With only four days until release, even royal relationships have their moments...especially when the empire is threatened. In one corner, we have the fierce duo of Bevau and Jessica. In the other corner, their opponents, the very definition of fire and ice...Clajak and Egilka. Let's get ready to rumble! (I'm so Gen X, lol.)
* * * *
“We’ve been invaded. We must pull out all the stops to save ourselves from becoming another Bi’is.” Empress Jessica fought against glaring at her Dramok and Imdiko.
It was funny that Bevau, a most protective Nobek, had been the one to suggest putting women alongside Royal Guards to listen for the telltale voice-doubling of those ridden by Darks. Her fierce clanmate wanted to hire as many as possible to guard the Royal and Government Houses, as well as the Royal Council chambers.
Steel-haired Clajak and the usually reserved Egilka had launched an immediate protest against the plan. “Our precious Mataras on the front lines against an enemy? Absolutely not,” the Dramok emperor seethed.
“You prefer to have them killed en masse when the Darks overcome us?” Bevau pressed. His manner verged on casual, as if they engaged in pleasant conversation. Again, a funny situation given his was the battle-ready breed, but strong Imdiko traits tempered his warrior nature.
The hotheads of the group were Jessica and Clajak. Jessica, who allowed no men, including her clanmates, to see her as less strong simply because she was a woman, warned her Dramok. “We have the opportunity to stop these creatures in their tracks. We’ll damned well take advantage of it.”
“You said some of our men can detect them by sight.” Clajak addressed Bevau. “Why not use them?”
“Because we’re still in the testing stages of discovering those who are capable of doing so. We’ve just begun to do so on a larger scale in the fleet. Once I’ve determined whether my ground troops have been infiltrated and eradicated any threat, we’ll test there too.” Bevau’s patience was incredible, given he’d already mentioned these facts twice before. “It’ll take time, which given how the council is already impacted, we don’t have.”
“I told you Oiteil sounded strange,” Jessica muttered. “Terbal too.”
“You didn’t hear the others. The ability might be unreliable.” Egilka, whose lips had set in a stubborn line, was quick to point it out.
“When have the rest spoken up in my presence lately?” Jessica turned to her assistant, Matara Narpok. “Have I been present during their committee reports at any point?”
“I can check. Give me a couple of minutes.” The statuesque Kalquorian woman sitting beside her set her fingers dancing over her handheld. She wore a sly smirk, and it took Jessica’s willpower to keep from mirroring it. The slight smile said Narpok believed Jessica and Bevau would win the fight. Clajak and Egilka were wasting their breath.
“We don’t put our lifebringers in danger if we can help it,” Clajak growled, his handsome face stormy. “It’s non-negotiable.”
“At the present, Earther women are our only real hope of determining who’s a risk.” Bevau turned to his own aide, Dramok Erybet. “Put the discussion on the next general meeting’s agenda. It won’t happen until our operatives have done what they must to remove the Dark influence from the Royal Council. Let’s talk to a few of those clanned to Earther women, ask if their mates would consider standing in until we employ personnel.”
“I guarantee mine will be glad to assist,” Erybet said as he bent to his handheld, his black hair swinging forward to hide his disarming beauty, second only to Bevau’s perfection. “She loves having a front row seat to the debates.”
His comment lifted some of the tension as the Imperial Clan chuckled. Erybet’s Matara, nicknamed Ray-Ray, attended council meetings when she could. She typically pushed herself front and center in the spectators’ gallery. Her comments of, “Give me a break” and “You can’t be serious” were often heard on the floor. Councilmen and royals alike lived in fear of hearing the dreaded shout, “Sounds like I’m back on Earth. Are you a friend of the Holy Leader?” when someone dared utter an argument she vehemently disagreed with.
Egilka resumed his protests, his sharp features showing seldom-seen agitation. “Bevau, you’re basically saying our opinions don’t count. You’re going ahead whether the rest of us agree to it?”
“I’m the Nobek Emperor. My mandate is to protect the empire. Earther Mataras are my one guaranteed option of doing so to defend us from the Darks.” Bevau regarded his clanmate, his gaze warm. “When have I given you cause to doubt my commitment to our people’s welfare?”
Egilka shook his head. “Never, but the women are too precious.”
“I agree, which is why I insist on this course of action.”
Clajak slammed against his backrest. He came dangerously close to sulking. “At least share your plan to keep the women safe. I trust you, but the way I see it, any risk to them is unconscionable.”
“Each will be teamed with two Royal Guards. Confronting the Dark-ridden will be up to the Royal Guards, not the Mataras. The women will merely alert our security detail to enemy presence.”
Silence held for a few seconds as the dissenting emperors considered. It was broken by Narpok.
“Your pardon, my empress and emperors. As far as I can confirm, Empress Jessica hasn’t had the opportunity to hear Councilmen Naresh, Evod, Eka, Tena, or Saomut speak since it’s believed the Darks arrived on Kalquor. She’s attended none of their committee meetings, she’s had no appointments with them, nor have they spoken during the general meetings.” Narpok had the good taste to refrain from gloating, though she counted Jessica’s victories in opposition to the emperors as her own. The men and she had been at bitter odds in the past, long before Jessica had come on the scene.
“Thank you, Narpok.” Jessica beamed at the aide she counted as a teammate when it came to overriding her overly protective clanmates.
“I think you can count on Sonia to also stand guard,” Narpok said, naming her life partner. “I’ll check.”
Clajak’s and Egilka’s aides offered no indication they’d request the duty of their Mataras, whether because they disapproved of the plan or simply didn’t wish to irritate their reluctant employers. Jessica knew the women they were clanned to, women she believed would jump at the chance to help, but she wisely decided she’d leave the matter to their clans to debate.
“Make sure you impress on your lifemates the need to remain quiet about the Darks beyond yourselves,” Bevau warned Erybet and Narpok. “We first have to try to capture those we’re aware of. Our enemy can’t know we’re on to them until we’re ready to inform the empire as a whole.”
“At least we can agree on that,” Clajak said.
* * * *
Blythe Nelson is certain Clan Deram is keeping something from her. The clan of spies finds it difficult to stay a step ahead of the wily reporter who’s winning their hearts. What they don’t know is Blythe has a secret of her own. New love can’t survive without trust, and neither side is ready when the truth comes out.
Dramok Ospar, determined to return to the political stage, strikes up a deal with Royal Councilman Oiteil. Unaware he’s dealing with a Dark entity controlling Oiteil, he finds himself fighting for his honor, his relationship with his clan…and his life.
The Kalquorian Empire, already struggling against the Darks infiltrating its highest offices, suffers a new blow when it’s revealed it’s keeping a prisoner from the war against the first Earth: Holy Leader Browning Copeland. The schism between Kalquor and its allies grows deeper, setting the empire against the rest of the galaxy.
As chaos descends on rioting Earther colonies, the Galactic Council of Planets, and Kalquor, a desperate group of humans and Kalquorians race to stop the force behind the turmoil: the Darks. Can they loosen the grip on their worlds the enemy seeks to tighten, or is all lost?
Releasing March 29. Pre-order ebook or buy print now:
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