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I might be Prime Minister of ten billion souls, but here, my mom is queen.

“Is that a good idea?” I reply, my stomach tightening.

Oakly bolts upright, incensed, his tanned face reddening. “It’s bad enough those three cunts invaded our planet, but our home?”

“That filthy tongue might be acceptable with your warden buddies, but not in my home,” chides my mother. She’s a respected ranger of her own, but she doesn’t carry the riflewhen she works. She’s in forest management and planning, and she runs her team with iron discipline, the same as her home. “Now, Adriana, what do the Aurelians like to eat?” She pointedly ignores my pissed off brother.

“I honestly don’t really know. I barely saw them, except at the ceremonies,” I say, which is… almost true.

“Meat. I’m pretty sure they eat a lot of meat,” says June, excited. “Hey, A, does your deal with them mean there’s going to be Aurelian triads strolling around Virelia?”

“June, don’t even think about it,” my mom warns, shooting her a warning glance.

Oakly seethes. I feel like an idiot. I’d been thinking about the population as a whole, and the pride of our planet, who have Aurelian boots on our sacred lands.

For my brother, it’s worse than aliens stomping through our forest. His own sister is to be wedded away. I used to be a source of immense pride for him, but now the locker-room jabs and dirty japes he faces are my fault. Knowing Oakly, those comments lead to fistfights.

“Have your little dinner. I won’t be part of it.” His voice is cold as he storms out, grabbing his boots, not even taking the time to put them on before leaving and slamming the door behind him.

“Touchy touchy!” June was always a troublemaker without a filter.

“Was that last comment necessary?” My mom shakes her head in disapproval. June’s oblivious expression just makes her sigh, and she gives up trying to explain why her comment sent our brother storming out. Mom taps her smart-watch and sends out a voice note, inviting the triad to dinner. If I know my dad, his watch won’t make a beep or sound, on camouflage mode as he walks through the forests with the triad, but I’m sure he’ll check it in time.

I bite my lip, wondering what the four are talking about in this moment, and take another sip of the calming tea to try and settle my nerves. “Mom, are you sure about this? Maybe it’s best if you just show up at the ceremony tomorrow, and you send me off.”

“It’s settled. I’m off to the butcher’s. June, can you prep the vegetables? I’m making a roast.”

She bounces up from her seat, always full of energy.

“Whatever you’re planning to get, triple it,” I advise. “They’re bigger than you think.”

Behind Mom’s back, June flashes me a widening gap between her hands, the sly, troublemaker's grin on her face. I turn scarlet, glaring at her. My mom ignores her, putting her cloak on with ceremonial grace and leaving us.

“Just say wheeeen,” June teases, her hands stretching farther apart.

It’s just not the embarrassment that makes my cheeks flush red. The worst thing is, June thinks she’s putting her hands comically far apart…

And she’s still a few inches short.

“I wouldn’t know,” I say, hiding myself in my tea.

“Come on. I’m your sister! You tell me everything. You weren’t so shy when you were bragging how Blake Malley?—”

I raise my hand to halt her.

“Come on, spill it. You were on a ship with them for a week. And that first kiss, when Prince Doman leapt over the magma flow…” She fans her face. “Whew. I’m going to get me a triad, soon as they start landing. Or maybe two…”

“You better get started on the veggies,” I say, and she rolls her eyes, opening the crisper drawer that seamlessly slides out from the cupboards. She picks from the colorful array of root vegetables and herbs almost at random, but despite never taking anything seriously, she’s a great cook.

She attacks the carrots and roots like she’s getting revenge on them, but her wild chops cut them in perfect slices.

I’ve got to give hersomething,or she’ll interrogate me all night.

And if she fails to get anything out of me, even three royal princes won’t slow her down at dinner.

“I really haven’t seen much of them. I’ve stayed to my own ship, in their landing bay. Keep this between us, but this is an alliance to benefit Pentaris. We gain access to their tech, they get passage through our territory.”

“So, are Aurelians going to be on Virelia?”