Saving Verakko: The Clecanian Series Book 3 Victoria Aveline (best book club books .TXT) 📖

No use dragging this out longer than necessary. “I need to speak with you privately, Mother,” Verakko said, shooting an apologetic glance toward Ziritha, who appeared to take no offense.

“Anything you need to discuss, you may do so in front of Ziritha,” said the Queen with a lift of her chin.

Arguing wouldn’t help his case, but if he was to have any success, he’d need to get his mother alone. “It’s a sensitive topic, and I’d feel more comfortable speaking to you privately about certain information I’ve been entrusted to keep confidential.”

“Are you referring to the human in your care?” Ziritha interjected.

Verakko froze, and all the blood seemed to rush from his face. He turned to Ziritha, eyes wide. Had it been Desy?

“No need to look so upset, son. I was alerted as soon as her doctor began administering care. I programmed an alert based on the Tremantian Queen’s suggestion. The humans have been through so much already. But I can understand why you felt the need to keep her out of sight until speaking with me. I’ll have her transported here as soon as she awakens.” Ziritha nodded along as his mother spoke. “She can stay here until she settles in and finds a husband. You needn’t be responsible for her any longer.”

“A husband or a mate! This is all so exciting.” Ziritha beamed. “A new race of Clecanians who can be mated and conceive children. This may change our whole world. Your mother and I have been discussing the repercussions since we first learned of their existence, and now one of them is here, a Swadaeth citizen. Remarkable.” Ziritha tipped her head and added, with a stern look, “The way they were obtained is despicable, to be sure, but I’m confident we can provide a good life for her and convince her to stay after her one-year transition period is up. Unless, of course, she meets her mate.” She grinned.

Verakko swallowed and forced a mask of calm back onto his features. His mother hadn’t talked to Desy personally. She still didn’t know about his marks, or this would have been a very different conversation. Verakko clasped his hands behind his back and fidgeted. His paint was still in place, but the instinct to hide his marks from view remained.

He studied Ziritha with renewed curiosity. He’d only met her a handful of times before, and this conversation was the most he’d ever spoken to her. She had a lightness to her that surprised him. When his mother had selected Ziritha as her protégé, he’d assumed she’d be distant and aloof just like his mother was. Their personalities couldn’t be more dissimilar.

“That is very kind of you,” Verakko began, choosing his words carefully, “but I’d like to continue to watch over her myself, as her guardian.”

“Her guardian? But you won’t have time. You need to take these few weeks to prepare for your marriage, do you not?”

Verakko stared and tried to mentally explain to his mother that this conversation would best be had without his betrothed present.

The Queen’s eyes bore into his, and he feared she might just be able to read his thoughts. She lifted a brow, as though understanding something distasteful. His mother aimed her unblinking gaze at Ziritha, and they seemed to have a silent conversation all their own.

To his surprise, the first to speak was Ziritha. “Have you recognized her, then?”

Verakko faced her, readying to stifle a wince at the emotion he’d surely see. Outrage or offense or possibly disgust. But all he could see was curiosity. He swallowed. “No.” Gaze darting between the two powerful females who held his future in their hands, he quickly added, “But I believe I will if I had a bit of time where we aren’t struggling to survive.”

He needed to win back Lily’s trust and convince her they were meant to be together. And for that, he needed time.

“You’re under contract, Verakko,” his mother said, a chilling severity ringing in her voice. “Are you asking to break it?”

“No,” he lied. “I’m asking to delay it. I don’t know how much you’re aware of, but humans don’t recognize mates, and many believe their isolated evolution has affected their ability to be recognized in a timely manner. It took Theo months for his marks to appear.”

“Yes, but from the reports I’ve received, he recognized her as a potential mate long before then. He himself admits it may have happened during the Testing, though there’s no way to be sure,” his mother argued reasonably.

Verakko ground his teeth. He’d hoped she hadn’t learned that yet.

“If you haven’t recognized her as a potential mate by now, then how is it fair of me to give you this advantage? You don’t even have enough evidence to claim her as a mivassi. Why should I take the chance of finding a mate away from my other citizens who may very well recognize her immediately?”

“I feel she’s mine,” Verakko said numbly, his instincts screaming to claim her and end this once and for all.

Ziritha and the Queen frowned at each other silently.

Verakko’s heart thudded in his chest. His mother would never allow something like this. What had he been thinking? He should return at once, steal Lily away, and hope his mother still cared about him enough to not send her guards after them.

He thought about his father again and wondered. He’d always told Verakko his mother wasn’t as hard as she presented herself to be, but was that true?

“Mother,” Verakko said, letting his desperation and ache show on his face. The Queen held his stare, and he could’ve sworn he’d seen the ghost of worry in her eyes at his tone. “I know this in my soul.”

She studied him for what seemed like forever, her expression unreadable. “Our world