Chapter 2

~ Arac ~

Having his feet on the ground and feeling the breeze blowing through his hair was everything he ever dreamed it would be. Watching his young chasing each other through scattered beams of sunlight only made the moment more perfect. Their tiny wings carried their plump little bodies around with great effort. In time, their wings would grow larger and stronger, even as their body mass diminished to something more normative. It was the way with his kind. The strange mixture of insectoid and humanoid DNA evidenced itself in such ways.

Standing with his hands on his hips, he watched the little ones nipping and tugging at each other as they played and tested their strength. Insectoid young were resilient creatures and playing rough was in their nature. Arac could remember playing such games himself as youngling.

His mind filled with the happy memories from before his queen mother had been assigned to lead a battle ship. Having the sunshine and fresh air pulled from under him at early age had been heart wrenching. He’d adjusted with the support of his father and brothers. As the years wore on, he’d even grown to like life aboard the battle cruiser.

Yet nothing could have prepared him for the horror of being selected as Kabelda’s breeder. Maruvian queens were larger than the males and much more aggressive. The two short years he had been her breeder had been the worst in his life, for she had a penchant for cruelty that was truly unmatched by her peers. She’d visited every hardship upon him, including lashing him with little or no provocation. He’d felt the bite of claws tearing into his tender flesh to many times to count.

Strong enough to take any physical abuse his queen wished to visit upon him, the act that damaged his soul had been her continual refusal to allow him access to his young. With a wisdom born of being her breeder, he knew why she was so strict in that area. His queen had a bad habit of culling the their eggs, destroying any she perceived as having the slightest flaw. Then she visited the same fate upon any hatchlings with visible imperfections. Killing imperfect young was a queen’s right, but it was an arcane and ruthless practice only embraced by the most heartless queens. She knew that watching her draw down their numbers would provoke his rage like nothing else.

Such was his life before the three human queens stowed away on his vessel. Penny was the youngest of the queens and not of age to seek a breeder. The eldest was Alexis. She had chosen his brother, Drale. The strongest of the three was Helena, who had become his brother’s queen. Helena was the one who rescued him from the nightmare that was Kabelda’s reign. Though she brought love and tenderness to his brother’s lonely life, for Arac her gift had been freedom. Strange how the small human queen gave them both what they longed for the most.

Images of the day Kabelda found her way to their new home world burned wild and hot in his mind. The small, defenseless human queens had stood united against her and her warriors. Though Kabelda was twice their size and armed, the small queens slipped through the thin shielding to do battle against her. Kabelda had expected a token resistance by the human female in charge of their new home world. What she got was clawfull after clawfull of human females breaching the shield. No sooner did one fall than another took her place. Their bravery in the face of certain death was something Arac would never forget.

One had made her way to him and, once freed, he did the unthinkable. He promptly turned on his queen, sabotaging her battle shield and leaving her vulnerable to attack from the males and sentries. Watching as they ripped her apart, he’d felt such relief that his young were finally safe from her endless culling.

A familiar voice drew him from his internal musings. “What dark thoughts run through your head, brother?” Raec’s voice sounded more curious than worried for once.

“I was remembering the day Kabelda fell.”

“Do you miss your mate?”

Jerking his around to look at his Raec, he pinned the male with an annoyed look. “Never for one moment have I missed her claws.”

“I did not mean to offend. It is just that after being bonded to a female and spawning young with her, I know how I would feel if she died in battle. Though Kabelda reveled in her power over you and caused you much pain, I thought some small part of her might have cared. It is that tiny part I thought you might miss.”

“Brother, you must know that Kabelda did not show a different face with me than she did with everyone else. She had no small bit of compassion or caring in her soul to share with a male. I wake every morning and thank the gods she is too dead to harm my young or get her claws back into me.”

“I am jealous of you over one small thing.”

Screeching a laugh, Arac’s expression brightened. “It is because I landed a shot during the fight, is it not?”

Raec gave a trill of amazement. “I did not think you had it in you, to harm a queen.”

“For killing our young she deserved a worse death than she received. Still, I must admit to some anxiety. Such things are not done our kind. I fear Queen Carolyn will come to her senses and send her sententials for me.”

“She refers to you as a hero and asks about your welfare often.”

Becoming agitated, Arac moved back a step. “You have told her that I have no wish to be pressed into service by a queen, did you not?”

“Have no fear, brother. She has eyes only for her drone. The way she stares at him, one might think he hung the moon and stars just for her pleasure. I have never seen a queen dote on her male in such a fashion. It’s practically indecent.”

Relaxing, Arac stated teasingly, “You should not speak of doting females. Your beautiful general cannot seem to keep her hands off you. You no sooner spawn than she breeds you again.”

His brother’s mood shifted in an instant. “Do not call my queen beautiful. She is mine, Arac. She wants only me. Stay away from her.”

Flaring out his wings with indignation, Arac responded brazenly, “I think all the excess breeding is making you irrational. You know I have no wish to engage with a queen.”

“She always asks about you and the hatchling you allowed her hold. I believe she is partial to the one you named after her.”

“She’s human,” Arac argued back. “Human queens are nurturing. They worry about the wellbeing of others. That does not mean she wishes to mate me.”

Throwing his hand around at all the young, Raec responded hotly. “How can she not be attracted to you? You’re a queen maker, like me. You make gorgeous, flawless young. Any queen would wish to add you to their harem.” Raec had taken a step forward and unfurled his wings in an extremely dominate pose. His hands were fisted at his side. Arac recognized the signs of extreme agitation all too well. Unless he missed his guess, his idiotic brother was about to visit violence upon him. It had been several solars since they last sparred and many more than he could readily count since they last had reason to engage in honest combat against each other. Such was the way of children, not full grown drones.

Arac stepped back, opening his hands in deference, and folded his wings neatly away. “I do not believe human queens care for harems. I was reviewing the newsfeed and it appears most of the queens have elected to stay with us, but few have elected to join family units.”

Looking confused, his brother’s anger clicked down a notch. “I heard most of them were bonded.”

Tilting his head, Arac smiled. “They chose individual drones.”

“That makes no sense. Why would they choose one when they could have a group tending their every need?”

A growly voice came from nearby. “The pair of you know nothing of human queens. It’s truly difficult to imagine a more ignorant pair of queen makers.”

Turning, Arac dipped his head slightly at the creature spitting vitriol at them. “Zadon, what occasions a visit by the queen’s private sentinel?”

“I am ordered to retrieve you and all your young. You are to present at the palace immediately.”

Shock tore thorough him. The queen had promised him that he would left alone with his young. Folding his arms over his chest, Arac responded stiffly. “I do not wish it.”

Sticking his nose in the air the huge creature replied. “Queen Carolyn told me you would say such. You are commanded to present before the throne.”

Raec stepped in front of his brother. “Why does the queen force him to her side after promising she would never require such?”

“Queens command, drones obey. Sentinels are tasked with ensuring obedience. You know this Raec. Since when have queens felt the need to explain their every demand? Since never. Arac will come, now. He will bring all his young.”

“I’m not breeding her. If that’s what she’s after, she can forget it.”

Lifting off the ground, the gargoyle-like creature spread his massive wings. “You forget yourself, Arac.”

Raec looked back and forth between them. A quick flick of his wrist later and his battle spear was in his hand. A sharp twist of the middle forced a massive blade out of each end. “I think it is you who forgets himself, Zadon.”

As the beast moved toward Raec, another massive form slammed into him. They tumbled to the ground, all wings, claws, and huge snouts. Two more of the large beasts landed, one with Penny on its back. It was so like young Penny to jump to the rescue without thought or care for her own safety. She had around a dozen of the huge sentinels at her disposal, as the House of Armon had sworn their entire line to her service in gratitude for setting them free. The three she brought with her were enough to ensure their safety this day.

Rising, Zadon landed in a battle stance. “Armon, you dare to defy you Queen Carolyn’s orders? That is treason.”

Penny lilting childish voice rang out. “Treason, smeason. Arac’s not going anywhere he doesn’t want to go. Now, run along and tell Queen Carolyn that Queen Penny said for her to go suck an egg.”

Zadon growled low in his throat as three more of his line landed behind him.

Arac intervened before things could get ugly. “Don’t harm Penny. I will obey.”

“Good decision.” Zadon’s growly voice held a note of relief.

Penny spoke up again, clearly miffed. “We’re coming too, so don’t even think of trying anything cute.”

Arac stared at Zadon for a brief moment. The Golugua were an ancient race of creatures with an appearance so terrifying threats of involving them were told to small children to gain their cooperation with unpleasant tasks. Raec’s queen had once said they look like demons spawned in the deepest pits of hell. With their huge wingspan, sharp teeth and oversized claws, he couldn’t imagine them trying to be anything approaching cute.

Penny flew over to him on a pair of small fluttering wings that no human should possess. It was odd and confusing to witness. When she landed, Armon’s young crawled from her back to her shoulder and perched there, blinking at him. Penny reached up, stroking the creature’s side affectionately. “You’re looking at me like I’ve got two heads. What’s up, Arac?”

Shaking his head, he responded wearily. “It took me a moment to realize the wings were not your own. Why do you think Queen Carolyn wishes to see me?”

Penny sighed, folding her arms across her chest. “I’ve honestly got no idea. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, you’re a queen maker without a queen.”

“I’ll not breed her.” The words came tumbling out, though he’d promised himself he was going to stop saying that every time the subject of spawning came up.

“She seems like a one man kind of woman to me. I think she wants to talk you into looking for a queen. I can tell you’re freaking out about that. Remember, queens rule at our leisure on this world. She can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. If she tries to force the issue, then one of us will pull her right down off that fancy throne of hers.”

“Queens are not to be dethroned for trivial matters. Our world needs stability.”

“Our world also needs people in charge that we can trust to keep their word. She said you could have your own place and that you didn’t have to take a mate. I, for one, expect her to keep her word.”

“I will speak with her. Perhaps she wishes something else of me.”

Raec spoke up. “If that is the case why force you to bring your little ones?”

Penny’s determined voice cut in. “Armon, Raec, and I will accompany you.”

Swallowing thickly, Arac had no wish to drag others into his personal affairs. However, since Queen Carolyn had asked to see his young, he would accept their offer.

He turned Penny’s words over in his mind. As adverse as he was to taking another mate, he had not forgotten the beautiful injured woman from the great battle. Her lush body, long pale hair and heaving breasts had been enough to provoke his mating scent. She had danced through his dreams on more than one occasion.

Arac shook his head, unconsciously trying to force the seductive little queen from his thoughts. She needed to remain in his dreams, because queens were too unpredictable to associate with during his waking hours.