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them more desirable as mates. Their criteria are they have to be strong, intelligent and fiercely loyal to their queen.”
    The nearest analogy that Amylia could think of was a bee drone. The drones followed the queen with the hope of mating, but she was in charge.
    If the people of Rohul weren’t so large-cat in nature, she definitely would have gone with the thought of bees. Their stripes were too random for that, though. They were definitely big cats. It was a common enough adaptation in the Imperium and the Alliance, for that matter. Hunters had a better chance of survival.
    They ate lunch and chatted about things that didn’t involve sex with Kreatha’s brother-in-law.
    When Artruo came back, he looked smug. “Amylia, you have a consort.”
    Her head went back into her hands for a moment.
    Kreatha chuckled and patted her shoulder. “Gyrion is a good man. He will be a good consort. He is just a little... intense.”
    Artruo nodded. “That is a good description of him. He is making his way to the keep to meet us and take you to your new domain.”
    Amylia lifted her head. “When?”
    Kreatha smiled. “We disembark in a few hours. This ship will remain in orbit, hidden and waiting for the Imperium to arrive.”
    Artruo nodded. “Do not worry, Gyrion has been made aware of your injuries, and he will wait until you approach him to seal your union.”
    She fought the urge to cover her face again. “Oh. Great. Thank you.”
    Kreatha patted her shoulder again. “It will be fine. You know you can’t go back.”
    It was true. She had been removed by force from Janial and had been compromised by a prisoner. If she returned to the station, she would be in as an inmate, not a guard. Until they ran a Minder through her senses, they wouldn’t be able to prove that she wasn’t culpable in the escape, if they were even interested in finding that out. They might just be content to make an example of her.
    Neither was an outcome that she was interested in examining.
     
    The shuttle set down in the centre of a clearing, and Kreatha stepped out, breathing deeply of the moist, green-scented air.
    Artruo was next to her, and a gasp and shiver filled the trees.
    When Amylia stepped out, the whisper of the trees stilled. She could sense thousands of minds around her, but they weren’t the kind she was used to. Sentient trees. They were all alive and thinking. Most were examining her as she checked out their mental signatures.
    Kreatha raised her hands. “I have returned, and I have brought another queen to help secure our people.”
    The trees whispered and murmured to themselves before the sweet scent of blossoms filled the air.
    Kreatha turned to her. “They like you.”
    Amylia wouldn’t go that far, but they seemed satisfied with what they found in her mind.
    The shuttle emptied into the clearing, and when they were a safe distance away, it lifted off to return to the ship. Amylia looked at her last chance to return to the Imperium fly away.
    With stiff shoulders, she followed Kreatha and her mate out of the landing area, through the trees and out into the light where the fresh breezes reminded her of what it was like to be off a space station again. Damn, I missed this.
    She followed them to a shallow valley where large beasts were waiting calmly. Artruo helped Kreatha onto the back of one of the large felines, and then, he turned to Amylia.
    “Sorry. It is the only way to the keep if we are going to get there before dark.”
    She glanced back, and the men who had come with them were doubling up on the beasts. “Fine.”
    She followed Kreatha’s example and set her foot in his hands. He lifted her up, and she settled onto the back of the creature, scratching its neck out of reflex. The ears flopped slightly, and she hoped that it was a happy expression, because a moment later, Artruo was up behind Kreatha and their gathering started to move.
    Amylia clutched at the thick fur on the back of her ride and held on. The