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“I’m sorry. But um…” she looked to Vysh, who nodded. “He’s mykalehshun.”

Hespia’s mouth dropped open.

“Whaaat?Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because the Zhaal’s enemies would have used it against him. They’d say it was proof he was unfit. But now that I’ve won theshaa’baarano-one can question our right to be together.”

Hespia turned to Vysh.

“And you knew?”

“It wasn’t my secret to tell.”

“I guess not. Oh well.” She shrugged in resignation. “I suppose being a finalist is still a big deal. Let’s hear what the Zhaal has to say.”

What he had to say surprised them both. When they got back to collect their belongings they were both talking over each other with so much excitement that Kara had to stop them.

“Hey, one at a time. What happened?”

“He apologized for not choosing one of us as Zhaalini,” Vysh began. “And to make up for it he’s elevated our clan status tosajilevel.”

“Er…”

“One below the ruling clans,” explained Hespia. “It’s a huge boost for our families. And on top of that he’s given us both parcels of land.”

“Our own estates. It’s unreal.” Vysh’s scales were gleaming a soft purple. “Dalthar and I will have somewhere to build a home.”

A warm glow lit Kara from inside. Vahn didn’t really know these women and he certainly didn’t owe them anything. And yet he’d gone out of his way to make them happy.

The three of them hugged and made promises to stay in touch.

“Good luck with the wedding,” Vysh said as she left. Kara’s pulse jumped. The wedding. She hadn’t even thought about it.

She’d be marrying the Zhaal. There would be a prestigious marriage ceremony watched by every single person on the planet. She would be crowned the Empress of Vraxos.

And before any of that, the scariest part of all. She had to tell her mother.

That evening she took great care getting ready for her own audience with Vahn. She hadn’t seen him since her victory last night when she’d been battered and covered in blood. She knew he didn’t mind what she looked like but just this once, she wanted to be beautiful for him.

She bathed and applied perfume to her wrists and throat. She kept her make-up minimal, merely powdering over her fading bruises and accentuating the darkness of her eyes. But she took some time to style her hair into wild curls, reminiscent of how it had looked on Minerva-6.

She slipped on a long pale blue shift dress that matched the color of Vahn’s scales, but left herself barefoot and underwear-free.

Butterflies cavorted through her stomach as she examined her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t know why she was so nervous, except that finally, after all this time, there was nothing standing between her and herkalehshun.

Guards arrived to escort her to the Zhaal’s royal quarters. As they passed through the Imperial Palace, she noticed Vraxians whispering and giving her sidelong glances. She assumed they knew where she was going and why, and held her head high.

She’d never been to this side of the palace, she realized. An entire wing was given over to the Emperor’s residence, accommodation she assumed she would now be sharing. The thought made her warm inside.

By the time she arrived, she was excited to see him. The guards opened the ornate double doors and closed them behind her, leaving her alone with the Zhaal.

He was standing in the center of a sumptuous living room with his hands clasped behind his back and his serpetri coiled around his hips. He wore a billowing silk robe that fell open to show his muscular torso. Beneath it he only appeared to be wearing his usual tightly molded leather trousers that revealed his abs and his defined V cut to perfection.

He looked extremely masculine and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

“Hello,” she said, a little shyly. He was staring at her with an intensity that made her cheeks flush. He didn’t reply and she tried again. “I’m so happy to see you.”

This was his cue to tell her he was happy too, and that she looked amazing. But he didn’t.