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.He had no illusions about his lover giving him a piece of his mind once they were reunited down below, but as long as they were together again, he didn't care what punishment Kreslan wanted to dish out.A loud clang shook him out of his mental reunion.Squaring his shoulders, he braced himself to face whatever came through the door.The captain's voice came over the intercom."Should I let them in?" Vohne pressed the intercom button."Might as well.If they break in, they'll only damage the shuttle."A whoosh heralded the opening of the door.Ten soldiers marched through.Seeing Vohne, they stopped in their tracks, staring at him as if they'd seen a ghost.Vohne drew himself up to full height."Is there a reason you're attacking your king?"One of the Thresl, braver than the others, stepped forward, sweeping a low bow."Forgive us, Your Highness.We were told an imposter was on board." The man's voice was shaky as he confronted his king.Vohne's eyes scanned the group who entered the shuttle, five male human soldiers and six Thresl.The one who approached didn't appear to have a partner."Where is your human?""He died in The Great Purge.As I am only half Thresl, I survived.""Ahh.I am sorry." At his transformation, Vohne regained all of his memories and the memories of his people.As a king he was one of the few Thresl who could retain the history of his people.He was their memory holder.While between reincarnations, a faction had arisen that wanted to free the Thresl from their human counterparts.One Thresl mating gone wrong created a bitter and dangerous man who wanted to put an end to what he considered the oppression of the Thresl.What the leader didn't acknowledge was, without humans, there were no Thresl.The original Thresl bonded with the humans in order to become a reasoning, intelligent being and not a slave to his beast.To break from the humans and other sentient creatures was to bring an end to their sentience.The Great Purge was the product of this twisted leader who killed the Thresls' partners.His thinking was once a Thresl gained its sentient status a human partner was no longer necessary.After killing many Thresl mates, the leader and his followers learned a powerful and painful lesson.Without their creators, they were only half a person.Many killed themselves, and the ones who didn't went crazy."How did you survive?" Even a half Thresl would have problems.The soldier shivered."I had conditioning.I'm hoping to rematch.""Good luck.""Thank you, Your Highness.I have orders to bring the imposter to the ship.Would you mind accompanying me?"As politely as he worded the question, Vohne knew the soldier wouldn't leave without him."Of course."The soldiers formed an honor guard around him, now acting as his protection instead of his captors."Don't forget to bring the captain aboard.""Of course, Your Highness."Vohne yearned to immediately go find Kreslan, but he still didn't know if it was safe.Through several winding hallways he marched alongside the other men until finally he was brought to a large, luxurious chamber covered in thick carpet with a strong handsome man sitting behind a desk.Looking straight into those familiar gold eyes, Vohne gave a wide smile."Greetings, brother."Bleine walked over to Vohne.With brutal strength, he punched him in the face.Vohne's head snapped back, his hand coming up to cup his cheek."What the hell did you do that for?""For waiting so fucking long to come back! I had to go through an entire war without you.Where the hell have you been?"Vohne looked into his brother's eyes and knew the past several hundred years had been hard on him.Without tragedy, a Thresl could live for centuries, even though only kings went through reincarnation."I don't know! Why did you shoot at me?""Because Jallryne said a false king would be coming.""Who's Jallryne?""My human.She's a seer." His brother paled at the realization.Bleine had been manipulated."What happened to Klia?""She died in the purging.Jallryne was my second attempt.We bonded, but now I'm wondering if I chose incorrectly.""You think she likes being queen too much?"His brother thought it over."Maybe.There have been whispered rumors." Bleine shrugged."I thought it was court jealousy.The castle is a different place without you, brother.I never took the official title of king.It didn't feel right since I wasn't a true one." Bleine gripped Vohne's shoulder, shaking him slightly."I always knew you would return, even as others doubted."Fear churned Vohne's stomach."How will my reception be?""It had better be welcoming." Bleine's cold tone indicated nothing less would be acceptable to him."However, it is a tumultuous time.A struggle for power is underway.Even without Jallryne, there are others who would love to wrest the throne from me and call themselves king.Your long absence has brought out many contenders who would never dare to challenge the throne if you were there.""We will put them back in their place and discover who has worked against us."In his heart he knew his brother was beside him."Where's your mate?" Bleine looked behind him."You tried to blow up my shuttle.Where do you think he is?""Y-you sent him down below without protection?""Since when does a mate need protection from my people?""Since there are people who would love to capture him and use him against the newly awakened king.""Anyone who touches him will die by my hand."Bleine shook his head."That still won't bring him back, and sadly, there are many who will die for their cause.Besides, even if they don't kill him, they might hold him for ransom."Vohne let out a laugh."Holding my mate will be more trouble than they might expect."Bleine frowned."In the past, he has always been a dreamer.""Not his time." Vohne smiled."This time he's a warrior."Bleine's expression was one of utter horror."Then the prophecy is true.""What are you talking about?" His brother had always been the bookish one, while Vohne was the fighter."All the time you were gone, I searched the vault for reasons you weren't brought back.I couldn't understand.One of the oldest manuscripts I could find said that even for the king there is a final reincarnation.It will occur when your people need you the most [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]