Chapter Twenty-One

Deb had been silent up until now, nestled against Rast’s side as he talked to the Emperor. The man confused her, switching from casual to awe-inspiring with ease, but she hadn’t been particularly frightened until now. Her heart began to pound, and she sat up straight.

“Illegal?” she asked through trembling lips.

“Any heir to a Royal House is required to obtain my permission before the ceremony,” he replied, not unkindly but quite firmly.

“There were extenuating circumstances,” Rast said.

“Really? Because it appears to me that this is another circumstance where you proceeded as you saw fit and chose to inform me afterwards.” Obviously, he had not dismissed Rast’s actions as easily as he had appeared to.

“I came to you immediately after the ceremony, but I needed to send a clear statement to her former master. He is pursuing her.”

“Master? She is your slave?” Karthajin sighed and shook his head.

“No. After I purchased her, I freed her, as permitted on Sherae.”

“Do I even want to know why her former master is pursuing her?” The Emperor shot a discerning glance at her stomach. “Is it his child?”

“No, he is mine.”

Karthajin raised an eyebrow. “Biologically?”

“No,” Rast admitted reluctantly.

“You know, there is precedent that he has a claim.”

“No.” The word escaped before she could prevent it, an anguished cry. Black spots appeared in her vision and the room began to spin. The last thing she heard before she slipped into unconsciousness was Rast cursing at the Emperor as he reached for her.

When she opened her eyes again, Rast had her cradled in his lap and was holding a drink to her lips. The Emperor stood behind him, looking concerned, but she had seen too many expressions cross his face to trust this one.

“Deb,” Rast said gently, drawing her attention. “Sip this, sweetheart.”

She didn’t have the strength to argue. Frightened and weary to her very bones, she opened her mouth obediently and took a small drink. It was a little bitter but not terrible, and as she sipped a few more times, her pulse rate slowed, and everything took on a pink, dreamy quality.

“What is this?” she mumbled.

“A healing broth and a mild sedative. Perfectly safe for the child,” a new voice spoke, and she slowly turned her head to find a stranger had joined them. Tall and slender, with long white-blonde hair, pale blue skin, and pointed ears, he reminded her of an elf, and she giggled.

“I believe that’s enough, Prince Rastrath,” the stranger said, and she watched regretfully as the cup disappeared. “Would you like me to remain, Sire?”

“Does she need further assistance?”

“Not as long as she is kept calm.” There was a hint of reproach in the doctor’s words.

“Very well. You may go.” The Emperor turned back to her and a new expression crossed his face, one of regret. “I’m sorry, Mistress Debra. I was punishing Rastrath but I didn't mean to frighten you.”

“Not illegal?” The words came out slurred.

“Technically, it’s still illegal,” Karthajin said, and Rast growled. The Emperor ignored him. “But if I approve it, that will not be an issue.”

“If?” Deb whispered.

He hesitated, and she clutched her stomach. “My baby. Not his.”

“Yes, yes,” he said quickly. “Your child. Prince Rastrath informed me of the circumstances. You should never have been taken from this Earth of yours. The child will remain with you no matter what.”

“Then why are you frightening her by talking as if you might not approve our union?” Rast scowled.

Karthajin sighed. “I think you are forgetting the Imperial Laws regarding inheritance in the Royal Houses. Any heir must be at least one half Kaisarian blood. She is obviously not Kaisarian and I suspect that the biological father is not, either. If you take her as consort and claim her child as your own, as your heir, you would have to forfeit your position as head of the House of Brekaran.”

Even though her fuzzy pink haze, she could feel Rast’s body tense.

“So Proctral would inherit?”

“Yes, he would inherit any House property such as the apartments here and the estate. Your personal inheritance and properties would, of course, remain your own.” He shot a look at Rast that she couldn't read. “In order to avoid losing your inheritance, you would have to renounce her as Princess Consort, although you could still give her a lesser position such as Chief Concubine.”

“But then I would have no legal claim on our son.”

“Correct. However, I will not permit the child to be taken from her under any circumstances, so your claim is not necessary to protect him.” The Emperor smiled at them both. “You don’t have to decide now. I can give you a few days to weigh the consequences.”

Deb tried to make sense of what the Emperor was saying but only two things stood out—he had promised that she could keep her child and if Rast stayed bound to her, he would lose everything. She remembered his brother’s sneering face and knew she couldn’t ask him to keep his vow. Now that the baby was safe, the original reason for their union no longer existed. Desolation filled her, in spite of the lingering effects of the medication.

His body relaxed, and she braced herself, waiting for him to tell her that he would have to release her. She thought he cared enough to at least want her around and Chief Concubine didn’t sound…bad, exactly. Rast looked down at her and a soft smile crossed his face. “I don't need time. I’ve made my decision.”

Despite the healing potion, her chest hurt but she forced a smile. “I understand. You can't give up your birthright.”

“No, sweetheart, you don’t understand. That birthright has been nothing but a weight around my neck since the day I was born. I will gladly give it up in exchange for you and our son.”

“But your brother—”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said firmly. “You matter. Our child matters.”

Happiness bubbled in her veins and her eyes filled with tears. The words emerged without any hesitation. “Oh, Rast, I love you so much.”

An answering happiness lit his face, blue eyes sparkling. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”

His mouth descended over hers and she lost herself in his kiss. It wasn’t until she started to arch against him that she remembered that they weren’t alone and drew back, her cheeks flaming. He didn’t let her go far, keeping her snug against his chest as he looked at the Emperor.

“What now?”

“Now I approve your union.” The Emperor grinned, looking like a carefree boy again. “Although I suggest we keep your brother in suspense while you make any necessary arrangements.”

“Does he know about the law?”

“I doubt it. It’s a more obscure provision and your brother has never struck me as particularly intelligent.”

“But you knew?”

Karthajin shrugged. “I was well tutored in Imperial Law.” There was a weight of meaning behind the casual words. “Now go. Since I have the distinct feeling that you intend to carry your consort out of here, I will have Warnax show you a more discreet passageway so that you won’t offend the countless officials surrounding us.”

“Thank you, Karthajin.” Rast bowed his head. “I appreciate this more than you can know.”

“I understand more than you realize.” Another expression flashed across his face too fast for Deb to read but she wondered how much the burden of being Emperor weighed on him. But thoughts of the Emperor disappeared as Rast rose with her in his arms.

“Come, my beauty. We should celebrate.”

They followed the guard out through a concealed panel and down a series of utilitarian corridors that were a distinct improvement to the procession of overly decorated rooms they had passed through on the way in. Not to mention that being snuggled in Rast’s arms was much better than fighting the weight of the gown. She gave him an anxious look. “Am I too heavy? This gown weighs as much as I do.”

“Not all, sweetheart.” He winked. “Although I am anxious to get you out of it.”

She nodded at the guard and whispered, “Ssh.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Warnax has heard much worse than a prince—a former prince—anxious to get his consort naked.”

She rolled her eyes at him, then touched his face gently. “Are you really sure about this?”

“Yes, I am. I would have given it up regardless if it meant I could have you and our son, but now that I have, all I feel is relief. I should have done this years ago.”

“But then we wouldn’t have met. You wouldn’t have saved me. You wouldn’t have loved me.”

“Then it was worth every miserable minute.” He started to lower his head to kiss her and the guard grunted. “Oh, very well, Warnax. Lead on.”

They emerged through another concealed panel into a passageway that looked like every other one she’d seen—a wide tiled walkway surrounded by massive dark stone walls that towered above her. Beyond their reach, a shimmering barrier replaced the sky, presumably part of the climate control for the Palace.

Rast nodded approvingly. “Thank you, Warnax. This is perfect.”

The guard grunted again and disappeared.

“Not very chatty, is he?”

“The Emperor’s guards are very dedicated—and very well paid.” He didn’t sound impressed.

“Meaning?”

“They are Bukharan. They have a reputation for complete loyalty—while under contract.” He shrugged. “I just wonder how long that loyalty would last if the credits ran out.”

“Is that likely to happen?”

He laughed. “No. The Imperial Family is definitely not short of funds.” He had been walking while they talked, and now he stopped in front of one of the seemingly identical walls and pressed a section of the carving. A red light illuminated his finger, then a panel opened, and they stepped through into the passage leading to his rooms.

“That’s amazing. How did you know where we were? It all looks the same to me.”

“I know every inch of the palace. All of the private sections have their own secrets, of course, but remember, I grew up here. I liked to explore, and I found a number of hidden ways. There wasn’t much else to do when I wasn’t being instructed on my inadequacies as the heir to a Royal House.”

Despite his facetious tone, she could hear the bitterness and hurt behind the words. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him. He relaxed into her touch for a long moment before he raised his head.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” He carried her through into their bedroom and finally set her down, but even then, he lingered, letting her slide slowly down the length of his body. “Shall we get you out of those clothes?”

“Oh, yes, please.”

Moving behind her, he released enough buttons that the weight of the elaborate gown took it the rest of the way, leaving her clad only in an equally elaborate, but much lighter, undergarment. The bodice cupped her breasts before the skirt flared out in layers of translucent silk that were designed to support her skirts.

“This is a much more attractive outfit,” Rast murmured as he surveyed the way it presented her breasts and showed flashes of skin through the sheer fabric.

Deb looked at the flowing layers of while silk and laughed. “It is kind of like a very sexy wedding dress.”

“Wedding dress?”

“What I would have worn on Earth if I married—joined—with someone there.”

He frowned at her. “You are joined to me now. Forever.”

“I know.” She smiled at him. “So, it’s appropriate, isn’t it?”

“What would this wedding have involved?”

“Oh, much what we have already done. Exchanged our vows, signed some papers. Been congratulated by our friends and family.” A lump appeared in her throat. She couldn’t regret falling in love with Rast, but she had always imagined her family around her on her wedding day. She wondered what they would have thought of him. She suspected he would have won her mother over easily, although her father would have taken longer to come around. Her sisters would have thought he was hot, although her youngest sister was quite likely to have demanded a blood sample. And her brothers—they would have been busy teasing her about her alien husband. A tear overflowed.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you regretting this? I thought you wanted to stay with me but perhaps, now that the baby is safe…”

He had gone stiff again, but now she recognized his discomfort and took his hands, staring intently into his face.

“I don’t regret it at all. I meant what I said, Rast. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I just…I miss my family and I wish they were here.”

“I could arrange to have them brought to us,” he said, so seriously she could only stare at him.

“What?”

“It’s highly illegal, of course, but it could be arranged for the right price.”

The temptation to agree almost overwhelmed her, but she finally shook her head. “It wouldn’t be fair to them. As much as I miss them, I couldn’t do it.” She forced a smile. “Besides, you’re no longer a wealthy prince, remember?”

He laughed. “Actually, that’s not quite true. Did you notice that the Emperor specifically reminded me that my personal property was still my own? My grandfather was a very successful courtier; he was not a very successful businessman. He only left my brother a small inheritance and he has gone through most of it. He will be in for a very unpleasant surprise once he takes over.”

“But what about you?”

“When my mother died, the entailed portion of her estate came to me. I’m sure she would have preferred to leave it to my brother, but our inheritance laws required that it came to me as her eldest child. As it turns out, I do have a knack for business. I may no longer be a prince, but I am a very wealthy man. I have been supporting both this place and the Brekaran estate for several years. Neither you nor our son will ever need to worry about credits.”

“I wasn’t worried,” she assured him. “In fact, I was quite prepared to support you. Assuming I still have a job. Or did you lose Sherae as well?” That thought distressed her. She wouldn’t miss this place and its elaborate forbidding walls, but she would miss the pink palace surrounded by ocean.

“We did not lose anything on Sherae; it came to me from my father.”

“I’m glad, but I’m tired of talking about wealth and politics.” She slanted a look at him from under her lashes and trailed a finger down his chest. “You could say this is our wedding night. Our real First Mating.”

His uniform was too stiff for her to see if his body reacted, but his eyes burned blue flames. “What did you have in mind, my Consort?”

“I noticed earlier that this place had a bathing pool.” Actually, it was more like a swimming pool but that was even better for her purposes. “I thought we might take advantage of something else you received from your father.”

“I believe that could be arranged.” He swept her off her feet once more.