Page 31 of Royal Alien Mate

“Iwillwin,” he said, helping her off the bed. “Now come, we must prepare for the arena. The sun will be up soon. All mates, family members, and friends of the participants are expected to attend. You’ll be my guest of honor.”

She gave him a dubious look but acquiesced and exited the secret bunker at his side. Rem trailed them and opened the secret door as they approached. Several guards walked ahead of them, too, and several behind them, and Vaath appreciated their support. They had kept Esmay company while he conferred with Jav and formulated his plan.

He had purposely waited to confront his father during the dinner banquet, knowing the challenge would keep the king up all night, worried and filled with fear. The king was a coward. While some of the royal advisors might put up an adequate fight duringvoogg, the king would probably find himself rooted to the ground in fear when Vaath faced him in the arena.

IfVaath faced him.

Despite all that had happened and the crimes his father had committed, he would much prefer to see his father exiled from the Marttiaxoxalian Empire, banished to the dark corners of the known universe.

Vaath escorted Esmay to the small abode her friend, Faith, shared with her mate, which was tucked into a wooded area on the palace grounds. While many of the guards lived in the palace, some of them lived in small houses nearby.

“Why are we here?” she asked, her hand shaking in his. He couldn’t wait to getvooggover with, if only to see the worry leave her face.

“I must meet with the holy men before the battles begin,” he said. “Faith and her mate will escort you to the arena. Faith will also help you get ready. She says you may borrow some of her clothes. The attire forvooggis extremely formal.”

“Let me get this straight. I’m supposed todress upjust to watch you engage in afight to the deathin a big arena?” She exhaled a sharp breath, shaking her head. “Mars is a weird planet.” She started to laugh, only for tears to fill her eyes. “Youmustwin. Vaath, promise me you’ll win.”

“I promise.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and turned to walk away, but he paused and returned to her side, taking her hands in his. “One more thing,” he said. “I love you, Esmay.”

A smile broke out upon her face, even as her eyes filled with more tears. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He returned her embrace, not caring that several guards, including Rem, were standing close by. Let them watch. Let all of the Marttiaxoxalian Empire know how much he cared for his sweet human mate.

“I love you, too,” she said. “Now go win. You promised.”

Chapter 23

The roar of the crowd hurt Esmay’s ears, but she sat tall and proud in the private floating box she’d been told was meant for Vaath’s guests of honor. Seated with her on a long padded bench were Faith and Marxx, Rem and Jav, and three other Martian males she didn’t recognize. Perhaps she ought to introduce herself to the newcomers, but right now she was too nervous to speak. Instead, she gave them a brief smile before returning her gaze to the arena below.

The clear box hovered in the air and it was strange that her feet appeared as though they were resting upon nothing. Her stomach lurched at the view. If the box fell, she imagined it would kill them all, but Jav had already assured her numerous times that the floating boxes were perfectly safe.

“Don’t worry,” Faith whispered, giving Esmay’s hand a quick squeeze. “He’s the Prince of Mars. Almost everyone on Earth has heard of him and knows how fiercely he fights.”

Normally, Esmay didn’t appreciate reminders of the war, but in this case, she welcomed it. She reminded herself that Vaath had killed thousands of men during the war, with only his hands and his hard, horned head as weapons. Of course, the men he’d killed on Earth had been human. The males he was about to fight were all Martian. They were huge, though none were quite so tall and muscular as Vaath, but there wereelevenof them. She swallowed hard and took a steadying breath.

Another floating box appeared in the center of the arena. A Martian male wearing flashy, sparkly clothing, waved at the roaring crowd and made a motion with his hands, which caused the crowd to grow deathly quiet. Esmay repressed a shudder.

“That is the announcer,” Jav said. “You don’t really need to know what he says, just know that it’s meant to excite the crowd. It is not every day the Prince of Mars challenges his own father, as well as his father’s advisors, tovoogg.”

The announcer launched into a speech that caused most everyone in the stands below to jump to their feet, shout at the top of their lungs, and shake their fists in the air. Some attendees even ripped their shirts off and pounded on their chests. The sight was more than jarring and Esmay folded her hands tightly in her lap to keep them from trembling.

She was Vaath’s guest of honor, his mate.His princess, she thought, with shock reverberating through her as she recalled the doctor referring to her as a princess.

I am the Princess of Mars, and I will not flinch as I watch the battles below.

I will make Vaath proud.

The announcer ceased speaking and music blared, strange music that mostly consisted of violent drumming. The noises filled her head, making her almost dizzy, as she waited for the event to commence.

Vaath strode onto the field below and the crowd cheered with exuberance. But when one of the royal advisors walked across the field to face Vaath, the spectators jeered. It was clear the residents of the capital city had already decided who was guilty and who was innocent. In this moment, she realized just how much respect Vaath commanded amongst his people.

As she stared down at him, her heart beat faster. He loved her. Before he’d gone off to prepare forvoogg, he had confessed to loving her. God help her, but she loved him back. Despite all he’d done to her people, she couldn’t push away the immense affection she held for him.

She thought back over the last several days. He had made strides with her parents, making a point to speak with them daily, though he also gave her time to converse with them in private. He had also begun speaking with her on political matters, listening intently as she told him about the cruelty of the Martian governors his father had appointed to rule over Earth. Though he hadn’t promised to do anything specific yet to help her people, he had listened and asked many thoughtful questions, as if he sought to understand a complex problem.

The conversations had brought her hope that he would one day improve conditions on Earth, as well as hope for their future as a couple. Her stomach dropped when a horn sounded and the first battle commenced.Please live. I need you. I love you.

Vaath charged at the royal advisor, and the two Martians’ horns crashed together with a resounding thud. Esmay remained seated, still as the statues lining the palace corridors, as she watched Vaath repeatedly smash his head into the advisor’s. After several minutes of this barbaric act, the man’s skull caved in with one of the hits, and blood spurted from his eyes.

The advisor collapsed in a heap at Vaath’s feet.

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