Page 27 of Songbird
Ambassador Mukhal nodded. Although his expression gave nothing away, I found it hard to keep the smile from my lips. Her words brought a rush of excitement peppered with uncertainty. The way she talked of me indicated true affection. I knew she found me attractive, and our time in bed proved that we were sexually compatible, but I wanted more than that. I wanted her whole heart.
“Ambassador,” Jala nodded respectfully, handing Mukhal her datapad. “We have gathered over one hundred eyewitness statements that confirm Tarrick and Isabella’s behavior as a mated pair.”
My sister-in-law was thorough. I’d give her that.
Mukhal scrolled through the information, accompanied by Kayzon’s aggravated grunts. I shot the asshole a threatening glance, and his lips pulled into a sneer in response. I was just about to suggest that Praxxan remove him when Mukhal snapped the datapad shut and handed it back to Jala.
“I will need to test the consummation.” He announced, rising to his feet.
“Te—Test?” Izzy tensed beside me, her eyes widening with panic as the Ambassador pulled a small dark cylinder from his robe.
“Do not worry, my dear.” Ambassador Mukhal’s thin lips curled into what might have been a smile as he approached the sofa. “It is only a simple test that will confirm the mingling of DNA from your mating.”
I felt Izzy relax as she smiled at the Ambassador and gave a nod.
This part of the interview didn’t worry me in the slightest. In fact, I felt quite content on passing the test after having come inside Izzy at least a dozen times in the last 24 hours. I smiled to myself as my thoughts spun into a blissful odyssey.
I came out of my thoughts to the feeling of Mukhal pressing the cylinder to one of my fingers. A faint warmth, then a second later the small device beeped once, turning a warm blue color.
“Consummation confirmed,” the Ambassador said without effect.
Jala and Praxxan exchanged knowing smiles, their eyes sparkling with a shared secret. Kayzon, on the other hand, scowled and grumbled under his breath, clearly not pleased. Meanwhile, Izzy’s cheeks flushed adorably with a deep shade of pink as she snuggled against me. The Ambassador’s eyes lingered on us for a moment before turning his attention to where Kayzon stood near the door, surrounded by guards.
“Now I will hear your claim, merchant Kayzon.”
The asshole took a step forward, pulling out his own datapad, which he handed to Mukhal. “I have a signed agreement with the human female. She agreed to sing in my club for the next ten rotations.”
Ten years. I didn’t want Izzy around this fucker for ten seconds.
“I didn’t sign that,” Izzy insisted, her voice strong, although I felt a tremor run through her. The arm I held around her waist tightened instinctively, as did my tail.
“It is your fingerprint in your blood,’ Kayzon grinned maliciously. “I have the DNA confirmation from theBardaga.”
I didn’t care if Kayzon had the confirmation of all the gods and goddesses. “A true mating supersedes any such agreement if the agreement would keep the mated pair apart,” I snapped at him.
Kayzon’s expression shifted as though he were trying to appear altruistic, if that were possible. “I don’t want to keep you apart at all. In fact, I offer you both a comfortable home on my planet where you can be together while the human fulfills her duties as per the agreement.”
Which would last until the first opportunity Kayzon had to kill me. I glanced at the Ambassador, who unbelievably seemed impressed by the statement. Fuck!
“I also have records from theBardaga,” Jala said, pulling up another screen on her datapad and returning it for Mukhal’s perusal. “Isabella’s medical records after the Vaktaire liberated her from Kayzon’semployment. Severe malnutrition and dehydration, broken ribs, multiple contusions, and cuts, burst and hemorrhaging vocal cords.”
I felt a growl rise in my chest as she narrated the list of how Kayzon hurt my mate. No matter what the conciliator decided, I would kill Kayzon before I allowed him to get his hands on Izzy again.
“Izzy had not been run through the Garoot Healer upon her abduction,” Jala continued. “But due to the damage inflicted on her by Kayzon, the Healer was the only thing that could saveher life. As you well know, now that she has been through the Garoot Healer, Isabella can never return to Earth.”
I met Jala’s gaze, hoping my expression aptly conveyed my gratitude. I would definitely be buying her a gift for her help. Something large and expensive.
Mukhal studied Jala’s datapad, and the silence of the next few minutes seemed to last eons. When he finally glanced up, his gaze flickered warmly over the tiny female in my arms before landing on Kayzon, full of contempt. “How do you answer for the state of your employee? Under new Alliance regulation, it is illegal to cause harm to humans in your care.”
Kayzon grunted, his dark eyes rolling. “Is it my fault that the human female cannot take care of herself?”
“Yes, I believe it is,” Mukhal retorted, handing Jala back the datapad and rising to his feet. He clasped his hands in front of his chest, his purple gaze lighting on each of us in turn before speaking. “I find the mating claim between Tarrick of House Asad and the human female Isabella to be factual and consummated as required by law. As per Alliance regulation, the mating supersedes any prior agreement or contract.” The glance he spared for Kayzon was hard. “Your agreement with the human female Isabella is null and void.”
Kayzon growled with such fury that I noticed the several of the guards resting hands on their blasters. “This will not stand! The human belongs to me! My property! They are worth nothing more than slaves.” His hateful gaze shifted to Izzy, and he spit, the salvia landing on the floor a few inches from Izzy’s feet. If it had hit her, I would have killed him on the spot.
“I would be careful, merchant Kayzon.” Ambassador Mukhal spoke softly, but the power emanating from his words seemed to throb through the room. “It would not be wise to show yourself as having the same mind as the criminal Yaard when itcomes to humans. Especially when the new Kerzak king Alokar considers a human female his mother.”
A glance passed between Mukhal and Praxxan, to which my brother gave a curt nod, motioning for the guards to lead Kayzon from the room. He went, although growling and fussing with every step.
