Chapter Twenty-Three
Whatever It Takes
The banquet table overflowed with an eclectic mix of local dishes.
Sliced meat that carried the faintest hint of cinnamon, bread that dissolved like spun sugar, and a neon-orange fruit so bitter, that my youngest brother gagged.
After dragging everyone across the stars to Sudo, the least I could do was feed them.
I barely touched my plate. Most food gave me heartburn or turned my stomach. The medical center's air had me sniffling when I went there earlier. Both symptoms together made me want to throw up with every sneeze.
Chase poked at a dish with his fork, frowning. "What's the macro and nutritional breakdown? I mean, it's not bad, but I follow strict dietary guidelines."
"I'll have Axios scan it for you," I deadpanned.
Wyatt laughed, tossed a fruit cube into his mouth, then grimaced. "Tastes like the end of a Duracell battery terminal had a baby with citrus."
Cindy smiled while perched on the edge of a plush chair, her bright red nails tapping against her tablet. She scanned the room with the same sharp eye she used when vetting potential celebrity contracts. "Okay," she finally said, "let's focus. This is a PR disaster, and we're here to fix it."
Her gaze landed squarely on me. "Earth's looking at you and your alien husband."
"There are other men," I muttered.
She arched a perfectly shaped brow. "None like you. You've got the drama, history with Brandon, and an adorable little one on the way. You were in before the Volardi went public. That sells. You got—"
"Je ne sais quoi," offered Parker in a French accent. "That special Something-Something?"
"Sizzle," said Cindy, "but it won't last forever."
"I'm just a guy," I argued.
"About to deliver a baby! What we need to do," said Cindy, "is work with what we've got. We've got most of Earth taking Tydalos' side, so we need people on Team Zeph. The back and forth within fan bases will drive interest. He has to win the next one."
Otherwise, it's all over.
I glanced toward Ryan, who'd been uncharacteristically quiet. "What about you? You're the businessman here, and Tydalos is more your type, right?"
His eyes widened. "Who said he's my type?"
"Like you... You know, calculating."
"Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"Why would it be an insult? You're running the biggest company on Earth."
Ryan's expression dimmed slightly. "The empire tightened their grip, and they're not thrilled with a Human-led business. Alen's vision was different, more collaborative, and he loves Earth culture. A little too much if you ask them. They think he's gone local."
"So? You're local and it's successful."
"Because every product was new and better than anything we Humans could create.
A former beach bum who lived out of a van can run the company, and guess what?
He did." He paused. "The Volardi command structure wants control, and it's turned into: 'Thank you for your assistance in helping the Empire. We can take over.'"
He held his hands out in a shrug, a sad smile tugging at his lips.
"You want my advice? I got my shot by being me.
Everyone else freaked when a single alien showed up.
I thought, 'Wow,' and stuck out my hand.
So, that's the trick. Zeph needs to be real.
.. like your brother Wyatt." He glanced over at our bratty youngest one and then back.
The room silenced as Zephyron entered. If he heard Ryan, he gave no sign.
His purple eyes held weariness, and maybe I pushed too much.
He lost two husbands and had the eyes of the Empire and a new planet on him.
Then he had to take care of a pregnant mate.
All things he did gladly until one thing broke him.
"You gathered them to speak of my failure?" asked Zephyron.
"No. They're here to help you succeed," I said.
"So you think me incapable."
I took a deep breath. "I've tried to get your culture, I really have. I know the whole honor-and-duty mindset is the world... universe to you, and I'm doing what I can to support you. That means standing beside and reaching out with a hand to lift you up. What's so bad about that?"
"I did not merely require help. I experienced..."
"Say it. You panicked. That doesn't make you weak, just real.
Someone who's never been dunked in water before?
That's to be expected. I lived on an ocean planet.
Don't you think there are people on Earth afraid of drowning?
They panic, like me, and I surfed. I'm terrified now!
Of being a father, of having every damn eye in the galaxy on me, of screwing this all up and messing up your life more. "
His gaze remained steady as I breathed. Getting worked up wouldn't help the kid. Zephyron's muscles stiffened, ready for action. After a calming breath, I continued. "I get up every day like you, even when you're dealing with your own doubts. That's strength, Zeph. That's what makes you amazing."
Ryan approached, his voice calm but firm, "You want to know what people admire in a leader?
It's not polish, news bites, or power. It's conviction.
The ones who endure aren't always the loudest. It's those who do what's right when no one's watching.
You've already shown what matters to you.
You protect Volardi, Sandari, and Humans alike, even when they don't ask.
Even when it costs. That's not a weakness.
That's leadership. Just remind them that your strength isn't measured in titles or thrones.
It's in what you're willing to give up for someone else. "
I watched Ryan, surprised at his steadiness. After everything, after the way the Empire's command structure was about to push him out, he could still stand here and support people that mattered to him. No bitterness. Just focus.
Zephyron stood, his broad chest rising and falling with each measured breath.
His voice turned resolute. "Thank you. Some of you have traveled a great distance.
In gratitude, my palace is yours, and this truth, I shall share.
I have been a fool. I have let an enemy unsettle me on and off the battlefield. No longer."
***
The Trial of Will took place on an elevated platform in the heart of the Sandari ceremonial grounds. Sudo's twin moons cast their pale glow over the arena, illuminating intricate carvings and the mixed-species crowd below.
Tydalos stepped forward first, as was his right as the previous winner. His confident stride and smug grin commanded the crowd's attention. He even paused to randomly pose for cameras, flashing what Wyatt and others called his 'stupid smile.'
A cluster of Sandari elders chanted his name.
Some raised clear glasses of water, drinking openly in a way that would have been unthinkable months ago.
The liquid was a symbol, but also a danger.
Every village that accepted Tydalos' aid had seen a spike in Zerlite attacks.
Some whispered it was a coincidence, and others saw consequences.
Zephyron followed, his gait steady and measured. He displayed no trace of the panic he'd shown during the previous Trial. This was the man I knew before and now again. The crowd continued their cheers for Tydalos, which steeled my man's resolve, like forging an iron sword in a blazing furnace.
Their eyes didn't just follow the contestants. I felt their stares on me too—some hopeful, some wary, and others no doubt wondering what effect an Earth Omega would have on their lives.
I sat near the edge of the arena with Parker, Ryan, and my brothers. Solis and Axios stood nearby, their gleaming black-and-white forms a subtle reassurance. Cindy, ever the professional, monitored the live feed with her tablet, whispering instructions to an unseen assistant.
"This is it, with a capital 'I'," Parker murmured. "The big guy has to win." He didn't finish the rest because it was obvious. Two out of three. Winner gets me.
The announcer passed me. My old Sandari medic? I rubbed at my nose and sniffed as he glanced at my stomach. Soon, he stood in the center, high above the crowd and between the two platforms.
His translated voice boomed across the grounds. "Every choice comes at a cost. The greater the offering, the closer one moves to the midpoint and victory. This Trial demands loss to win. It is a test of what you are willing to lose to secure what you value most. Choose your sacrifices well."
Holographic projections flared to life around the contestants and lit up the moonlit desert further.
Tydalos' holdings appeared in vivid detail: His aquatic kingdom, vast and teeming with life.
For Zephyron, it was Sudo with jagged deserts, mineral veins, and sparse oases with their unique beauty captured in breathtaking clarity.
"By the way," said Wyatt. "My money's on Zeph. The big guy's got guts."
Chase, the brains in our family, frowned. "Guts? I see calculation in those eyes."
"It's called the Trial of Will," said Joel. "That means guts win. We already did one for smarts."
"See?" said Wyatt. "Joel agrees with me. Two against one."
"The better man will win," I said louder than intended.
Solis chimed in and laid a feather-light hand on my shoulder. "He has the heart of a true leader. He will emerge victorious, and the others will surely see Tydalos' deception and greed."
"Will they?" asked Axios. "Greed often appears as strength and drive. Who will capture the hearts of Sudo and the Empire?"
The older Sandari's voice boomed through the area, silencing all. "Contestants, what will you sacrifice first?"
The smug snake stepped forward without hesitation. "I offer the Glowing Reefs of my western kingdom. Beautiful, but expendable."