think I will talk my father into giving you a special reward.” Jorel smiled at her, baring all his teeth. “I am going to suggest that you be the next volunteer in the mating program.
So we can see what happens when one of our women mates with an off‐world male.”
The horrified look on Fi’on’s face screamed that Jorel had scored a direct hit. He’d found Fi’on’s soft spot.
“Shall we go back to the palace? I think I have a need to speak to my father,” Jorel said, guiding Ally away. “I doubt they were the only four in on this plot. Surely, there were more. And even if there weren’t, there will be tomorrow. This is his plan. So either he gets everyone to accept it or he gives them options. A kingly command is not working.”
They stepped over the fallen bodies and made their way to Jorel’s
ship. The ride was blessedly short and uneventful. Although, when they made it back into the dock, every member of the royal family was waiting.
The king and queen rushed up to them in front of a group of royals.
The doctor followed then and immediately started treating Jorel.
“What happened?” his father demanded.
“Not everyone is on board with your plan to bring in others to save our people.” Prince Jorel winced as the doctor probed his gash. “It was Valek and the rest of my guards. It seems they were determined to show your program was a failure. You might want to rethink this. I mean, if they rebelled against it so will others.”
The king nodded, seeming to consider. He took a step toward Ally.
“What do you say?”
Before she could tell him what she thought, he sniffed at her. He 79
The Pearl Heartstone by Leila Brown
grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to sniff again. If she smelled, oh freaking well. She’d just fought for her life and the life of his son. He sniffed again. If he did that one more time, she was going to hit him. Her patience was wearing thin.
“Hah. She is breeding. The plan works. Once she delivers a living
litter, our people will be lining up to be part of this.” The king was overjoyed. His entire demeanor changed. Suddenly there was a bounce in his step that didn’t bode well. He turned to the crowd and raised his hands. The group quieted. “Princess Allyson is breeding. If anything happens to her, the punishment will be swift, deadly, and will be shared by the traitor’s entire family. Now let us celebrate our good future.”
The king swept out of the dock with his entire entourage. Ally shook her head. She’d just found out she was pregnant and suddenly the king was shouting it to the masses. She wasn’t exactly cool with that. But what choice did she have? She couldn’t find the mist to take her home.
And she was damn sure Jorel wouldn’t let her out of his sight anytime soon. Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn’t let them drop. Right now, she just wanted to lie down and forget.
“I can’t finish this here. I need all of you to follow me to the infirmary so I can treat you.” The doctor strode down the long walkway.
“We need to hurry. The king is no doubt calling all of the court to him. He will want to announce this as quickly as possible.”
“Damn him,” Jorel grumbled. “He goes too far.”
“No, he is doing this to save Ally.” Fi’on’s limp was becoming more pronounced. She had been seriously hurt but hadn’t said a word. “If everyone knows that she is the answer to our problem instead of a shot in the dark, they will fall in line.”
“Umm, she is here and doesn’t like being talked about this way.”
Ally was pissed.
When they walked through the infirmary door, everyone stood still. It was as if time had stopped for everyone but her. Then Jorel turned back to her. Yeah, okay, so everyone but the two of them.
“What the hell is going on, Jorel?” She tried to stop the wobble in her voice, but she didn’t quite manage it.
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The Pearl Heartstone by Leila Brown
“I don’t know.” He pushed her behind
So we can see what happens when one of our women mates with an off‐world male.”
The horrified look on Fi’on’s face screamed that Jorel had scored a direct hit. He’d found Fi’on’s soft spot.
“Shall we go back to the palace? I think I have a need to speak to my father,” Jorel said, guiding Ally away. “I doubt they were the only four in on this plot. Surely, there were more. And even if there weren’t, there will be tomorrow. This is his plan. So either he gets everyone to accept it or he gives them options. A kingly command is not working.”
They stepped over the fallen bodies and made their way to Jorel’s
ship. The ride was blessedly short and uneventful. Although, when they made it back into the dock, every member of the royal family was waiting.
The king and queen rushed up to them in front of a group of royals.
The doctor followed then and immediately started treating Jorel.
“What happened?” his father demanded.
“Not everyone is on board with your plan to bring in others to save our people.” Prince Jorel winced as the doctor probed his gash. “It was Valek and the rest of my guards. It seems they were determined to show your program was a failure. You might want to rethink this. I mean, if they rebelled against it so will others.”
The king nodded, seeming to consider. He took a step toward Ally.
“What do you say?”
Before she could tell him what she thought, he sniffed at her. He 79
The Pearl Heartstone by Leila Brown
grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to sniff again. If she smelled, oh freaking well. She’d just fought for her life and the life of his son. He sniffed again. If he did that one more time, she was going to hit him. Her patience was wearing thin.
“Hah. She is breeding. The plan works. Once she delivers a living
litter, our people will be lining up to be part of this.” The king was overjoyed. His entire demeanor changed. Suddenly there was a bounce in his step that didn’t bode well. He turned to the crowd and raised his hands. The group quieted. “Princess Allyson is breeding. If anything happens to her, the punishment will be swift, deadly, and will be shared by the traitor’s entire family. Now let us celebrate our good future.”
The king swept out of the dock with his entire entourage. Ally shook her head. She’d just found out she was pregnant and suddenly the king was shouting it to the masses. She wasn’t exactly cool with that. But what choice did she have? She couldn’t find the mist to take her home.
And she was damn sure Jorel wouldn’t let her out of his sight anytime soon. Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn’t let them drop. Right now, she just wanted to lie down and forget.
“I can’t finish this here. I need all of you to follow me to the infirmary so I can treat you.” The doctor strode down the long walkway.
“We need to hurry. The king is no doubt calling all of the court to him. He will want to announce this as quickly as possible.”
“Damn him,” Jorel grumbled. “He goes too far.”
“No, he is doing this to save Ally.” Fi’on’s limp was becoming more pronounced. She had been seriously hurt but hadn’t said a word. “If everyone knows that she is the answer to our problem instead of a shot in the dark, they will fall in line.”
“Umm, she is here and doesn’t like being talked about this way.”
Ally was pissed.
When they walked through the infirmary door, everyone stood still. It was as if time had stopped for everyone but her. Then Jorel turned back to her. Yeah, okay, so everyone but the two of them.
“What the hell is going on, Jorel?” She tried to stop the wobble in her voice, but she didn’t quite manage it.
80
The Pearl Heartstone by Leila Brown
“I don’t know.” He pushed her behind
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