Page 2

“I think ‘hostile’ is too strong a word for what they feel, but those planets are still trying to reconcile themselves to being forced into pledging their allegiance to the Axis even after so many years, so yes, they are a bit resistant. They were all independent during the war, just like we were on Moravia, and Mikos told them their independence was not possible anymore, and like us, they had to pick a side. Just as we were told years ago. They know they have to do this, and they’re doing it, but from what I understand, they’re also forming this new group—think of it as a very small group within the Axis.

Just for solidarity. For those planets like ours who never really wanted to be part of the Axis empire.

And for the ones who dislike Prince Mikos. ”

“Dislike him? This Travon person does know that Mikos is my brother, doesn’t he? And that King Davos is my father? You realize that too, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course, but they also know I never wanted our planet to be part of the Axis either and that it took me a while to come around to the idea. It’s a very loose alliance.

Loose enough so as not to be an encumbrance on us, and absolutely no threat to the Axis Empire or your father.

It’s more of a discussion group, really.

Nothing that your father or your brother could possibly disapprove of or consider to be any kind of threat against Tygeria. ”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” my omak said, raising both eyebrows. “Speaking of discussions, have you ‘discussed’ this with Father or Mikos?”

My uncle Mikos was the direct heir to the throne, though Davos was still young for a Tygerian and showed no signs of stepping down anytime soon.

Tygerians lived very long lives, so my grandfather was considered to be still in his prime and Mikos still gaining experience, as was his own son, Prince Mikol.

My omak, Vannos, and my brothers and I were somewhere in the long line of succession, but very far down, and we were content to be so.

Still, that didn’t mean we weren’t a close family.

“If I were you, I’d contact Mikos about this meeting of yours right away and tell him what you know about it,” Vannos said.

My father ignored him and kept talking as if he hadn’t inserted his opinion. “The Coalition would simply give us close, valuable allies within the Axis empire that we might need one day.”

My omak put his cup down with a clatter. “Closer than your own family? And what exactly would you need these allies for? To overthrow my father in a rebellion?”

“Of course not,” he said, getting red in the face again. “And I haven’t joined them yet. It’s just a meeting to talk about it, and that’s all.”

“I think you need to speak with my father or Mikos about this, Stefan. Before you do something rash and ill-advised.”

“There is no need to speak to them or involve them in any way. This is only about Moravia, and I’m still the king here, I might remind you. I think it’s a good idea, and both Tallon and Bryos agree.”

He was referring to his oldest friend and aide, General Tallon and my eldest brother, Prince Bryos, both of whom would no doubt agree with pretty much anything my father said.

Bryos was also totally available to make this trip to Lycanus 3 that my father wanted to send me on, for example, but he was the heir, so maybe that explained why I had been picked to waste my time instead.

His time was no doubt far too valuable. I brought it up anyway, of course.

“What about Bryos? Why isn’t he going to Lycanus 3 to pick up this bauxite for you?”

“Because I need him here, and I don’t want Bryos to go. I want you to do it.”

“But Bryos is…”

“You’re going, Rylan. It’s time you learned how to do things. It’s time you grew up.”

“I’d like to go on record as saying I don’t think that any of this is fair.”

My father had huffed with impatience. “Enough. You’re going and that’s an end to it.”

“Well, why do we need this stuff anyway?”

“I told you. Bauxite is becoming a very scarce commodity.”

“Just offer more money for them to deliver it to us. If this is about not having enough for the delivery fee, then I’m sure Grandfather would loan you…”

“Do you think I need Tygerian gold, Rylan? I don’t.

We need spacecraft, or we will eventually, and I can’t believe you don’t know this.

Did you learn nothing from your tutors? These ships are an investment in the future of my children and grandchildren, and I can’t let the opportunity to purchase material pass when it’s bound to sell out. ”

Of course, I knew all this—kind of. I was just a little slow that morning, which is what mixing Rother, a Moravian rum, and Tygerian visu punch would do to a person.

And my tutors had been very good, actually.

Bauxite was used to make parts of spacecraft…

I knew that. And that was pretty much the extent of my knowledge, actually.

“I understand all that, sir, but if we need it so badly, can’t we just buy it somewhere closer? Or get someone to bring it here?”

“The deal has been made. Besides, I think it would be a good idea for you to get off-planet more and learn how to do things. If we ever hope to attract a suitable spouse for you, people have to see you. And though you’re not exactly on the market just yet, you’re not not on the market.

If someone suitable made us an offer, I’d certainly consider it. ”

“Like you’re considering King Travon’s offer?” Omak asked.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, he’s a perfectly suitable candidate, Vannos. An older, more mature man might settle this son of yours down a little.”

I sighed deeply. “I don’t need settling. And besides, people have seen me. People know me.”

“Some do, but not many. They obviously know you’re my son and the grandson of King Davos, but Davos has a lot of grandsons.

You come from a long, distinguished line of royalty on both sides, and you’ll be able to make a good match when the right offer comes along.

In the meantime, it could be to your advantage to let yourself be seen around the other planets close by.

Your face is almost the image of your omak’s when I first saw him, and he was easily one of the most beautiful people I’d ever seen.

He still is,” he said, glancing over at him.

He reached for his hand too, probably in an attempt to smooth things over from the cross words they’d exchanged earlier, but my omak had a long memory and was having none of it.

He deftly pulled his hand away, reaching for a pastry.

The king cleared his throat and tried again. “The kind of beauty my consort has and that you have is a highly prized commodity. It could lead to a high marriage price when the time comes.”

A marriage price was, I knew, the exchange of valuables, money, or property from the groom or his family to me and my family as a form of compensation for the loss of my “services,” or whatever.

It was all pretty old fashioned, just like a dowry for a bride and nothing I valued.

It was still a popular thing to do in royal families though.

“Oh, really?” Vannos said, his tone deceivingly casual. “My son is for sale now, I suppose, like some kind of commodity? Is that what he is?”

My father glared at him, and he glared right back.

If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought they were fighting, but they had bickered this way all my life, and it was a kind of dance they did before they chose to excuse themselves and disappear into their bedroom.

My brothers and I pretended not to notice, and we didn’t like to think about it anyway.

My face did resemble my omak’s—minus the faint, exotic striping under the skin that he had.

He was Tygerian, after all, and though I definitely had his classic bone structure and his golden-red hair color, I didn’t have the beautiful markings he had.

Though in my mind that was a good thing, because I was already way too different looking from other Moravians as it was.

Other men my age were dark-haired and brown-eyed, and my hair color and my odd, turquoise-blue eyes that were like my human grandfather’s had been an embarrassment to me for as long as I could remember.

I could only imagine what the teasing would have been like if I’d had stripes too, even if they were under my skin and barely noticeable, like my omak’s.

What I hadn’t inherited from either of my parents was the thing I would have loved the most—their tall, well-built, muscular bodies. Both of them were powerful, handsome warriors. Still in their early forties, they were pretty much in their prime, and they were frankly a lot to live up to.

I was just under six feet tall, if I stretched it an inch.

Or maybe two. And though I did have muscles, and I worked hard to keep them, I didn’t have the bulky, bulging muscles of either of my fathers or of my brother Bryos.

I had a brother younger than I was named Tilar, and so far, he appeared to have taken after our grandfather Blake, too.

We called Blake our omak-ahn, which was kind of like omak-once-removed, and he was the human royal consort of King Davos.

Tilar and I both had much leaner frames that I blamed directly on Blake as well.