Page 126

“These men,” the Queen announces, “have been brought to us having committed the most heinous of crimes. Decorated officers of the Aurelian Law Enforcement, they betrayed their duty and fornicated with a woman in their custody. This is crime punishable by death.”

The crowd gasps.

“The proof? It’s in their eyes. These warriors areBondedto this woman.”

The crowd mutters and jeers. One Elite stands.

“Bonded? The wecannotexecute them! Have you gonemad, Queen Jasmine? We must think of our race before anything else! The Aurelian race is dying out! The Bond is all we have!”

Queen Jasmine waits for the crowd to quiet. “You are correct.”

As angry, panicked and frantic as I am, I take a second to admire her diplomacy. Jasmine has the authority to stand that man down…

…and yet she spoke to him with respect, and acknowledged his words.

The Queen continues:

“This is indeed a unique case, and as such I will judge it uniquely. Every Aurelian in this crowd would have done the same if they’d known their prisoner was their Fated Mate.”

There are rumbles and grumbles in the crowd, but I see that people are nodding their heads slowly. The poison of hope wells up inside of me.

“These three men took advantage of a woman,” Jasmine speaks loudly. “For that crime, they are hereby expelled from the ranks of Aurelian Law Enforcement. They are hereby banished from the Aurelian Empire.” She turns to the Orb-Armored guards and barks: “Take them away!”

The crowd goes wild, and it’s difficult to tell what their reaction is – anger, or elation.

It doesn’t matter. What this means is that my beloved triad willnotbe executed.

As I stand there, the aura of Hadrian flares in my mind.

“We will meet with you soon, my love.”

Joy fills my heart.

Then I remember my little sister. That too, fills me with joy – albeit of another kind.

I’d spent years searching for her. Thanks to my triad, she is alive and returned to me.

But not returned whole. She’s still terrified of Aurelians, and deeply traumatized by what Torelli did to her. It will be a long road before she’s healed again – if that’s even possible.

And that creates a deep conflict.

I’d already felt myself growing closer to those three gorgeous Aurelians with each mating. One more coupling, and I feel I’ll have become so intertwined with them that I’ll never get out.

And that’s fine. That’s good. That’s everything…

But I’ll need some time to help my sister get well first, before I give myself entirely to my triad. Maybe, one day, she’ll learn not to hate Aurelians. Even to trust them. Perhaps, in time, she can love my triad, as her brothers.

But not today. Not for many days.

I stand there and watch Daccia, Hadrian, and Kitos get dragged away. When my triad has finally left the arena, Queen Jasmine addresses the jeering crowd.

“Our Empire owes a debt to this woman,” she gestures towards me. “This woman has suffered, and it is her choice how she shall proceed with her life.”

An Aurelian stands in the crowd. “She shouldnothave a choice! Our peopleneedsons!”

Queen Jasmine gives him a haughty stare. “Then we are no more than animals! The Aurelian Empire issupposedto be the highest culture in the universe. You’d reduce a woman to breeding chattel?” She shakes her head. “Then, this court is adjourned.”

The Elites guards behind me pick up the Orb-Ring I’d angrily tossed to the sand. Without a word, they lead me from the arena. This time, we go a different way down the hallway, away from the direction we’d come in.