“I do not think Mary wishes to stay,” said Tek. He left Mary to think, but she’d also wanted to check in with Levia and Enia. Maybe their company would convince her that she had a place here.

“What will you do?” the Oracle asked.

“What can I do?” He paced across the Yalla tree. “I cannot force her to stay. If she will not mate with me…I will be the only the king in a thousand years that failed to procure his rightful queen.” He shook his head. “Or rather, I will be the only king to give up his throne because he failed.”

The elderly Kratanian raised her brow at him. “Your place in history concerns you?”

Tek thought about Mary—her smile, her scent, her soft heart and giving nature. “I don’t want to be without her,” he admitted.

“And if the choice is either Mary or Kratania?”

Tek paused and turned to the Oracle. “Mary,” he said. He shook his head. “That is the wrong choice, I know, but I can’t choose duty over love. The planet of my birth deserves my loyalty, but so does the woman I have promised to honor and love.”

The Oracle caressed his cheek fondly. “You have always followed your heart. That’s what will make you a good leader, Tek. Even with a broken heart, you would rule Kratania with a fair and compassionate hand.”

Tek hesitated. “I’ve already told Mary I would take the robes.”

“That’s...unfortunate.” The Oracle threw up her hands. “Alas, it is your choice.”

“Then I know what I must do.”

Thirty minutes later, Tek found Mary and dragged her back to his room. “I will give up my crown and move with you to Earth.”

Shocked, Mary stared at him. “What about duty to your people? You’ll be a really good king, Tek. I don’t want you to give that up for me.”

“A good king needs a good queen.” He hesitated. “I’ve already told you I do not wish rule Kratania without you by my side. In fact, I do not wish to do anything without you.”

Mary grinned, her heart alight with an emotion she dared not name. Aw, what the hell. She wrapped her arms about her prince and said, “You mean that you love me.”

“Love.” He nodded. “Yes, Mary. I love you.”

“This is crazy, you know that?”

He frowned. “I know my own heart.”

“And Kratania?”

“Vrek will do right by our planet. In fact, all of my brothers are strong, valiant and noble. They are good leaders and good men. Any of them could rule in my place.”

Maybe not Mek, Mary thought. But the others, maybe. It didn’t change the fact that she knew Tek wanted to rule Kratania. He wanted to be king. Hell, he deserved to be king. All she had to do was say yes, and put on an alien porno for a group of people called the Guild. That wasn’t too difficult, was it?

She sighed. Heavily. “Fine,” she said softly, “I’m your harataya.”

Tek gathered Mary into his arms. “You will stay with me?”

“Yes,” she said, and meant it with all her heart.

The next evening, Mary, Tek and the Oracle stood on a large stage in the middle of a circular room that was half the size of a football field. In the middle of the dais were the thrones of the King and Queen, who looked like they could rule Kratania forever. They had been very nice to Mary, but she still felt intimidated by their beauty and power.

Determined now to meet her destiny head-on, Mary had dressed in the royal gold tunics and paraded herself on Tek’s arm through the huge crowd. She’d listened to all the speeches and smiled until her lips ached. And finally, the announcement rang out in Tek’s strong, deep voice: “The Chosen Crown Princess is Mary Jeanne Wolmack. She is my harataya!”

A loud cheer went up.

Then the Oracle—yeah, Miss-No-One-Challenges-My-Choice-For-Queen—pounded her staff onto the floor and announced, “All hail the harataya of Crown Prince Tek! Whosoever challenges his harataya, speak now or forever hold your peace!”

The Oracle hadn’t expected anyone to step forward. The crowd hadn’t expected it, either. A gasp rippled through the wedding guests as Rona’s voice boomed through the room. “I challenge Mary Wolmack from Earth.”

“Rona,” said the King in a voice rife with censure. “You would dishonor Geru’s choice as your next queen?”

“I honor Geru. It is because of Geru that I challenge, and under the law, I have the right.” Rona bowed prettily, but her eyes flashed hatred at Mary. “She is not of our world, Your Highness. She knows nothing about our planet or our customs. It is my duty as a loyal citizen of Kratania to see if the Earth woman is truly worthy of our prince.”

“Loyal citizen?” snorted Mary. She remembered her conversation with Alana and Tek about a daughter’s duty. “You’re loyal only to yourself. When’s the last time you sent matra-patra tributes?”

Rona’s lips tightened. “I have begged the forgiveness of my parents and made peace with them. If you knew anything about our culture, you would know that asking forgiveness negates the debt.”

Mary rolled her eyes. Then she looked at the Oracle. “You said this was only a formality.”

The Oracle shrugged. “I can’t help the stupidity of this one.” She sighed. “You must answer the challenge, Mary. Do you fight for your prince or do you relinquish your claim to Rona?”

Mary glared at Rona. If the bitch wanted a brawl, Mary was going to bring it. “I fight for my prince.”

“I’m going to lose,” said Mary. She looked down at the tunic. It was sleeveless and very short. She wore a pair of panties that didn’t even try to cover her ass. The garment offered freedom of movement and some coverage, so she wasn’t going to complain about the get-up. “I need a baseball bat or a knife. Better yet, if Tek can take me home, I think one of my previous clients might be able to get me a gun.”

Levia, who had joined Mary in support, gave her a confused look. Mary added, “I’m interesting. Just ask the Oracle.”

“You are very interesting,” agreed Levia, a small smile playing on her lips.

They stood inside a tent on a large field. Outside a warm breeze blew and tickled the cloth walls. In just a few moments, Mary would enter a roped-off circle and try to beat the tar out of Rona, and vice versa.

“Hit her in the gurta,” advised Levia. She pointed between her legs. “A lot.”

“Do you all have something extra down there I don’t know about? Because otherwise, the gurta may not hurta enough to get me ahead.”

Levia took her hands and squeezed. “You will do well. You are fierce.”

“Thanks, Levia.”

She nodded and, with one last smile of reassurance, exited the tent.

The only good thing about the battle was that it wasn’t to the death. The first woman knocked down and pinned for ten seconds won the fight, the prince, and the right to rule Kratania. Tek entered the tent and took Mary into his arms. He kissed her deeply. “I have faith in you, my harataya.”

“That makes one of us,” said Mary. Nerves plucked at her stomach. “Levia said I should hit Rona in the gurta.”

“Hit her everywhere,” he said. “But the gurta is a good place to start.

“I want to win,” she said, “but I’ve never fought anyone before.”

“Trust in Geru.” He stroked her hair. “And trust in yourself.”