Chapter 22 #3
She was Vaktaire, like Ahrick, with a pale pelt that shimmered in the firelight—cream-colored with the faintest whisper of silver where the light caught her just right.
Thick dark braids were woven atop her head in an elaborate pattern that formed a crown more regal than any metal circlet could ever hope to achieve.
But it was her eyes that truly captivated me—golden irises that seemed to glow with their own inner fire, set against a deep blue sclera that reminded me of Earth's ocean at twilight.
They held an intelligence and warmth that immediately eased the knot of anxiety in my chest, despite the obvious power she wielded.
She wore flowing robes of purple, red, and teal that moved around her like water, the colors blending and shifting with each graceful step.
The garments were clearly formal, befitting her station as leader of the Alliance, yet they draped with a comfortable ease that suggested she'd chosen them for more than mere ceremony.
"Welcome," she said, her voice rich and melodious, carrying the weight of authority softened by genuine warmth. She came around the desk with fluid grace. "You must be Chloe." Those remarkable eyes settled on me, crinkling at the corners with what looked like amusement. "Welcome to Calpa."
Then her gaze shifted to Nansar, and the atmosphere in the room changed. The warmth remained, but it was joined by something harder—a flash of steel that reminded me this woman commanded the loyalty of entire worlds. And beneath that, something that looked almost like sorrow, or perhaps regret.
The moment stretched taut as a wire, tension building with each passing second. I felt Nansar go rigid beside me, every muscle in his body tensing. "Lady Prime," he offered, bowing his head with careful respect.
She studied him for another long moment, and I found myself holding my breath, my heart hammering against my ribs.
This woman held absolute power here. One word from her, one command, and she could send him back to Palaydium.
Everything we'd fought for, everything we'd survived together, every moment of pain and triumph that had brought us to this point—all of it could be torn apart with a single decree.
What if she didn't believe in second chances? What if she looked at him and saw only the crimes documented in his file, not the man he'd become? Not the man who'd kept me alive, who'd protected me, who'd chosen me over everything?
I squeezed his hand tighter, my heart pounding so hard I was certain everyone in the room could hear it.
I wouldn't let them take him. I didn't care who she was or what authority she wielded.
We were bonded. He was mine, and I was his, and nothing—not laws, not politics, not the weight of entire civilizations—would separate us.
"Welcome, Nansar," the Prime said finally, and the hardness in her gaze melted into something that looked like understanding, perhaps even compassion.
"Please, sit." She gestured to the comfortable seating arranged around the fireplace.
"I spend enough time being formal in the council chambers. Here, we can speak freely."
We settled onto the plush seating, the fabric impossibly soft beneath me.
Nansar and I claimed a loveseat that kept us close—close enough that I felt the steady rhythm of his breathing, the warmth of his body anchoring me.
Ako and Helene took seats across from us, their postures relaxed but attentive, while Dad remained standing near where the Prime settled into her chair. Ever the guardian. Ever watchful.
The Prime reached for a delicate crystal bell on the side table.
When she rang it, the sound that emerged was pure and delicate, like wind chimes made of starlight.
Before the last note faded, a door I hadn't even noticed—cleverly concealed in the wall's ornate paneling—whispered open.
A tiny female with skin the color of a summer sky entered, balancing a tray laden with refreshments.
She moved with practiced grace, setting everything on the coffee table before vanishing as silently as she'd appeared.
"Please, help yourselves," the Prime said, her movements fluid as she poured herself a cup of tea.
Steam rose from the liquid, carrying with it a scent that reminded me of honey and something floral I couldn't quite place.
"I find these conversations go better with something warm to drink.
" Those blue-gold eyes—ancient and knowing—fixed on my face with laser focus. "Tell me about Declan Hewes."
The name alone sent ice through my veins.
I drew in a breath, feeling Nansar's hand find mine and squeeze reassuringly.
"On Earth, I was an FBI agent—a law enforcement officer," I explained, catching the slight arch of her eyebrow.
"I was working a case involving human trafficking.
Young women were disappearing without a trace, and all the evidence pointed to one man: Declan Hewes. "
The Prime leaned forward, and suddenly I understood what it meant to have someone's complete attention. It was like being caught in a spotlight, but not an uncomfortable one. She listened with her entire being.
"I got too close to the truth," I continued, my voice steadier than I felt. "Too close to proving his involvement, to bringing him down. So he had me kidnapped." The words tasted bitter. "He held me prisoner for eighteen months."
Beside me, Nansar's grip on my hand turned almost painful.
I felt the fury rolling off him in waves, a storm barely contained.
A low, dangerous growl rumbled deep in his chest—a sound that would have terrified me once, but now only made me feel protected.
Across the room, Dad's jaw clenched so hard I could see the muscle jumping.
His hands balled into fists at his sides, knuckles bleaching white.
"Cullen," the Prime said softly, and there was something in her tone—understanding, perhaps, or shared pain. Their eyes met, and I witnessed a wordless exchange, something deeper than I could interpret.
"As you already know," I pressed on, "a few months ago, I was rescued.
President Bradford and her mate Rickon made that possible.
" Gratitude swelled in my chest at the memory.
"When we learned Hewes had escaped during transport to a prison planet, we came up with a plan.
We would use me as bait to draw him out of hiding.
" I paused, my teeth grinding together as I fought back the surge of emotion.
"I have no doubt it was Hewes who destroyed the Alliance vessel I was traveling on.
But the crew—they saved me. They got me into an escape pod and sent it to Palaydium before. .."
I couldn't finish. Didn't need to.
"That's when I met her," Nansar said, his voice rough.
He picked up the thread of our story, and I was grateful for the reprieve.
"As you are aware, Father contacted me for help.
I was more than willing to give it." His eyes found mine, and the smile that curved his lips transformed his entire face, filling it with such warmth that my breath caught.
He didn't mention our time with the Welati—that belonged to us alone, sacred and private.
"Hewes tracked Chloe to Palaydium. He arrived in a Trogvyk ship, along with Trogvyk and Romvesian mercenaries.
" His blue-green eyes flashed with remembered fury, with the violence of that day.
"But my friend Ahrick and I fought them.
I would not—could not—allow him to harm Chloe ever again. "
My heart clenched, remembering how close I'd come to losing him in that fight. How his blood had stained the ground.
"The Alliance shuttle arrived during the battle," I added, my voice barely above a whisper.
"They destroyed Hewes's transport and killed most of the mercenaries. Declan tried to kill me but Nansar,” I blinked away the tears, my hand tightening on his.
“Nansar nearly gave his life saving me. As far as we know, Declan's still trapped on Palaydium. "
The Prime's expression shifted, growing grave.
Shadows seemed to deepen in the lines of her face.
"We have been monitoring Palaydium closely since your rescue," she said, her fingers steepling before her in a gesture that spoke of careful consideration.
"The force fields surrounding the planet have been strengthened significantly.
Multiple redundancies have been put in place.
" She paused, and I felt hope kindle in my chest. "I can confirm that Hewes has not left the surface. "
Relief washed through me like cool water, but it was fleeting.
"However," the Prime continued, and that single word dropped like a stone, "as long as he has spies embedded within the Alliance council, he remains a significant danger.
He may be trapped, but he is far from powerless.
" Her gaze swept across all of us, touching each face in turn.
"A man with resources, connections, and nothing to lose is perhaps the most dangerous kind of enemy.
He's a cornered animal, and those are always the most vicious. "
Nansar's hand tightened around mine, his warmth steadying me even as a chill ran down my spine. Hewes was contained, yes. But not defeated. Not destroyed. And as long as he drew breath, we would never truly be safe.
The Prime's attention shifted to Nansar, her penetrating gaze settling on him with an intensity that made the air itself seem to thicken. My stomach twisted into knots.
"Nansar," she said, and in that single word, I heard the weight of judgment.
My heart plummeted.
The words exploded from me before rational thought could intervene. "Are you going to send him back? To Palaydium?" I couldn't keep the desperation from my voice. "Because if you are, I'm going with him."
"Chloe—" Nansar's protest died as I squeezed his hand with fierce determination.