Star Side

Chapter 56

Gilrack couldn't help swelling with pride when he sensed his mother's delighted wonder. She rarely let her mind waves be felt. And just wait until she saw his brood or the beautiful face of his mate.

It was only for a moment, though, and then her mind waves went silent and her cold attention was too the oddity in his arms.

"That better be a gift to appease me. You were gone long enough to make me think you were dead. The death of a child is the cruelest experience for a parent, not to mention you're responsibilities had to be taken up by another."

For such a 'worried mother,' she sounded awfully detached. He knew it was just her way, having been trained to keep her emotions close as a ruler, but it was only him in this grand chamber. Who was she trying to impress? She could show affection once in her life.

He kept his irritation behind closed doors and forced his statue lower and spines flat as possible.

"This is my mate. I've brought her from the divine realm."

He almost laughed out loud when, once more, his mother lost control and let him feel her surprise.

"Divine—" she clacked her teeth. "Nonsense. Even with wings...the divine beings are fairy tales. I don't appreciate jokes, Gilrack."

"It's not a joke. She is inside this suit, keeping our young warm. Did you know the divine beings can't breathe the lowland air? Only the high air of young."

His mother flinched. "Young? You—you made young with this..." Her eyes were shivering, her short spines raised in shock.

Gilrack swung his tail in growing excitement and reached for the latch of his mate's suit, but stopped in time to register the sudden change in her mellow, soft waves of awe to alarm.

It was a spike enough for his mother to register, even at her distance atop the dais.

She rose from her seat with clicks of alarm. Her emitted surprise summoned the clacking claws of her guard, which had been hidden in the alcoves. They came glittering with bronze metals of the deep about their claws and tails and eyes bright with narrowed pupils for a fight.

Instinctively, Gilrack wrapped his wings about himself and his mate, hiding her from view.

"You're scaring her, mother," he said. "I'd be happy to introduce her and our young to you, but you must call back your guard."

His mother hesitated, as he had hoped she would. Cold and sharp she may be, but she was still a female, and knowing she had frightened a small mother with her brood enough for her to be unable to shield her mind waves stimulated her maternal instincts. She paused with narrowed yellow eyes on Gilrack, but waved off the guard.

"My son is not a threat," she said. "You may return to your posts."

Gilrack's skin prickled beneath the curious gaze of the guard. Or rather, the skin of his wings. One even trembled a bit before obeying the queen's order.

Even after they left, Gilrack knew they hung just out of sight to keep an eye on him. Wings marked him as the successor, now. He had rights to take his mother's throne by force if he so wished, and each ruler's guard were loyal only to their sovereign of the time. They would die with her if Gilrack chose to take the throne now.

But Gilrack had no such desires.

"Seems you have a lot to tell me." His mother leaned back in her throne with a flutter of violet membrane wings. "You might as well begin with where you have been until your...mate calms down enough to be introduced. I'll endeavor to reserve my judgment until then."