Chapter 20

The arrival on Halkon Station seemed like a lifetime ago to Xan as he stood on the observation deck of the cruiser that would take him back to his world, to his family. He heard the doors to the room open and shut and footsteps padding behind him. Then he felt Sloan’s hand press against his back and travel up to his shoulder. Wrapping her arms around him from behind, she seemed content to stay where she was, breathing him in.

He knew that all this was a big change not just for him but also for her. He had asked her to leave her ship and crew, and travel with him to a new world, surrounded by people she didn’t know. It was a lot to take in, but he was glad she had decided to come with him. Xan couldn’t help but think about what would be next for them as he stared out at the stars in front of them, which shot past like streaks of light across the giant force-field reinforced window. He brought Sloan to the front of him and held her in his arms.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked, peering up at him.

“No, and I didn’t want to wake you with my tossing and turning.” He kissed her forehead.

“I wouldn’t have minded. What are you thinking about?”

“All the changes that are about to happen. I’ll be briefed on a lot of things I’ve missed during my time away. There will be a lot of preparations to make in time for my coronation in only a few months. Treaties that have been signed must be adhered to, and alliances that have been forged and broken must be mended. It’s a lot to take in. I prepared for it for the first twenty-five years of my life, but that all seems like a lifetime ago.”

“I’m sure, but I know you can do it. Let me know what I can do to help, and I will,” Sloan said, turning to face Xan. “You’re an astounding man, Xan. You are, and I know you’ll be a king who makes the right choices for his people, no matter what they are.” Looking at him sadly, she brightened and said, “You know what will make you feel better?”

“What?”

“A race.” She pushed off his chest and sprinted away from him and out of the observation deck.

“You cheat!” he said, laughing as he chased her.

“I need to use every advantage I can against you with your long legs,” she said over her shoulder as she sprinted down the corridors, twisting and turning down one passageway, then another. Xan felt like his heart would burst at the sight of her running away. It made him think of his time acclimating to her ship and how at ease he felt. It was a carefree time when all he had to worry about was making sure Sloan was taking care of herself and happy, and that he was getting healthier and stronger. Things would be more complicated now, much more complex, but being with Sloan was the one thing that Xan saw with crystal clarity.

She rotated around to face him as she ran backward. “Looks like someone’s been slacking. When did you get so slow, Xan?” she said. Using her slowed pace to his advantage, Xan sprinted toward her, picked her up, and lifted her into his arms. Pressing her up against one of the walls of the corridor, Xan attacked her mouth with feverish kisses. The energy from the chase had got them both hot and bothered.

At the sound of a door opening to their right, they both stopped to see who was coming. They saw Cain step out into the hallway with his blaster belt in his hand and his shirt collar unbuttoned. A hand came out of the room and yanked him back into the opened door. Only then did Yaris stick her head out to give Cain an intense kiss on the lips. Xan dropped Sloan to the ground and made a move toward the two, but Sloan grabbed his shirt and yanked him down the corridor before Yaris or Cain saw them.

Xan walked on wooden legs as Sloan led him toward their room. He was still processing what he’d seen. His baby sister, the sister he had only recently been reunited with, was kissing Cain. Commander Cain. He broke away from Sloan and tried to return to the scene he’d been called away from to confront Cain for putting his hands on his sister.

Sloan stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Xan, don’t,” she said.

“What do you mean don’t? Cain was putting his hands on my sister.”

“It didn’t exactly look like he was the only one involved.”

“She is my baby sister,” Xan growled, his fists clenching as he thought about giving Cain a punch in the mouth.

“Xan, seriously? She isn’t a baby. She’s a grown woman. A woman who obviously feels a great deal for Cain. You can’t come back into her life and immediately start making demands.”

“Why not? I will be the king. It’s a part of my responsibility as her king and her brother to protect her.”

“Xan, there’s protecting her, and then there is babying her. She obviously cares for Cain. She invited him to her room. He definitely seems to care for her. You’ve been reunited only a short while and don’t know everything that has gone on. It would be better for you not to jump to conclusions about anything when it comes to their relationship. Speak to her about it later,” she said, gripping his hand. “Come back to the room with me, Xan, please,” Sloan pleaded with him, tugging his shirt. “Please. I don’t want you to rush in there and possibly damage your relationship with Yaris or Cain. You’re going to need people you can rely on, and knocking Cain out, as much as you want to, isn’t going to accomplish that.”

Xan knew Sloan was right. He was aware that he had no right to order his sister how to live her life, especially since they had only recently been reunited, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. Vowing that he would get to the bottom of what was going on between his sister and Cain, Xan allowed Sloan to guide him back to their room, lost in thought about what had happened between them, how long it had been going on, and whether he should put a stop to it.