver eyes that I believed it to be true.
"Mabel, I received your exam report this morning.ā I flinched at the quick shift in the conversation. āThis was going to be your first official ceremony as a participant, and not merely as a researcher for the M.R. team, and I recall how excited I once was as a fledgling into mating age. This must be extremely tough news to take, but I've already discussed things with Elder Ezra. Your life is priority, not that of life yet to form." Almder stood from her black, polished throne of tarnpul, carved with intricate murals of our history at her back.
Wearing flowing, black robes of the sheerest threads so as not to hinder her absorption of the moon's rays, Almderās every jewel shone and gave her an ethereal glow no other estreld but Luan, her own daughter, could match. She was mesmerizing to watch. So much so, I could forget why I was there, and why so much sadness tainted the brilliance of her eyes for me.
She bent her knees to be eye level with me, her delicate, long fingers leaned on her thighs. I was shorter than most femalesāa runt. It was unusual for the Almder to stoop for anyone, let alone someone like me, yet she still did it so gracefully and maintained a regality about her.
Almder continued, "It is the strongest of us that must bear the heartiest of burdens. It was not long after Luan that I was told the very same thing. I did not listen to my elders, and I suffered such great loss of sons and daughters I will not meet again until the end of my days. Their lives cut short before they even began.
"The souls of your offspring are out there in the stars. You need not suffer their loss, but embrace their new futures in their next life, as we all return to the moon's dust, and are born anew. Mabel, I will not make you relive this feeling with every mate you interview. Hearing of the futures you will now not be able to obtain yourself; it is a burden I will not add to one I care for so deeply. I will devise a suitable position after you've had time to process this new phase of your life."
Her arms wrapped around my shoulders, and she kissed the top of my head as she would her own daughter. A warmth from her radiation flooded from her loh and through my body, giving me all of her love and a great sense of comfort, though I knew it was temporary relief from the weight building in the carved out cavity that once held my heart.
My Almder, my second mother, was removing me from my position as advisor of the mating research team. I feared this would be a possibility, but I didnāt think it would happen so soon. After the ceremony perhaps, as all of our resources were stretched to the limit with the largest off-worlder invite to date.
I was not only told I could not participate in the mating ceremony I had been eagerly anticipating this cycle, but I lost the very position I had worked so hard for, despite not having many loh and being deemed weak and small.
Where would I go? What would I do?
Would I be sent outside of the palace?
Would the only family I had left send me outside of the city in some misguided attempt to keep me from harm? I was stronger than that. I was good at my job.
No, I thought with anger brewing deep in my gut, I was more than good. I was her best research advisor when it came to finding correlations in the efficacy of successful matings. Since I joined the team, our spawn rates have been steadily increasing. Marginally, but my research was bringing more offspring into the world. I knew it was.
But what proof did I have? Many could simply dismiss the small increases to other changes in the program. What proof was there that it was because of my efforts directly?
"My Almderā¦ I can still do my job," I insisted, and she pulled away.
"I wouldn't hear of it," she dismissed as if she were doing me a favor, and perhaps she thought she was doing me a kindness.
"Please..." I choked, feeling the pressure build up behind my eyes. Fresh tears threatened to shed themselves at her feet.
She smiled warmly, pity in her silver eyes. "Take some time to consider your options. We can discuss after the ceremony."
That was the best I was going to get for now. I bowed and backed away. A sob struggled free from my throat, and I didn't want her to hear me cry. She would only use it as more evidence she was doing what was right. I was processing more than one kind of loss, and I'd already pressed more than any other estreld would dare with the Almder once she'd made a decision. My short legs walked briskly back the way Iād come. By the time I reached the doors, I felt close to running. The guards slid the doors aside for me, and water sloshed from my unruly eyes. I wiped away at them vigorously before colliding with Luan.
I cleared my throat to calm myself. Luan's hands grabbed my shoulders, but I kept my head lowered to hide my flushed cheeks with the strands of black hair that had escaped from my tie.
"Mabel?" she asked, gaining my attention with her silver eyes wide. They were so much like her mother's that it broke me further before Almder summoned her inside.
Forcing a smile to my lips, I shook my head at Luan dismissing my behavior, and rushed down the hall to be alone. I could hear Almder's voice carry through the halls before the doors closed, "Mabel has been informed by the M.R. that she is no longer eligible..."
My throat choked up as I steadied myself against the wall. If only it were as simple as Almder's words. Joining the ceremony was my chance to build something all my own. But my heart broke into painful shards that split and cut their way down my icy veins from the knowledge that it wasnāt just a family lost, but my very purpose on this planet. Iād been dismissed from my duties to help the clan in the only way I knew how. Would I even be an advisor after this ceremony? Was Almder telling Luan at this very moment that I would no longer be acting as mating research advisor? How would the optics look, having an advisor being infertile? Broken?
"Those tests." Loric's voice startled me, and I wiped at my eyes once more, hardening myself for a conversation I didn't want to deal with. He was the Pride of Estreldez, Almder's favorite advisor on security and off-worlder politics. Loric had a lot of sway with Almder, and I had no choice but to listen to what he had to say. Running away from Luan was one thing; she was distracted, and, even though she'd be the next Almder one day, she was my friend, and she'd understand my need for some time to process before talking with her.
"I can still do my job, Loric. It isn't a debilitating diagnosis," I interrupted with a determination driving me to defend myself from being removed from the M.R. team.
His face softened. With a kindness he was known for throughout Estreldez, he nodded before replying, "I know how much you wanted a family. Luan spoke many times of solving the food shortage with Krelis being our main trade, so your offspring need only worry how to sneak out of the palace when she was watching them for you. You and Luan will always be family."
I sniffled, once more feeling my emotions overflow. It touched my heart to know Luan spoke of our futures together. I knew she relied on me to divert some of the attention away from her mating by spawning enough young for the both of us. She feared she'd be just like the Almder, like many of our clan, and have trouble conceiving. Stillbirths, miscarriages, and... infertility.
Almder would be even more insistent on Luan mating this cycle with my exam results on her mind.
"Perhaps, she'll have enough for the both of us," I replied lightly, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"What I was going to say," he glanced over his shoulder to the window that looked over the palace gardens, "those tests aren't conclusive. The scientists can only work with the data they are given. Much is still incalculable. Elder Nen has spoken of how our loh are capable of healing great wounds when their essence is complete."
Covering my mouth, I chuckled through a hiccup. "Loric, I never knew you were such a romantic. It isn't often these days I hear an estreld speak of the fated mate bond, even in all the interviews I've had over the last few years."
He cleared his throat. "Yes, well, you scientist types tend to overlook the undefinable. Even Elder Ezra explains the fated mate bond in technical terms of pheromones and chemistry compatibility ratios, describing it as a reaction between two compositions."
"Well, isn't it?" I lifted a brow, already smirking at the welcomed distraction from my own issues.
Loric folded his firm arms over his exposed chest. His blue skin was covered in loh jewels, more than even our toughest warriors, a sign of his strength with the moon. Any female would be drooling to have his attention, but I'd grown up with him. His eyes were always on Luan. Whatever attraction I had for him when I was young was long since buried as I resolved that one day Luan would realize heād always been there for her. The Pride and the Jewel of Estreldez were the perfect match. Both of them worked so hard to help the planet in their own ways.
"Our loh are more than simply biological compositions," he said impassioned. "They are our connection with the moon, with our own souls. You can explain away the warmth as radiation energy conversion, but you can't explain the fact that it feels different for every estreld. When the Almder shares her radiation with us, it isn't merely her energy, it is her essence, her soul, speaking to us. Wishing us well. Giving of her love for her clan. You cannot tell me it feels the same when the scientists share loh energy with you versus when Almder shares it, or even when Luan shares it?"
The way he said Luan's name towards the end, I could sense the way his mood shifted to a different kind of passion. Ever since Luan had led the ceremony the last two cycles, Loric has been even more eager to have her participate. His loh glowed even brighter, and he was certain to be fertile this cycle if she joined.
Being curious, I'd already snuck a peek in the M.R. lab to compare their files. They were a very close match. Nearly perfect.
I never told either of them; regardless, it was their decision to mate or not.
"You're right," I placated him, but it didn't change my results, "it does feel different. Any scientist will tell you that we can't prove anything. All we can say is our data has yet to be disproven."
"Mabel," he chided, knowing I was deflecting. He was just trying to give me hope, but even that would be gone the moment Elder Ezra removed my egg sack for my safety.
"Fine. Until new data disproves historical results, there is a lack of evidence that some fated mate out there could heal a lack of lining to help support viable spawning of offspring." There was more bite to my statement than I intended, but it was a bitter hope to cultivate, knowing Estreldez didn't have the technology to do anything but perform preventative measures for my health. Estreldez didn't...
"I can already see the glorbins swirling in your mind. You are not like Elder Ezra, simply taking data for fact. Perhaps you need only find that new data yourself," he encouraged, then left me with my thoughts to go join Luan in the Almder's alcove.
My eyes were puffy, but who was I trying to impress? I rushed to the transport control to meet with Hazel, the lead advisor of the shuttle and space traffic control. She knew everyone and could help me find some potential off-worlders to interview. Until Almder officially removed me from my position as an advisor on the M.R. team, I still had complete access to all mate candidates.
Chapter Two
Trent
My wings bristled behind me. They refracted light, camouflaged until necessary. I didnāt know the exact science of how each wing had its own frequency that created some kind of temporal hole in the way our eyes perceived wavelengths, but I didnāt need to. Many couldnāt see them when they were folded back. It was uncomfortable to restrain the leathery weapons, but that's exactly what they were, and it didn't help political matters to display them unless my intention was to intimidate. Estreldez was running out of time with my queen. She was set on conquering this land for the quarry deposits of the rare Ordin Crystal, which the estrelds called Glorbin Flower. I had very little time to sway the hive of Krelis away from forceful takeover. My queen has been busy stirring up the warriorsā interests in the many females of this planet as our own females dwindle in number.
A cunning maneuver, but I'd use it against my queenās interests. If my plans succeeded in swaying the leader of Estreldez, I could convince the hive that the females would be available for their mating needs without invading. I would claim a strong mate for myself and prove to all, bonds can be formed without taking things by force. In time, even what my queen seeks will be hers by other means. The Ordin deposits can be negotiated, and our own warriors will aid in the extraction.
Finding a strong mate on Estreldez was my last resort to preventing the hive from following my queen's plans to invade.
Even now, I could feel the buzz in my head of royal influence trying to dig around in my mind seeking out my motivations. Like the nits that eat the molt before we add it to the hewve lard to preserve it for transport. Swat at them, and they scatter. My queen never did like my preference for disconnection, independence. Most warriors welcomed the intrusion and the several pleasure glands that activated when the queen, in particular, gave attention.
I was anything but a sycophant, stroking the glands as the queen's tendrils of influence wormed through their minds. There were plenty of other ways to relieve myself; listening to her 'check in on meā wasn't it. Since the last potential queen of our hive died of the Molt Fever without gifting the hive with spawn, my queen has become increasingly desperate to appease the hiveās needs. No matter the cost.
The one I needed was Luan, the Jewel of Estreldez and future Almder of the clan. With her at my side, I could sway the hive, and she could lead both of our planets to victory against the coming war. There wasn't much time; Necias Delta Fal had already sensed the impending change in this sector of the universe, and many of their warships were approaching Estreldez, even as I knelt at the Almder's feet.
King Sylve had the same idea as our Queen Kai. Conquer Estreldez, gain control of the exports, and leverage against the trill. My queen had no intention of me finding a mate while here. Participation in the mating ritual was all a guise for me to acquire intel on how best to invade, but I had different plans.
My back bristled and I clucked my tongue to confirm the occupants of the room. I was a commander of the Krelis war fleet, first and foremost, and that feeling had never failed me in any battle I'd fought. The vibrations made it back to my hornsā receptors, as I suspected, another had joined my meeting with the Almder.
I informed the leader of Estreldez, "You have company." It was preferable to distract her from our conversation as I had already received her permission to court her daughter, though not in so many words.
Whoever this newcomer was, they were not unwelcome. A softness filled the graying eyes of the Almder. My wings flexed as I rose to my feet from prostrating before the Almder in hopes she would trust that I wasn't as prideful as my queen. It was merely good politics to show my respect. Kneeling before her did not diminish my strength, nor my reputation among my warriors.
My second in command, Gho-ran, would agree, though he may not find it as easy to bear with a smile on his face. At no point in our time together had Gho-ran ever knelt at my feet, nor would I ever ask it of him. He was prideful, and popular with my warriors. Often, he was more dismissive of circumstances than I would like of a second, but he had never let me down either.
A hum lingered in my horns that I couldn't shake since Iād scanned the room. It wasn't all that unpleasant like a warmth that spread from my horns to my toes. It reminded me of when my mother was less concerned with the hive's wellbeing and still proud of her first born. It had been a while since I'd had the touch of a female and being in a room full of them had me susceptible to a kind of nostalgia I'd rather forget. It was as good a timing as any to be in need of that touch when courting Luan to be my mate. Perhaps, finding an estreld attractive would be easier than I had once thought.
Iād made the decision to seek Luan as my mate the moment Iād caught my Chief of Trade smuggling home-brewed nectar at the trading station on Estreldezās farthest moon, Bina. They had chatted like old friends, and I felt like I knew her. Having never seen her directly, it was an odd feeling to have. I was worried over the disruptions of trade and I didnāt need to be. Smiling at that thought, of course the future Almder of Estreldez would already be crafty in her efforts to keep peace between our planets. Then and there, I knew sheād make a wonderful queen.
Turning to take my leave, I spotted the guest. She too stirred an excitement within me I hadn't known was possible outside of the hive. Stunning. Her eyes were as green as the mountain tops of Krelis, and so bright. A roguish tie couldnāt keep her black tresses secured, strands fell across her face obscuring those green gems as she commanded the space to stride past me without another glance my direction. Were all the females of Estreldez so fierce? I smiled to myself, looking forward to meeting Luan at the mating ceremony tomorrow.
I caught the movement of my escort, a warrior called Gaven, as he glanced over his shoulder back at the female whoād passed. It could simply be part of his training to assess all surroundingsāestrelds didn't have horns to sense this themselvesābut I felt myself tense at the extra attention he was giving to this advisor. Who was she?
The doors closed behind us, and whatever I saw on his features was expertly masked with a stoney expression.
"We will introduce all eligible mates during tomorrowās ceremony. Until then, you may rest in your assigned quarters, or be escorted around the palace gardens," he said, clearly indicating that he would be with me at all times during my stay, aside from when I was guarded within my quarters. At least the estrelds weren't completely ignorant to my potential betrayal. I'd have been disappointed if they weren't a bit cautious with my proposed peace agreement.
"Wonderful, and will you be joining the ceremony as well?" I knew he wouldn't be. He would always be within striking distance of me, or someone he trusted to do so. Seeing how he reacted to conversation was important to help me know who I was dealing with. I needed to know whether there were things I could take advantage of, or if he would be a hindrance to my successful mating with their future leader. My mission wouldn't be well received by all of Estreldez, just as it wouldn't be easy to sway the mind of the hive without a powerful mate.
He said nothing. We kept walking as he guided me to what I assumed would be my living quarters for the time being.
So, he was that type. That could be a good thing, if he was more focused on his job and less on intervention. It also meant it was unlikely he would leave any openings in his duty to keep me observed during my stay.
Passing the gardens, I noticed that the windows throughout the hall gave an ample view of the collection of foliage and rock. The palace was a fascinating structure that appeared carved from tarnpul and a strange dusky white stone that must have been one of the few tough minerals they didn't eat on this planet. A moon stone of some kind the estrelds held in high regard, called pan. Such a strange term; there wasn't really a translation in Krelis.
The whole palace was a large, open air dome with the center garden connecting it all. Weather on this planet was humid, making my wings feel sticky and creating the urge to unfurl them to feel even the slightest wind. It would provide relief from the heat that reminded me of the hatcheries for our spawn... suffocating. Though that was to be expected by keeping on my armor while all the estreld, even the warrior at my side, wore a sheer fabric barely covering much at all.
Estrelds were like walking radiation packs. The windows were everywhere to not only let in the moon's rays but amplify them. Their bodies were capable of storing the radiation and utilizing it in blasts that could char the skin or even morph those pretty jewels into vicious weapons. I grinned. Yes, they were beautifully deceptive in their lack of clothing. It meant nothing of their defenselessness. Krelins were merely lucky that their radiation was harmless unless harnessed with a focused precision. Even their moons were armed with nanonets that could refocus the radiation at will and, with great accuracy, melt an invading warship. It wasn't flawless, though.
"While I'm here, I thought it prudent to take care of other matters before the ceremony. Would you care to escort me to the import station? There is supposed to be a final exchange planned before the rest of the off-worlders are granted access tomorrow. I'd like to overlook the process and make sure there are no incidents."
"We'll have to have it cleared with the head of transportation. The meet is on our farthest moon, Bina, as you already knew."
"Yes, it should keep us busy for the evening."
Gaven quirked a brow in curiosity. "You have no desire to snoop around the palace or sneak off to the quarries?" There was disbelief in his tone. He had expected some kind of subterfuge, which was what my queen wanted of me, but I fully intended to make sure the final trade exchange between our planets didn't screw up my plans to secure the future leader of Estreldez as my mate. I had suspicions of my own that my queen would have backup plans in place that didn't involve waiting to see what kind of intel would come her way.
"Should make your job easier," I said with humor.
He grunted, unconvinced. The warrior was right to be skeptical; I had no idea what we might be getting ourselves into by checking on this shipment. It could be nothing, or it could be an ambush that would take advantage of the stretched resources due to the mating ceremony and the influx of off-worlder ships surrounding the largest moon.
It was possible my future mate would be checking on the exchange, since my Chief of Trade had informed me of her increased visits to secure more nectar, and the last time she was absentā¦ Ong decided that everything was solved with his crew and didnāt oversee the trade directly. Mistakes were made that could jeopardize the peace we were both working towards.
I could say that my desire to make sure this exchange went smoothly was solely for peace, but a part of me knew that I hoped the future Queen of Krelis, my mate, would be there, and I could finally see her in person, instead of through Ong.
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