King of Eon by Anna Hackett ePUB)

Chapter Two

“Istill don’t believe this is the best course of action.”

Gayel refrained from rolling his eyes. Across from him, Adlyn leaned against the wall. She didn’t refrain from tipping her eyes toward the ceiling.

Gayel eyed his advisor. “Councilor Tann-Felis, the candidates are about to land. I’ve already committed to taking a Terran bride.”

The councilor straightened. He had the height of a warrior, but he’d gone soft around the middle. He wore voluminous robes of a traditional Eon style. He’d been an advisor to Gayel’s father. He was pompous, stuffy, set in his ways, and often annoying, but he had a good grasp of Eon law.

“They are…an inferior species,” Councilor Tann-Felis said with a sniff.

“They are resilient, ingenious, and creative. Not to mention, brave. And several of our best warriors now have Terran mates. We’ve had more matings these past few months with Terrans than the Empire has seen in years. They are staunch allies in the fight against the Kantos.”

Councilor Tann-Felis looked like he’d bit into a tart nara fruit.

The sound of a shuttle flying overhead filtered through the room. Gayel glanced through the window and watched the Terran shuttle sweep in to land.

“Let’s go.” He strode out of the room, and seconds later stepped outside. As he walked down a stone walkway, the sun shone bright overhead. The palace sprawled over the side of a hill, made of a gleaming white-gray stone.

The city of Auris filled the valley below. His gaze slid over the domes of the Warrior Academy, the universities, and the Academy of Science.

Gayel lifted his chin and watched the shuttle land in a courtyard below.

He felt a trickle of…not excitement. Resignation.

He stomped on it. As he’d told Councilor Tann-Felis, he’d committed to this course of action. He was a king. He acted with certainty and authority, even if he wished some things could be different.

Adlyn and his other personal guard, Ryphen, flanked him. The councilor joined the other advisors following behind.

Duty. Gayel had a duty to his people, and he’d carry it out without hesitation.

The side of the shuttle opened, and a man in a Space Corps uniform of dark blue stepped out.

Then the women exited.

They…looked like a flock of multicolored vin’a found at the lake where Gayel had played as a child. The birds were generally a nuisance.

The women oohed and ahhed, looking around the palace courtyard.

Even from a distance, the mix of their perfumes hit his enhanced senses. He kept his face straight. It wasn’t pleasant.

He let his gaze run over them. They were attractive, in many combinations. One woman with golden hair caught his gaze and gave him a wide smile, her own gaze running over his body.

Several people stepped off the shuttle and he guessed these would be the visiting leaders from Earth.

“Welcome to Eon. I’m King Gayel Solann-Eon.”

At that moment, another woman stepped off the shuttle, her body fluid and her steps light.

She was tall, athletic, and clad in the same dark Space Corps uniform as the other officer. She straightened and lifted her head.

Their gazes met.

Hot, electric.

Gayel straightened, and saw the woman frown. She had sharp, attractive features, dark-brown hair that was almost black, and tied back in a long braid. Her eyes were a golden brown.

This woman reminded him of the lake hawks. Silent, still, perched in the branches by the water, ready to attack their prey.

Adlyn cleared her throat and Gayel pulled his gaze away from the woman. He looked back at his potential brides.

“I look forward to meeting you all, and getting to know you better. And of course, showing you my homeworld. The Eon greatly value our alliance with Earth.”

He glanced back at the Space Corps woman. She was helping another heavily pregnant woman off the shuttle.

Eve. He smiled.

A chorus of fluttery sighs came from the group of women.

“Tonight, we’ll hold a welcome dinner in the main palace courtyard to welcome you all here. For now, I’ll have the palace steward show you to your quarters.”

He waved the steward forward. Camara was an older woman with steel-gray hair, who had run the palace like clockwork since Gayel was a child.

“This way, please,” Camara said.

Gayel headed toward Eve.

One woman, with dark skin, short, black hair, and a long, slender body grabbed his arm.

“It’s so amazing to be here. I really look forward to getting to know you really well.”

Gayel inclined his head. He saw the stark ambition in her gaze and crossed this one off his list.

He wanted a partner. One who would care about serving the Eon like him. Not a woman who wanted to be queen for her own desires.

“I need to greet Ambassador Thann-Eon. I’ll see you at the dinner.” He strode on, ignoring Adlyn’s low chuckle.

“Not off to a great start,” his sister murmured.

He kept ignoring her. “Ambassador.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “I told you not to call me that.”

“Eve.” Gayel hugged her. “You look radiant.”

“I look like I swallowed a basketball.” She rubbed her belly. “The doctors don’t even know when the munchkin will appear.”

“I’m told Eon pregnancies are a couple months longer than Terran ones.”

Eve winced. “But he’s growing fast, so they just don’t know.”

Gayel lifted his gaze and met steady, gold-brown eyes. “Eve, introduce me to your Space Corps escort.”

“Oh, right. King Gayel, this is Captain Alea Rodriguez, and her right-hand man, Lieutenant Benjamin Knox.”

“Welcome to Eon.”

The man shook Gayel’s hand first. He was a tough, seasoned soldier.

Alea. She looked like she didn’t want to take his hand, but she did. He got the suspicion she was a woman who wasn’t afraid of anything.

Her shake was firm, and she had soft skin except for the calluses that told him that she’d held a sword.

She pulled her hand back fast. “I’d better go and check on your brides and the delegates, Your Highness.” She had a smooth voice, and it made him think of his favorite Silvesse whiskey.

“For any logistics issues, please talk with the palace steward, Camara. For security issues, Adlyn and Ryphen can help you.”

Captain Rodriguez nodded. “Our plan is to avoid any issues while you…select your bride.”

She strode off with her lieutenant.

“I’m going to get off my feet,” Eve said. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

Gayel nodded, but his gaze was still on the back of Captain Rodriguez.

Adlyn elbowed him.

He frowned. “What?”

“You’d better get your gaze off the captain, and onto your bridal candidates.”

“I wasn’t—”

Adlyn snorted. Ryphen grinned.

“You’ve always liked a warrior woman, Gayel, and this is why I think this bride business is idiotic.”

“Don’t start. I get enough from Councilor Tann-Felis.” Gayel felt a headache threatening. Right at that moment, he almost wished for a Kantos attack.

* * *

Alea woke with a jerk.

It took her a second to shake off the nightmare and remember exactly where she was.

She was in the lovely palace bedroom that had been assigned to her on Eon, not at Space Corps Headquarters, clutching a dying teenager as he bled out after the Kantos attack.

For a second, she still saw his blood on her hands.

Blood on her hands wasn’t new to her.

Shit. She pressed her hands together and hummed a familiar tune under her breath. An old, haunting lullaby that never failed to soothe her. It was her little secret, that she loved to sing. She even had a decent voice, inherited from her father. The one good thing he’d ever given her. He’d been a beautiful singer, when he wasn’t high or conducting illegal drug deals. He hadn’t done it often, but sometimes he’d sung the song to her when she was little.

Alea blew out a breath and stood. She’d sat down in a comfy armchair by the window to catch a power nap before the dinner.

Space Corps had learned the wisdom of not breaking and burning out its marines. She knew a short nap worked wonders to recharge the batteries, increase focus and reaction time. Stress, then rest, that was how you got stronger.

Except when nightmares intruded.

She strode through the open doorway and onto the stone balcony outside.

God, it was beautiful here. A breeze caught her hair. Below, there were lush gardens and past the stone walls was a dense forest.

Off to the left, she saw the sprawl of the city. She leaned against the railing and breathed deeply.

The nightmares about Callum, the teenager, had also stirred older nightmares. A bad taste filled her mouth. Nightmares of when her parents had died in a hail of gunfire and blood.

She’d had nightmares as a child for years. She’d wake up screaming and only stop when her aunt would backhand her across the face.

Alea thumped her fist on the railing, hard enough to hurt.

She welcomed the pain. It helped her push the past away. She dealt with her childhood demons by ignoring them.

There was always work to do. Something to sink her teeth into. Alea liked to be productive and successful. She’d vowed long ago to do anything and everything to prove herself better than what she’d come from.

As she stared at the forest, she watched the sun setting in the distance, turning the trees gold and turning her thoughts to King Gayel.

The warrior sure packed a punch in the flesh. Her hands curled around the railing.

The man was…perfect. Tall, rugged, yet with an aristocratic look to his face. Good breeding. He was muscular and strong. And the way he’d looked at her…

She cut that thought off.

Everyone said he was a good man. An exceptional king. Alea straightened. She had no right to be thinking about him in any way other than as the ruler of the Eon. As the future husband of one of the women she was here to guard. She strode back inside.

It was time to get ready for the welcome dinner.

She freshened up, and put on a clean, pressed Space Corps uniform. Then she pulled her hair up in a ponytail, and allowed herself some light makeup.

Benjamin was waiting outside. “Ready?”

“Let’s get this show on the road.”

They went down one level and knocked on the women’s doors. Her charges appeared, dressed in their very best.

“Ooh, I can’t wait to see King Gayel again,” the cute, pretty Chloe bubbled.

Alea set off with the women chatting behind her. They reminded her of flitting butterflies. The mixture of perfumes was strong, and again she wondered how it affected the enhanced Eon senses.

“The courtyard is this way,” Ben said.

“How do you know?”

He gave her a faint smile. “I sweet-talked a palace worker.”

Alea snorted. “You? Sweet talk?”

Ben excelled in grunts and mid-battle shouts.

There was a set of open doors ahead, and the din of conversation caught her ear. They walked through the doorway.

She barely stopped her mouth from dropping open.

They stood in a huge internal courtyard, surrounded by high stone walls. It had a mosaic stone floor and overhead, lights were strung up, crisscrossing the space. They looked like fireflies dancing in the air. Behind it was the night sky, with the planet’s three moons rising. One was larger than Earth’s moon, and the other two were smaller.

Long rectangular tables were set up in the space, and at the front, one table was set on a raised platform. Each table was beautiful with greenery draped along the center of it, dappled with sweet smelling blue flowers.

Palace workers darted between the tables, setting down jugs of drinks and platters of food. Some Eon guests were already seated, and others were milling, talking.

Lots of people turned to look at them. No doubt curious to see the bridal candidates.

The warriors wore fitted trousers and loose shirts tucked into belts. It accented their broad shoulders and lean waists. The shirts were also sleeveless, so they gave good views of brawny arms. The women wore flowing dresses that made Alea think of Greek goddesses.

A female server appeared, in a simple dress edged in blue. She dipped a curtsy. “This way, please.”

They followed her to a long table near the front, and she waved for the women to sit.

The server tentatively glanced at Alea. “You’re welcome to join the warriors.” She motioned to another table and Alea spotted Adlyn and Ryphen.

“Thank you.” Alea jerked her head at Ben, and they moved to the next table.

“Good evening,” Adlyn greeted them.

Alea nodded. “Evening.”

“Nice digs,” Ben said.

Adlyn raised a brow at the expression, but clearly worked it out. “I’m glad it meets your standards, Terran.”

The pair eyed each other like they were about to draw swords and fight.

Alea touched a hand to Ben’s arm. “Be nice.” They sat.

Ben reached for a drink.

Adlyn’s black-and-purple eyes narrowed, as she studied them. “Are you two mated?”

Ben, mid-drink, choked.

Alea raised a brow. “I don’t mix work and pleasure. And Ben here is a friend, mentor and brother all rolled into one.”

“And yet you’re the commanding officer, Captain Rodriguez. You say he is your mentor?”

“He knows more than I ever will, but he prefers action to giving orders. And please, call me Alea.”

Adlyn nodded. “Alea.”

“And don’t fight with her,” Alea said to Ben. “She’s the king’s sister.”

Ben’s brow snapped together.

Adlyn smiled and sipped her own drink. “How did you guess? I’m told we all look alike to you.”

“You have a similar nose. And it was the way you two interacted.”

Adlyn’s gaze narrowed. “You’re observant.”

“It makes me good at my job.”

Trumpet-like music sounded. Everyone rose, and Alea pushed to her feet.

From a side door, Gayel swept in, Eve on his arm.

They were followed by the VIPs from Earth and several Eon advisors in long robes.

There was also an older, regal-looking woman, in a rose-pink dress, with a circlet of gold on her light-brown hair.

“The Queen Mother,” Adlyn said softly, for Alea and Ben’s benefit.

Despite the dress, the Queen Mother looked like she could draw a sword and take anyone down.

The group moved to the front table, and Gayel waved for everyone to sit.

“Please, everyone, drink, eat, and enjoy. This is a chance to welcome our special guests, and to strengthen the ties between the Eon and Earth.”

Cheers and polite applause erupted.

He looked so masculine. Alea couldn’t drag her gaze off of him. He wore a blue shirt that looked good against his golden-bronze skin. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. Around one muscular bicep was an intriguing twist of gold.

His head turned and met her gaze.

Damned if her pulse didn’t skitter.

He nodded.

She nodded back.

A moment later, he spoke to a server. The woman went to the table of Earth women and talked to Natasha, one of the models.

The blonde woman beamed and stood. She strode to the head table like she was on a catwalk.

Gayel spoke to her, and held out a chair beside him.

Alea’s drink suddenly tasted sour.

Jeez, Alea, focus on your job.

She was here to protect the women, and wait until the king picked one of them, then she’d escort the rest back to Earth. Nothing more, nothing less.

Her hand clenched on her glass. She looked up and saw Adlyn eyeing her.

Thankfully, the servers brought the food.