His Highness the Duke (17 page)

imprisoned me for treason.‖

―Then why take the risk?‖ he asked.

―The will of the gods, of course,‖ she answered, trying not to smirk. He stiffened

visibly. ―Sorry. I was trying to lighten the mood.‖

He relaxed some.

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―I have my reasons. Thank you for not prying into them.‖ Her words

purposefully cut off any inquiry. Thinking of it made her think of her sister. She

wondered where Riona was. It wasn‘t like they were close, or that she knew where her

sister was on most days, but she couldn‘t help but wonder what had happened to Riona

after the ceremony.

He nodded and to her surprise he didn‘t push the subject. ―Do you think you can

handle a faster gait?‖

Her backside was a bit sore, but the idea of getting to the palace faster did have

merit. ―Yes. I can ride faster.‖

Bron made a low noise and both beasts instantly picked up their pace. The sound

of their hooves resounded over the countryside. Gritting her teeth, she held on to the

center horn and gripped the beast with her legs. This was going to be a hellish day.

* * * * *

Aeron could not feel her butt or the backs of her legs. No, actually, it was worse

than that. Her toes were tingling. Her fingers were numb from gripping the center horn.

Her back was jarred and felt as if someone spent the last three hours throwing rocks

into it. Her neck was stiff, her head pounded, and any energy she had to smile at the

Draig soldiers had been left on the side of the pathway.

The path led them from the mountains and along a practice field of soldiers

behind the royal palace. The shifter men, all of them burly and fierce, stared after her. A

few smiled but most silently watched as if judging her. She had kept her eyes down,

wishing she looked more presentable. Next to her, Bron looked handsome and regal.

She looked like some piece of spacedrift he‘d taken pity on.

Wrought iron gates lifted high over the entrance leading into the side of a large

mountain. From the distance, the mountain looked like any other, but Aeron soon

detected a palace entranceway camouflaged within the red stone. Wide domes allowed

light inside the tunneled path of red rock. Then, entering a front door of thick oak, they

came to a series of passageways.

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Bron spoke to the guard in the gruff Draig language. She held back, trying not to

draw notice to herself as they were let into the palace. Bron led the way through the

passageways. The mountain castle was as picturesque as she would have expected a

castle to be. It was clean and decorated with tasteful paintings and sculptures.

Tapestries hung on the walls, alongside banners with the emblem of the royal dragon.

The main hall of the Draig palace had steep, arched ceilings with the center dome

for light. According to Bron, the banners along the walls were of the royal family crest,

one for each color of the family lines—purple for the king and queen, green for Prince

Olek, red for Prince Zoran, blue-gray for Prince Ualan, and black for Prince Yusef. Each

had the silver symbol of the dragon. Lines of tables reached across the floor for dining.

The red stone floor was swept clean, and the hall was empty but for a couple servants.

Upon seeing the new arrivals, they quickly left them alone.

―Aren‘t we going to get cleaned up first?‖ Aeron asked, looking at her male-cut

long tunic smudged with travel dust.

―First we must greet the king and queen. It‘s customary.‖ He followed her eyes

downward. ―You are beautiful.‖

―I see the affection of the crystal has not faded,‖ Queen Mede interrupted as she

entered the hall. She smiled at her nephew. ―The king will be relieved to hear as much.

He would have come to greet you but he is in a meeting.‖

The woman‘s smile appeared kind, but her eyes were sharp as she took in

everything around her. She was immaculately dressed. A slight glint of liquid gold

filtered in her gaze as she glanced over Aeron‘s clothing. Her smile fell some as she

looked at her nephew. To Aeron‘s surprise, Bron actually looked sheepishly away from

his aunt like a silently scolded child.

―You have come to assure us the match is well made?‖ the queen asked when no

one spoke. ―I admit I did not expect you to set it right so quickly, but I am pleased to

have been proven wrong. It gives me much hope that my own sons will soon set right

their marriages. You must excuse them from not coming to greet you.‖

―Is all well with the princes?‖ Bron asked.

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Mede lifted her hand, refusing to elaborate more. ―That story is still being

written. I‘ll let your cousins‘ tell it once it is finished.‖

Bron nodded. Aeron found herself very curious as to what the queen meant by

that. She bit the inside of her lip, keeping herself from inquiring.

―I will have the guest wing prepared.‖ The queen paused, glancing at Aeron‘s

clothing. ―The tailor is very busy with the princesses at this time, but I will send him to

you. There is no reason he cannot tend to my niece as well.‖ Mede sent a sharp look at

her nephew.

―We thank you, my queen,‖ Bron said. ―There has been little time to see to such

things at the cabin. In fact, I come back so quickly to speak to the king about an

important planetary matter concerning the mines.‖

Mede stiffened. ―He is in the office. You know the way.‖

Bron nodded. Aeron made a move to follow him from the hall. Mede caught her

arm. ―I will show you to the guest wing where you can relax.‖

―But…‖ Aeron tried to protest. She did not want to be left alone with the woman.

The queen was insistent. ―Let the men deal with their business. I would have us

get better acquainted.‖

By the time she turned to look after Bron, he‘d disappeared. Aeron wished he

would have waited for her. She wanted to hear what he said to the king, to make sure

he told the man everything he needed to know. With little choice since the queen was

looking at her expectantly, she dutifully moved to follow behind the woman.

Aeron didn‘t speak. What could she say? The woman was royalty, daunting in

and of itself. She was also Bron‘s aunt. Suddenly, the full power of her new husband

became all too real. He was related to royalty. Royalty! Even on a primitive planet it

was an impressive position of power and responsibility.

Aeron glanced around the palace interior. Here it didn‘t feel so primitive. She

saw hints of technology within the design. To the untrained eye it would be impossible

to see, but she‘d seen many technology specs in her works as an analyst. On occasion, it

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had been her job to analyze spec transmissions to make sure there were no hidden

codes within them or anomalies in the blueprints.

The halls seemed endless, as if to purposefully create a maze to trap people

inside. Finally stopping at a door, the queen gave a short command. The door slid open.

Yes, the Draig had more technology than the outside of the place would let on. Inside

was a home within the palace, an entire suite complete with kitchen and bathroom. It

was one of the most stunning places she‘d ever seen. The richness of it reminded her of

the spa advertisement chips she collected but never traveled to.

Gray marble tiles contrasted the natural red of the stone walls. Water cascaded

down the entryway wall on both sides of the door. The gentle sound of water was

somehow soothing. Light colored plants grew within the rock beds beneath the

miniature waterfalls. The room was open, with a circular couch around a fire pit.

Overhead a dome ceiling allowed light from outside to enter. The queen pushed a

button, drawing back the oversize curtains to dim the light to a more comfortable level.

An opened doorway led to a kitchen. She recognized the appliances within it

from her time at the cabin. Plants hung from the ceiling, connected by a yellowish vine

with blue tinted leaves. The vine was strung about the room like a natural garland. An

opened door revealed the bathroom close to the kitchen. Steam rolled from a tub, as

water churned inside it. She wondered if it always ran, or if the bath had been somehow

ordered because of Aeron‘s current unpresentable state.

―Riding ceffyls is not for everyone,‖ the queen said, after giving her guest ample

time to stare at her surroundings. ―Or so I am told from women who come to this

planet.‖

―That‘s right, you were born a shifter, I mean Draig,‖ Aeron said, before she

could stop herself.

―Yes,‖ the queen smiled. ―I am Draig.‖ The woman let her eyes shift briefly. ―It is

good Bron told you of our gifts. Some men think to protect their wives and wait to tell

them of it. As if being a dragon shifter is something to be ashamed of.‖

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―I think the rarity of the shifters in the universe is what can frighten people. It is

fear of what is unknown,‖ Aeron said softly. The queen kept looking at her like she

should speak, but she was unsure what to say. ―It seems a common enough theme

amongst the alien cultures I‘ve heard about.

Mede hummed thoughtfully.

―There is not much known in the universe about the Draig even in the Federation

files or in Galaxy Brides‘ down—‖ Aeron continued, only to stop as the other woman

perked up at the mention of the Federation.

―You come to us from the Federation?‖

Aeron nodded. There was no point in hiding the fact since she‘d come here to

warn them. ―Civilian analyst. It‘s why I came to your planet.‖

The queen moved toward the couch and sat. She gestured for Aeron to do the

same. Aeron was slower to follow but did obey the silent command. After Aeron was

settled, the woman said, ―I thought you came to our planet to find love, not to analyze

us.‖

―No.‖

―But you were on the Galaxy Brides‘ ship,‖ the queen reasoned. She kept her

gaze steady.

―It was the only ride we could find.‖

―We?‖ the queen prompted.

―I traveled with my sister. She knows how to get around the universe better than

I do.‖ Aeron tried to relax, but her back remained stiff. She looked at the fire pit. Its

barren depths provided little to merit her full attention.

―I see. But you came here, met my nephew, and plans changed? Now you are

Lady Aeron, the High Duchess of Draig, wife to the High Duke.‖ The queen looked at

her as if such a title should please her greatly.

Aeron didn‘t move. What could she say to that? She never really thought of

herself as titled, of having power. The very notion of it caused her to shiver in worry.

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―I see,‖ the queen repeated, this time not as hopeful. ―You have not decided to

stay.‖

―I‘ve been given little choice in the matter,‖ Aeron corrected. She didn‘t want to

speak badly of Bron to his family, but she also refused to lie.

―We all have a choice,‖ the queen said. ―I would ask you to consider yours very

carefully, especially if you are thinking of leaving him. Surely you must already see

how much Bron cares for you. It‘s obvious how deeply he feels.‖

Obvious? At that, Aeron‘s eyes shot up to meet the queen‘s. ―You mean because

his crystal glowed? That has to be a chemical reaction, some kind of biological indicator.

I don‘t think it means love.‖

Queen Mede pushed forward from her seat, leaning toward Aeron. ―I do not

know how it works, or why. I don‘t question it because I know it does work. Qurilixian

men, and we rare females, are given a crystal when we are born. It is our guiding light.

When you were paired by the crystal, your lives became joined in such a way that can

never be undone, not that I can imagine wanting to undo such a wonderful gift. You

exchanged part of your souls. By crushing the crystal, you assured that the exchange

would never be reversed. In a way, you are now his guiding light.‖

Aeron frowned. The woman seemed so sure of her words. ―You said Qurilixian

men. All Qurilixian men? The entire planet does this?‖

―The Draig,‖ Mede clarified. ―Yes, all Draig. I do not consider the Var to be true

men. They are our enemy and their ways very different from ours.‖

Aeron merely nodded.

―Do you understand what I am telling you, Lady Aeron? Do you know what

breaking his crystal means for Bron?‖ the Queen asked.

Aeron shook her head in denial. She listened intently to every word.

―It means he put his every chance at happiness on you. He gave his life to you,

part of himself. There will never be anyone else for him as long as he lives.‖

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Aeron felt tears entering her eyes. As long as he lived? That was hundreds of

years more. Her life was severely shortened because of their physical joining. ―And

what if I do not live?‖

―Then it will be a very sad affair. There will be no other in his bed or his heart.

There simply can‘t be.‖ The queen smiled kindly. Aeron found she liked the woman,

even if she was a little bit intimidated by her power—both regal and physical. ―It is why

he will do everything he can to protect you. I know my nephews. They are like my sons.

They can be overbearing and impossible at times. They will spin you in circles with