Page 77 of King of Serpents

“One fatality so far,” the healer replied quietly. “Once the noble families heard I was unable to cure their daughters, I was barred from their residences so that they could mourn properly. Tiha was young and delicate. It shatters my hearts, but I hope that the other females have some small chance of holding on until we find the antidote.”

“We will find it,” Zathexa sighed from the bed. “Or perhaps your Alex will, Therxian. I really do wish to meet her.” Her gaze swept toward Jathella. “Do not look at me like I am out of my mind. I may be a bit fuzzy around the edges, but I am still lucid, and I am still your queen.” Therxian restrained a smile at the sharp note in his mother’s voice. Even in her weakened condition, she was formidable. “Arrange it, Jathella. You know where to assign the guards to keep them out of the way during sleeping hours. Therxian will bring her then.”

“Yes, my queen,” Jathella replied.

His mother’s gaze turned sharply to him with the silent expectation he knew so well. He inclined his head. “Yes, mother,” he replied dutifully as a new sense of excitement stirred to life within his chest.

Chapter 53

“I can’t believe you are taking me to see your mother,” Alex shouted to be heard over the rush of air and the powerful flap of Therxian’s wings mid-flight.

“She insisted. Jathella will cover our path. But it is necessary that we move in during the sun’s height when the shinara and palace is otherwise sleeping so that there is less chance that you are discovered.”

His rumble soothed some of the anxiety she was feeling, even though it baffled her how he could make himself heard far more easily than she could. He had once attempted to explain to her that Seshanamitesh could manipulate their sonic frequency to the point where they could communicate effectively over long distances to each other with greater accuracy than human vocal patterns allowed, but she had not quite understood the details of how they did that. But it was certainly effective.

“No wonder you are hauling me around at ass-o’clock when we should be sleeping,” she muttered.

“Did you say something, hithana?” he rumbled just before breaking into a dive to avoid a stalactite jutting from the cavern ceiling above the broken belly of the tunnel leading upward to the palace.

She shook her head. “Nothing important. I was just noting the late hour,” she shouted back. “It makes sense, though. If we are going to have a secret meeting with the queen, there is no better time. I am just a bit surprised. You are sure she said to bring me?”

He chuckled softly and hummed in agreement. The sound trembled through her—far too erotically, all things considered, given where they were heading. “It does sound unusual, does it not? I had not expected it either. And yet she arranged everything for your safety so that she could satisfy her curiosity about you. In a short time, you have already managed to impress her.”

Alex bit her lip. “I hope she is not expecting too much,” she replied. “I am just a mechanic and a pilot. I am not even half as educated as Lori.”

“There is no reason to measure yourself against Slengral’s mate. You are different females, just as my brother and I are different males. Whatever advantages Lori may have had due to your Earth’s politics, you are not lacking. You are clever and observant, ashlava,” he retorted, “even if you are at times reckless. And you have been shaped by your circumstances of life so that you are driven by a sense of curiosity that has served us all very well.”

She didn’t know about all that—she had been told more than once that she had the sensitivity and grace of a mad bull let loose in an antique shop—but it warmed her heart that he saw her that way. That didn’t mean that the queen would necessarily agree the moment Alex opened her mouth, but she would do her best not to disappoint her mate by doing something that would reflect badly on him.

She nearly laughed in disbelief. She couldn’t believe it. She always had a devil may care attitude about the opinions of anyone outside of her direct superiors—and certainly never put herself out for potential lovers—and yet here she was actually working herself up and trying to impress someone’s mother.

Of course, in all fairness. This wasn’t just anyone’s mother. This was her mate’s mother and the queen.

She was beginning to feel a bit green. Swallowing a prayer that she wouldn’t vomit, Alex pressed her face against her mate’s chest and forced herself to breathe so that they flew the remaining distance in silence. It was probably for the best, anyway. They certainly weren’t going through all this effort to sneak in for Alex to blow it and announce their presence by screaming over the wind at her mate. She would keep it together for Therxian. Even so, she had a sneaking suspicion that Jathella was very much aware of just how nervous she was. The female greeted her with a long, knowing look that bordered on sympathy before silently leading them to the queen’s nest.

And Zathexa... the queen, despite the obvious gravity of her illness, was just as regal as Alex had imagined her to be... perhaps more so. With guards stationed around her and an elderly Seshanamitesh female reclined on several cushions in a position of ease beside the queen’s bed, the entire setting was one of luxury, and one in which Zathexa dominated with an air of magnificence. Alex was truly in awe. So much so that she didn’t even realize that she uttered that observation aloud until an amused smile pulled at the queen’s mouth and she gestured for Alex to come nearer.

“So, this is Therxian’s Alex,” the queen hummed, her gaze trailing in a manner that seemed almost casual, though Alex was certain that Zathexa was scrutinizing her closely. “You are smaller than I expected.”

“She is not that much smaller than Lori,” the elder female laughed lightly. “I think you are just so impressed that you made her larger than human structure is designed within your mind.”

Alex almost expected the queen to be annoyed at being called out, but Zathexa laughed warmly as she looked over at the elder female.

“Perhaps so,” she agreed. “But as small as she is, there is ferocity within her eyes, and cunning. This is a female who thinks quickly on her feet rather than endlessly debating every action. Would you not say that is accurate, Alex?”

“Well, I suppose,” Alex replied, a bit uncomfortable at being put in the spotlight. She felt like a bug under a microscope, even though there was nothing at all demeaning in their interest. She just wasn’t accustomed to being the center of attention in any fashion. “I’m a mechanic and a pilot. The job description requires some quick thinking if I want to make sure everything is in operational order, and if I want to fly anyone. Though I’m considered one of the best in the colony.”

The moment the words were out of her mouth, her jaw reflexively snapped shut, and mortification filled her as Buosoa’s words came back to haunt her.

“That is not what I meant,” she stammered, and her mate cleared his throat humorously as the queen’s gavo inched upward with interest.

“Oh?”

“Oh my,” the elderly female laughed. “I am not sure whether Therxian should be thanking you for developing those skills or plotting to destroy every rival in the colony.

Zathexa’s smile grew, and she waved away the elder as Alex felt her face grow hot. She had little doubt that she was beet red to the roots of her hair.

“Gorgona, do not tease her so.” The queen weakly chuckled, her tail twitching restlessly. The motion drew Alex’s attention to it, and she noted the unusual fading in odd, brittle striations on the golden scales that was so different from the gradual fade of the elderly Seshanamitesh beside her. It was as if the structure of her scales was breaking down, like the casing on a flyer that had weathered far too many brutal storms. “And while I have little doubt—seeing the smile on my son’s face—that you indeed satisfy him, and your words were quite amusing when taken with our local colloquialisms, I know what you meant. You repair and operate those flying machines that carry humans across our deserts.”