Page 32 of Chosen By the Alien King
I surged toward Nera to make sure she was all right.
When she saw me coming, she stood shakily and leaned in to whisper, “The boot in its mouth was Earth Space Fleet.”
“It was.”I’d noted the same stitching as Nera’s combat boots.
Other than feet, I wondered if the panther was the reason there weren’t any birds here.
“Major.”She gripped my arms tightly.“I’m worried about Major.I didn’t realize there were bigger cats here, and he doesnotfollow orders to stay put.”
“Then we’ll go find him,” I assured her.
The live show was fuxxed anyway after that scare.
But when we started for the stairs, we found Darc already there, her short pink hair fluttering around her face.
“I’m on it, Captain.I’ll report back once I know he’s secure.”
Nera pulled her pilot in for a hug.“How did you know that’s what I was going to ask you?”
“I was already on captain watch, and I’ve been watching you for a good long time.Your worries are my worries.”Darc looked up at me over Nera’s bare shoulder.“You’re on captain watch until I get back, Your Highness.”
I nodded once, grateful for her unwavering dedication to Nera.“Always.”
As Darc turned and ran in the direction of their ship, Nera scoffed.
“Captain watch.I’ve never been so thankful for a babysitter in my life.”
“With the list of things that can kill us on this planet steadily growing, the more captain watchers, the better,” I said, cupping her beautiful face in my hands.
“I’m kicking myself for not having pretty kitties on my murder Bingo card.”
I nodded and looked over my shoulder at the thick foliage.“We should’ve guessed that before we traipsed back and forth through the jungle.”
“I think we met our fair share of dangers in the jungle.Remember the snack hole you fell in?Or the falling flowers that made us pass out and then wake up in an escape room?”Shaking her head, she heaved a breath.“Good times.”
I laughed because she sounded dead serious and then wrapped her up in my arms.“The best.”
She snuggled more firmly against me, her cheek pressed to one of my hearts.“This has been quite the rollercoaster, huh?”
“It’s never a dull moment with you, my beautiful star.”
Sure, there were things I would change, but this moment right here, with my bride, made it all worth it.
Chapter sixteen
Nera
Darccamebackshortlywith two thumbs-up about Major’s safety and then an epic bombshell.
“Someone at Earth Space Fleet put it out there about the Xenoxx scale they found,” she said excitedly.“Rain said all we need is a time and a place to meet them.”
I looked to Maxx, too stunned to speak for a second.Our shoddy plan had actually worked?Could this really be happening?
“Any idea who reached out to sell it?”Maxx demanded, his no-nonsense growl edging his words with sharp points.
“Rain and Mosely couldn’t tell,” Darc said.“They were speaking tech, so I’m afraid I can’t give you the reasons why they couldn’t.”
“If we knew who it was,” I began, nodding slowly, “we would better know how to proceed, who to send to make the deal, and where.”
