9
ASTRA
S he jumped a little when those assembled shouted back, “Met his bloody end!”
Des threw back his shoulders, his powerful voice connecting with everyone assembled.
“Full moon above, our brave Merrow went to sea.”
“Three by three by three,” the crowd intoned.
“Hooked the despot; he couldn’t get free.”
“Three by three by three,” chanted the Merrow, clapping their hands in time to the words.
Astra found herself swaying to the cadence of their voices.
As the chant picked up the pace, it transformed into a song that made her feel as if she was actually out there on the beach with the brave Merrow of the past fighting for their lives against a terrible despot.
It was simultaneously scary and extraordinary, yet enchanting.
“Torched the ships and lit the boughs,” Des sang, his deep voice curling around her.
With those words, the boats floating in the cove caught fire with a whoosh.
Shifted Merrow leapt over the flames, their gold and green fish tails glittering in the moonlight as they dove back into the sea with a splash.
“Three by three by three,” the singers belted out in response.
The repeated words built on each other, power booming across the sand, rattling through Astra’s chest like the deepest bass in her favorite dance club.
“The tyrant died screaming. Never again, we forever vow.”
“Three by three by three.”
On the final ‘three’, fireworks exploded overhead, painting the sky with colorful flowers of chemical reactions and bright spirals trailing across the sky like falling stars.
The band waiting patiently in the wings struck up a merry reel, and suddenly the beach and the calm water of the cove were filled with masses of laughing, spinning bodies celebrating their ancestors’ triumph against an evil tyrant.
Des leaned over and asked, “Dance with me, my lovely mate?”
She shivered as his lips grazed the shell of her ear, heat pooling in her belly.
He looked at her with such hope in his eyes, what could she say but, “Yes.”
With a whoop, Des pulled her into the maelstrom.
Dancing with Des was magical.
She didn’t know the steps to the dances, but he never let her falter, leading her across the sand, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, the other gripping her hand.
He looked at her like she was the only person on the planet worth paying attention to, his endlessly green eyes filled with love beyond measure as he twirled her around the sandy dance floor.
Within his arms, she felt protected, safe and, for perhaps the first time in her life, truly loved by someone other than blood relatives.
How that was possible, she wasn’t sure.
Not the being loved part.
She knew she was worthy of love.
She’d just been too busy to go looking for it, more focused on survival, every moment worried about making sure her family was safe and had enough to drink and eat.
What was amazing to her was that someone she barely knew — a gorgeous alien and a king, no less — could take one look at her in what she fully admitted was not one of her finest moments, declare her his mate, and pledge eternal devotion to her.
Things like that didn’t happen outside of fairy tales, especially not to her.
But she was overthinking things as usual.
After all, getting on the good side of the aliens was literally the reason she and the other women were on Sanos.
Learning she was the mate of a leader of a large territory, territory that contained liveable landmasses especially, would make the higher-ups ecstatic.
Speaking of, she really should make contact with them, let them know what was going on.
But not tonight.
Tonight was for celebrating the Merrow, of her drinking clean water and enjoying fresh air for the first time.
It was for falling in love with someone who looked at her like she walked on water.
Which — holy shit — she literally was.
She squeaked and gasped in delight as her mate spun her over gently lapping waves, the tips of her boots skimming the surface of the glittering water.
“Des,” she said, laughing while she clung to him, her nails digging into the thick fabric of his coat.
“Don’t you dare let me go.”
“Oh, I am never letting you go, sweetheart,” he said, smiling down at her, stars in his eyes.
“Didn’t you realize that?”
“So, what, you’re going to keep me here? Forever?” Her pulse sped up, butterflies once again making their presence known in her belly.
“When did you decide that?” She gave another squeak as he twirled them to where the water met damp sand and set her back on her feet.
She found herself strangely disappointed to be back on solid ground.
“It was decided the first time you placed your hand in mine.” He lifted a hand like he was going to stroke her face before lowering it again.
She found herself oddly disappointed he didn’t touch her and yet elated that he cared enough to adhere to the boundary she’d set earlier.
But now that they were here, in the midst of the crowd with barely anyone except Des’s personal guards paying attention to them, she thought she might not mind it so much if he showed some of that affection he was so eager to bestow.
Music and dancers swirled around them, but it felt as if they stood in a private cocoon, just the two of them.
“I knew then you were mine, that I was yours. We belong together, my lovely Astra. Blessed by the Universe, remember?”
Her breath caught in her throat.
“So that’s one human you want living on the Merrow Isles,” she said slowly.
“Would you be open to welcoming more?”
“Possibly. Back to negotiations, are we, love?” he asked, the corner of his lip quirking up.
A dimple popped in his cheek.
He gestured towards a Merrow weaving through the crowd, trays filled with pints of beer held high over her head.
Des paid and handed one of the recyclable cups to Astra.
“Possibly.” Mirroring the quirk of his lip, she tapped his cup with hers.
She took a healthy drink and wiped the foam mustache away with the back of her hand.
“So, what do you want in exchange for opening your Isles to human refugees? Sex?”
He coughed out his drink, rearing back as if she’d slapped him.
“No. No, I wouldn’t ever ask that, not of anyone. Especially not of my mate.” He scrubbed a hand through his salt-kissed hair.
“How is it you leap to the worst-case scenario first? First, you thought I was part of the group who attacked the summit, and now this.”
“Sorry. Trauma response. Please don’t take it personally.” She waved her words away and took another drink to calm her nerves.
“Besides, our higher-ups basically told us to offer you all anything you wanted up to and including us. Why do you think they sent a capsule full of pretty human women when they learned all the leaders coming to the meeting were male?” She was still a bit put out about all that, but it was what it was.
Desperate times, et cetera.
He snickered.
“You know, you’re not a very good negotiator.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“How do you mean?”
“You just told me that anything we ask for in exchange for refuge, your people will give to us up to and including their women.” He frowned, his expression darkening.
“They don’t deserve you. Any of you. Another reason for me to keep you.”
“Keep me.” Huffing out a laugh, she patted his cheek.
“You’re cute.”
His breath caught as her hand lingered on his face, the rasp of his scruff tickling her palm.
His entire body froze when she popped up on her tip-toes and brushed her lips over his.
“Astra,” he said, his eyes wide.
“On behalf of human women everywhere, I had to make an exception to the no-touching rule.” She took a step back and gave him a soft smile.
“We appreciate your fierce defense. But don’t be mad at our leaders. They’re only trying to do what’s best for humanity as a whole. Besides, we agreed to it.”
“Oh? And what did you get in return?” he asked, gesturing at the runner for another round.
She pointed towards the stars above and gave her finger a twirl.
“My younger brother and sister are on the generation ship up there, orbiting Sanos. The last of my family. I agreed to join the capsule crew so they’d have a chance at a better life, a home with fresh water and clean air.”
“Family.” The word carried all the weight of the world.
“A worthy exchange.”
“I thought so.”
He puffed out a breath.
“Astra,” he started, but she cut him off.
“You know, you’re right about me being a terrible negotiator,” she said, tipped her cup towards him.
When he made a noise of disagreement, she shook her head.
“Nope. I am. I’m not good at subterfuge, and I truly suck at seducing men and convincing them to do what I want. I mean, here I am, attempting to talk to you about super-serious things in the middle of a party, ruining the fun time you had planned.”
“But it is important,” he protested.
“And we haven’t had much of a chance to sit down and hash things out.”
“Okay, true, but tonight’s not the night to do it.” She grabbed two fresh drinks from a passing server and thrust the cup into his hands, foam sloshing over the edge.
“Let’s eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow, we negotiate. Sound good?” she said, snickering under her breath at her bastardization of an old phrase.
“Whatever makes you happy, love,” he said, tapping his cup against hers with a laugh.