Protector of the Realm (11 page)

“What happens now?” Kellen murmured. “Armeo doesn’t know anything. I have to prepare him, even if our arrangement is one of convenience and won’t affect us on a daily basis.”

Rae looked surprised. “What do you mean, won’t affect us? Didn’t you understand what I explained?”

Uncertain what Rae referred to, Kellen mentally reviewed the tumultuous day. “Obviously not. I thought Armeo and I would return to my quarters, like before.”

“No, you have to go pack immediately.” Rae checked her chronometer. “It’s early in the morning. Armeo will join us when he wakes up. You can talk to him then.”

Kellen wasn’t sure she liked where this was going. “Pack? Explain. I don’t understand.”

Rae rubbed the base of her palms against her eyes, suddenly looking fatigued and impatient. “You and Armeo need to stay with me in my quarters. We have to live together for five years, as spouses, sharing everything. Ambassador M’Ekar won’t hesitate to use any sign of fraud against you.”

Kellen flinched. She hadn’t thought of that. The idea of five long years under the same roof as Rae gave her a feeling of
tindras
in her midsection. “So it’s not enough we’re married on paper? I have to stay in your quarters and pretend to…”

“You don’t have to pretend anything.” Rae’s eyes took on a frosty expression, going from soft gray to dark ice. “We’ll live in the same household, but you can rest easy, because I’m rarely there. I’m on duty around the clock.”

Taken aback by the coldness in her so-called spouse’s voice, Kellen forced air down her lungs. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but everything has happened so quickly. I really appreciate your sacrifice for me…and Armeo. I’ll try not to disturb your routine.”

Rae glared at her. Then her expression changed, and she surprised Kellen with a slight smile. “And raising Armeo, a child who needs to feel safe and wanted by both parent figures, can you guarantee he won’t disturb me?”

“He’s polite, with good manners…Ah. You are being facetious.” Kellen returned the sharp look. The unexpected case of nerves increased at Rae’s smile.

“I am. I’m sorry. I know we have a lot to work out. But facts remain. We have to make this work. Talk to Armeo when he wakes up and explain the situation to him. If you wait, he’ll hear it from somebody else first. News travels fast on a station.”

“Is that an order,
Commodore
?” Kellen asked pointedly. “I do not foresee a happy marriage if you regard me as a subordinate. My parents’ marriage was one of equals. They shared each other’s lives, and neither of them outranked the other.”

Rae bit her lower lip, as if pondering what to say. She studied Kellen for a moment, then visibly made a new effort to communicate. “I meant it as a suggestion. Speaking as if I’m giving orders is an occupational hazard. I didn’t intend to boss you around.”

Kellen’s attitude mellowed at Rae’s slightly awkward statement, and she donned a cautious smile.
I have to think before I speak. I can’t afford to alienate her.
“Apology accepted. And you are correct about informing Armeo immediately. Rae…” Calling the commodore by her first name would take some getting used to. “If you have time, would you accompany me? It would make more sense to Armeo if he sees us together. He’s a child, and he can’t know the truth.”

Rae dug white teeth into her lower lip. “Damn it, you’re right. If he told anyone this was a marriage of convenience, we’d be in trouble. As much as the ambassador may suspect it, he has to have proof or a living witness to testify to it. We can’t ask Armeo to lie.”

Kellen leaned back against the bulkhead. The vast number of details and potential traps to keep track of was making her dizzy. Something similar to regret permeated her, and she held out her right hand, palm up. “I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much grief.”

Rae’s expression softened. “Our paths are shifting, taking us to unexpected territory,” she mused. “I admit, a few days ago I didn’t expect to suddenly gain a beautiful wife and a son. All things considered, I know several people who would envy me.” She gave a wry smile. “The very same people would also offer you their condolences.”

Not sure what she was referring to, Kellen only nodded. “I want you to know, I
am
grateful.”

Rae placed a hand on her shoulder. “People know we just met. They won’t expect us to be too romantic right away. We have time to ease into that kind of display.”

“Armeo will be suspicious enough to notice that we don’t treat each other romantically,” Kellen said. “That curiosity of his is going to make him want to know how and why we married so suddenly.”

“Then we’ll have to come up with something.”

“And quickly,” Kellen agreed.

As she looked down at her new wife, Kellen saw strength combined with something else that intrigued her--an aura, an indescribable essence. The woman she had just married carried herself with authority and a rare presence. In some ways, she reminded Kellen of her father. Rae met her eyes the way he did, head-on, never wavering. The way Rae expressed her viewpoints, in almost the same manner as her father, comforted Kellen. Her father’s frankness and Rae’s blunt, yet kind, approach seemed woven from the same unbreakable
paeshna
-silk filament.

“We’ll tell him we fell in love at first sight.” Speaking on impulse, Kellen felt her cheeks get warm. “He’ll understand we had to marry quickly because of his and my situation, but he’ll think we did if for ourselves if we tell him it was…love.”

To her surprise, Rae tossed her head back and guffawed. Feeling discouraged by her mirth, Kellen opened her mouth to take back what she had said.

“Brilliant,” Rae said. “Now, anyone looking at you wouldn’t have any reservations. But they would certainly wonder how you could instantly fall in love with me. It’s the best explanation we have, though, so we’ll go along with it. Love at first sight it is.” She checked the chronometer and motioned toward the door. “We better go.”

Feeling light-headed, Kellen followed the commodore onto the bridge where Lieutenant Commander Todd was getting ready to leave. As she leaned against the bulkhead by the elevator, she tried to find her bearings while the two senior officers spoke briefly to each other. She had never been anything but honest with Armeo. How was she supposed to pull off such a blatant lie?

*

Rae would rather have faced any armada of space vessels in combat than stand in front of Armeo with Kellen.

“Did the mission go well, Commodore?” he asked, sounding interested. “The kids in school talked about it.”

“It did. In fact, it went very well.”

“I heard a lot of people were wounded. Did anybody die?” He looked concerned.

Rae gestured for all of them to sit down in the living room. Armeo sat on the couch beneath the porthole, and Kellen started to join him, but caught herself and took a seat next to Rae on the other couch.

“Some of the Onotharians were killed,” Rae said. “They lost one of their ships.”

“The Onotharians.” Armeo seemed lost in thought, then said, “I don’t want anybody to die, but I wish they would leave everybody alone. They shouldn’t be on Gantharat, for instance. And I bet they’d take over more worlds if they had a chance.”

Impressed with the boy’s compassion and insight, Rae responded, “You seem to dislike the Onotharians a lot, but you’re half Onotharian yourself.”

“My grandfather was a colonel in the Onotharian occupation, and my father was a starship pilot in the Onotharian fleet, but I don’t feel Onotharian. And at times I’ve almost wished I weren’t. The kids in my old school used to tease me for being a hybrid.”

Rae felt Kellen flinch next to her. “What did you do about that?” she asked.

Armeo seemed to consider his answer, tilting his head. “I told them we don’t choose our parents, but if I could have, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Rae smiled at the young man, delighted with his keen mind. Clearing her throat, she glanced at Kellen. “We, your guardian and I, have some news for you. You may find it a bit sudden and startling even…”

“Are we going back to Gantharat?” Armeo did indeed look startled. “Oh, please, Commodore Jacelon, don’t make us leave the station.”

“You don’t want to go home?”

“If things could be just like before, but they can’t, can they? Those men will always be after us, and they want to throw Kellen in prison and kill her.” His lips trembled, and Rae had to remind herself he was actually younger than he looked.

“Well, you don’t have to worry, Armeo, because you’re not going back to Gantharat. You and Kellen are going to stay here with me.”

The boy seemed baffled. “You mean here?” He looked around the spacious quarters.

“Yes. When Kellen joined me on the mission last night, we had a judge perform a ceremony.” Rae dug deep for much-needed courage. “Kellen is my partner now. We’re married.”

Armeo’s jaw sagged. “Married?” His eyes grew wide, and he turned sharply to Kellen. “Is this true?”

“Yes, it is. Rae and I were married on the
Ajax
. Apart from the witnesses, you’re the first to know.” Kellen squeezed Rae’s hand between them on the couch as she told the white lie.

“But why? Why would you marry someone you hardly know?”

“I fell in love with Rae the moment I saw her,” Kellen said in such an effortless manner Rae felt as if her heart took a detour to her mouth before it raced back to her chest. “Marrying her also helps protect you and me, so we decided not to wait.”

“What about what I wanted?” Armeo jumped up from the couch and stormed over to the porthole. “Why didn’t you tell me before you left? Don’t we tell each other everything?”

Rae wanted to reassure him but knew this was up to Kellen.

“I didn’t know of the possibility then, Armeo,” Kellen said, her voice infinitely soft. “I would have told you if I could. When I heard about this unexpected solution, I seized the opportunity, and so did Rae. Sometimes you don’t need to know someone very long to realize she’s right for you. Still, Rae and I understand we have to familiarize ourselves with each other. We’ll stay with her here on the station, you’ll go to school with your new friends, and I’ll make myself useful somehow.”

Locking a steadfast gaze onto Rae, Armeo asked, “And why did you marry Kellen, Commodore?”

Rae found it impossible to lie to the boy, so she took a different approach. “I found something in your guardian that I haven’t found in any other person. Courage, loyalty, beauty, intelligence, all wrapped up in one very special person. I wanted her, and you, to be safe. With all this in mind, I offered Kellen marriage. She agreed, and since everything happened so quickly, we’ll have to slowly learn more about each other. You’re an important part of this new family, Armeo.”

Several expressions chased each other over the boy’s features. His normally smooth forehead wrinkled, and his perfectly chiseled lower lip disappeared under his top teeth. Rae studied him closely, hoping he’d concluded this was worth pursuing. Since she didn’t know him very well, she could not read his true feelings from his expression.

With hesitant steps, he moved closer to the two women on the couch, stopping next to Rae. “You want me too, then--not just Kellen?”

“As I said, you’re important too. Without you, Kellen would be miserable, and the more I get to know you, the more I realize how special you are. I’d like to become your friend.”

This reassurance seemed to untie whatever knot had formed inside Armeo. He smiled carefully as he sat down on the couch next to Rae. “So nobody can make us leave here?”

“No, not now.” Rae leveled with him. “The ambassador still wants you, so there’ll be a custody hearing soon. We’ll put some really good legal people to work and come up with proof of your mother’s wish. I’ll do everything I can to keep you with Kellen…with us.”

“Armeo,” Kellen said huskily, her voice betraying her.

Rae glanced at her, afraid she would crumble and tell Armeo the exact circumstances. Determined to stifle any such inclinations, she put an arm around her new wife’s shoulders. “I think you’re tired, Kellen,” she interrupted. “Why don’t we send Armeo off to have breakfast in the mess hall while you rest? Gemma can come by later and check your leg, and when Armeo’s back from school we can all go out to dinner.”

Kellen looked as if she were going to object, then nodded. “Very well.”

Rae swallowed a sigh of relief. “Your escort is now also your bodyguard, Armeo,” she said. “I want you to be aware of the situation. Several Onotharians are present on the station, and we don’t know who we can trust. I’ll inform your escort and make sure he stays at a proper distance. I’ll have maintenance move more of your things from the guest quarters too. You’ll have your own room. It’s not big, but I think you’ll like it. I’ll give you a personal tour later, when you come home. All right?”

Armeo looked pleased; apparently she had found a way to communicate with him that worked for now. As he left for the mess hall with the guard, Rae turned to Kellen. “Would you like a tour of the place now? Goodness knows when I’ll have time again. I have a lot of work waiting.”

Kellen rose, looking uncertain on her feet. Rae stepped closer and placed her right under her arm. “Whoa, easy there. Maybe we’ll take the grand tour later. Let me just help you into bed.” As she guided Kellen toward the bedroom, Rae hoped she’d made the bed before she left. Seeing ruffled sheets, she groaned inwardly. No such luck. “Sorry for the mess, Kellen. I’ll straighten up later.”