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“I heard of your encounter with Kaelen of Clan Drexus,” Aklan said.

“He was the staunchest opponent to contacting the humans and now wishes to have first choice of the females.”

“He has a point.” At Zoran’s growl, Aklan held up a placating hand. “We must all work together. Has this not been your rallying cry?”

“Using my own words against me?”

“Would you expect anything less from a diplomat?”

Zoran clicked his teeth together in raw humor. “I should expect exactly that.”

“Perhaps opening contact with the females to your opponents would mend the rift between them and you.”

“You speak of bribery and manipulation.”

“Are these not the tools of a warlord bent on peace?”

“I prefer the sword.”

“The sword is but one tool, my friend. The human females are another.”

Zoran’s expression snapped into a scowl. “They are not cattle, to be traded and sold. I will not whore them out.”

“I implied nothing of the sort,” Aklan replied calmly. “Had you not already planned on introducing them to other warriors?” At Zoran’s short nod, Aklan continued. “Then why not expand the selection to include all warlords? Lord Kaelen’s status merits his inclusion. If you allow too many lower-ranked males the privilege of contact with the humans, you risk insulting him. You and I both know how poorly he will react if he thinks he is being deliberately excluded.”

“He knows he is being deliberately excluded,” Zoran growled.

Aklan sighed heavily. “I cannot counsel you on the way you interact with your rivals.”

“Is that not exactly what you dare now?”

The other warlord’s mouth twitched with humor. “I merely illuminate the benefits of a powerful tool. Only you can decide how to use it.”

Zoran dropped his stare to the human technology he had unearthed among the supplies. Aklan’s words deserved due consideration, if not on their merit alone, then certainly because of the trust the other male had earned long ago. No matter what angle he considered, however, Zoran encountered a stubborn resistance within himself at the very thought of allowing a male such as Kaelen Drexus to treat with the females.

Yet must he find a way to mend the rift between Kerus and Drexus if he had any hope of saving his people.

Slowly, he said, “I shall consider your words.”

Aklan bowed his head once in formal acknowledgement of that small concession. “That is all I can expect.”

“Does your mate need any of these supplies?”

“We return to Earth on the morrow.”

“So soon? She does not wish to acquaint herself with your people?”

“We both feel a pressing need to mend the rift dividing Earth and Zephyria. And,” Aklan continued, amusement glinting from his eyes, “she has hand selected additional human females to approach. If all goes well, we hope to ferry a like number here in a few weeks, along with additional supplies.”

Zoran nodded decisively. “Until we can determine whether they can digest our food, our humans will need more of their own. Your mate has access to the manifest. Perhaps she can devise another list of needed goods based off that and her own experience.”

“I shall present her with that request on your behalf.” A pause. “And your own mate? Would she not wish to have a say?”

Zoran eyed the boxes scattered around him. “Indeed. Some of these items… What exactly is a DVD? I have yet to figure their value.”

Aklan shrugged. “Females.”

That one word summed up Zoran’s bafflement completely.