Tejeda wore for the first time the marks of a colonel on his chest when he visited King Astin's palace in Sidhara, the capital of Southern Beridian. He landed without an escort, opting to send C1313 with Cato to the planet's other hemisphere. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself.Tejeda strode through the large hall, passing the guards and servants with their heads bowed. He glanced around, admiring the exquisite artwork that adorned the walls, the opulent furniture, and the beautifully polished floors.Crystal chandeliers hung in the large room, casting golden light on the marbled floor. The walls at the sides were blazing red, with statues of armored knights and serpentine basilisks. A gilt-framed picture displayed King Astin and a meadow full of soldiers behind him. Another painting depicted a panorama of rolling wheat fields beneath an olive s

Tejeda sat on the side of the bed, thinking about how he should spend the night. He was certain that the king knew more than he was letting on. There was also his technique of enticing Tejeda to stay for the night. There was something more than met the eye.The door creaked open, and a beautiful feminine voice called out, "Can I enter?" Even though he didn’t answer, delicate footsteps approached him. The moment he turned around, his jaw hung open. The woman he asked for the night, Alina, was in the room completely naked. At first, he saw her face. No tinge of red blushed her cheeks. If she had any shred of decency in her body, he couldn’t tell. Though what her body did have was quite exquisite. Those generous curves were much better than he envisioned them, and they fit her boldness perfectly

"My dear, I'm so glad you're here," the king said. Shayla's expression didn't change, but the king continued. "Your presence will make this meeting more exciting."King Gurst stopped next to Shayla and placed a hand over her shoulder. C1313 saw her shudder, but just for a moment.“As you can see, the mission I tasked the Black Onyx with is over. I’ve found my daughter.”“Father,” Shayla said, her piercing dark green eyes measuring Cato and C1313, “these two aren’t here for the task. They’ve come to take me back on their ship.”Cato remained there, staring. C1313, on the other hand, was not surprised. Shayla's decision to return home on her own had always been a possibility, just as Jackeye had suggested. The rest of t