Page 28 of Royal Alien Mate

After the chanting of the Wise Men ended, Akiddah’s brother and father stepped forward to collect the urns. Esmay’s heart went out to them. The two Martians spoke quietly with Wyvonus for several minutes, though she couldn’t understand what they were saying. Once the conversation ended, Akiddah’s brother and father departed the gathering and entered the temple, taking the steep steps two at a time.

“They must pray over the ashes until the Gods give them a sign that Quinn and Akiddah’s souls have reached the stars,” Vaath whispered into her ear as he guided her away from the group. Apparently, the funeral was over and they were headed back to the palace. “Once they receive a sign, they will spread the ashes in a quiet, scenic location, just in case their souls haven’t reached the stars, they will walk in beauty and peace for eternity.”

“What sort of sign do the Gods usually give that a soul has reached the stars?”

“Sometimes just a feeling, other times the family members might hear a voice. But it can be different with each departed soul.” He grasped her hand, leading her down a curving street lined by tall trees. Large flying bugs that resembled fireflies kept buzzing by them, and some of the flowers and vines in the forest glowed in the dark, as well, illuminating the night.

“Have you ever prayed over anyone’s ashes?”

“I prayed over my grandfather’s ashes,” he said. “And the ground shook slightly as I did so.”

“You mean like an earthquake?”

He nodded. “Yes. My grandfather was a force to be reckoned with during his lifetime. I was but a few years old when he perished, but I remember him as a strong, highly respected leader of our people. It was no surprise to me that the ground shook after he reached the stars. The signs of ascension are said to match the deceased’s personality, and I have never known a male as fierce in body and spirit as my late grandfather.”

“Is your father very much like your grandfather?” she asked.

As they passed a glowing, flowering vine, Esmay caught a glimpse of Vaath’s sudden frown, and she sensed his mood darkening. “No, my father is nothing like my grandfather.” He offered no additional information, but she noticed him glancing around, as if to make sure no one was nearby.

What an odd but interesting reaction. Esmay was starting to believe Vaath held little respect for his father, the ruler of his people. Perhaps he didn’t wish for anyone to overhear his overt admission that the current King of Mars wasn’t fierce in body and spirit, nor was he strong and highly-respected by his people.

The gates opened as they approached the palace. Vaath greeted two guards standing nearby and then introduced her to the huge males. One was a large green Martian named Rem, and the other was an even bigger purple Martian named Jav. Rem was about as tall as Vaath, but Jav towered over both males, making Esmay wonder if he had a mate. If his mate was human, she would feel sorry for the woman. She couldn’t imagine belonging to a Martian so incredibly large, but there was a warmth when Jav conversed with her, at least. Rem, on the other hand, was standoffish and quiet.

“It was nice meeting you both,” Esmay said as Vaath started guiding her away. “Perhaps we will see each other in the banquet hall.”

Jav waved goodbye while smiling politely, while Rem simply stood ramrod straight and stared at them.

“They’re an interesting pair,” Esmay commented as they moved through the darkened corridors of the palace.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Jav was pretty friendly and talkative, but Rem was quiet and almost looked as though he was in pain.”

“Jav is a good friend of mine,” Vaath said, “and I don’t know Rem very well, but he experienced a great personal loss before the war broke out that has deeply affected him.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that about Rem. How sad. What happened?”

“His betrothed mate left him for another male, then she died when she drank the water tainted by the Xieandans.” Vaath sighed. “Please do not tell anyone about his loss, as it is personal and Marttiaxoxalians do not typically discuss matters that involve others, particularly others they do not know very well.”

“Got it,” she said. “Martians don’t do gossip.”

He gave her a strange look. “Gossip,” he said, as if trying out the word for the very first time. “Yes, I believe you are correct. My people do not typically engage in gossip.”

“Trust me, that is a relief.”

The door to his quarters opened upon their approach and he ushered her inside. The lights automatically flickered on as they walked in. But a second later, the lights went off, and a thunderous boom caused Esmay to fly out of Vaath’s grasp. She collided with the wall and slumped to the floor as darkness claimed her.

Chapter 21

When Vaath regained consciousness, everything hurt, and he groaned as he pushed debris off himself and rose to his feet. His vision blurred and he stumbled, but there was no time to pause and rest.

Esmay.

Where was she?

He glanced to the right and noticed a hole had been blown into the side of his chambers, reducing the size of his rooms by half, leaving a gaping wound in the palace that undoubtedly affected several floors.

“Esmay!” he called as he moved through what was left of his chambers. “Esmay! Where are you?” Terror clutched him, an unspeakable coldness. He ran about, pushing aside debris as he searched for her. When he found no sign of her, his heart raced with panic.

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