Page 3 of Taken By the Alien Siren King

“I see.” Her expression remained neutral, but her pulse—that godsdamn pulse I couldn’t stop hearing—quickened. “And have you all agreed to the terms we proposed?”

“We agreed not to kill each other if we decide to take any humans into our domains,” I said, leaning forward. “But the deal to accept those humans has yet to be reached.”

Her jaw tightened. Good. I liked the rage of a storm in the calm gray sea of her eyes.

“Your Majesty.” The servant appeared at my side with fresh drinks, leaning close enough that her scent would normally have distracted me.

I dismissed her with a wave, my eyes never leaving Emme. I gestured to the cushions across from me. “Please, sit. Tell me what Earth has to offer the Khadian people in exchange for sanctuary.”

Emme approached with measured steps, her gaze briefly flickering to Nedaris and the Knights before returning to me. She stiffly knelt and settled onto the cushions, her posture remaining impeccable.

“The Legacy carries scientists, engineers, and medical professionals,” she began, her voice steady despite the tension in the tent. “We bring technology and knowledge that could benefit your people.”

“I’m sure you do.” I traced the rim of my goblet with one finger, already imagining how much fun it would be to crack that no-nonsense exterior of hers for a peek inside. “I’m particularly interested in whatyoubring to the table, Emme Mathis.”

“I’m a marine biologist. My expertise is in oceanic ecosystems.” The words were pure business, but the soul song thrummed through my blood, making it hard to focus on anything but the way her lips formed each perfect syllable.

“Ideal for a water world.” I grinned. “Almost as if you were made for Sanos.”

“Ideal for ensuring sustainable integration,” she clarified.

An irrational spike of jealousy flared in my chest. To think of her landing on some other planet, stepping into some other king’s court… But she hadn’t gone to another world; she’d come to mine.

Shewouldbemine.

“Your expertise would be valuable to our kingdom,” I said, aware of Nedaris shifting restlessly beside me. “The question remains whether your people can adapt to our ways.”

Nedaris cleared his throat. “Your Majesty, if I may. The council has concerns about the impact of human settlement on our waters. Their history of environmental damage?—”

“Is precisely why we need Ms. Mathis’s expertise,” I finished for him. “Unless you believe we should ignore the opportunity to learn from their mistakes?”

Emme’s eyes narrowed slightly, again sweeping the room and cataloging the tension. “We’re well aware of the concerns about our presence. The protestors made that clear even before we landed.”

So, she knew about the opposition. Good. But the decision wasn’t theirs to make, it was mine. All mine, and I’d decided the moment her heart sang to mine.

“The Knights of the Depths believe these concerns are justified,” Nedaris pressed. “Human technology has proven destructive to their own world. What guarantee do we have they won’t bring that destruction here?”

“We watched our oceans die.” Emme’s words rang through the tent with brutal honesty. “We’re not here to repeat history—we’re here because we have nowhere else to go. Every human on the Legacy understands exactly what we lost and what was destroyed by our own hands. We’re not offering empty promisesof technology and knowledge. We’re offering everything we have, everything we are, in exchange for a chance to do better.”

As if to mock her, specifically, the ground beneath us trembled. A distant boom rolled across the beach, followed by shouts of alarm.

“The protestors!” Someone shouted outside the tent. “The protestors have breached the perimeter!”

Another explosion, closer this time. The high-pitched whine of energy weapons filled the air as the tent’s protective field activated, shimmering blue against the canvas walls. Advisors scrambled back from the edges while the Knights shifted into defensive stances, hands on their sword hilts and looking to Nedaris.

“Protect the king!” Nedaris shouted, the Knights drawing their blades in unison. Energy fields pulsed down their lengths.

My blood burned with the need to get Emme to safety. The tent would hold against conventional weapons, but we were effectively trapped if the attackers surrounded us. I wasn’t about to let my mate die in some ill-conceived protest.

“We need to move,” I said, reaching for Emme’s arm. “Now.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Where exactly?—”

The tent shuddered as something heavy slammed against it. Through the opening, I could see smoke rising from the direction of the other rulers’ tents. Screams and weapons fire mixed with the protestors’ chants turned war cries.

A blast tore through the tent’s protective field, sending us all diving for cover. Sand and debris rained down as more explosions rocked the summit. Emme rolled away from a falling support beam, straight toward the open side of the tent and the churning water beyond.

I lunged after her, ignoring Nedaris’s shout of warning. The surf crashed against the beach with unnatural force, wavesreaching further up the sand than they should. As another explosion lit up the sky, I caught her wrist and dove.

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