Healing the Broken: A Kindred Christmas Tale Read online

  Chandra gave their names to the guard standing at stiff attention outside and the doors swung open, admitting them to what Sarah supposed must be the throne room.

  Inside it was just as grand as the rest of the palace with golden floors polished until Sarah could see her reflection in them and a large golden throne with diamonds and rubies embedded along the back and arms. A vaulted ceiling soared overhead, at least a hundred feet above them, and a massive chandelier which seemed to be made of liquid blobs of light hung from the central arch.

  Despite the throne room's richness, there wasn’t any other furniture besides the throne. The room was bare except for the incredibly tall, floor-to-ceiling windows which dominated the left side of it.

  Standing by one of the windows, gazing thoughtfully out at the golden parkland beyond the palace, was a male who looked to be about twenty years younger than Minister Obglod.

  Which still puts him somewhere in his sixties, Sarah thought.

  But despite his age, the man—who must be The Lord Magnate—was tall and straight with a regal bearing and sharp aquamarine eyes when he turned to look at them. He was wearing a plain white robe and trousers with no trim, which contrasted oddly with the rich gold all around him.

  There was something else that was odd about him, Sarah thought—he had no gill slits at all and his fingers, unlike the other Alquons, weren’t webbed. His skin was much closer to tan than it was to green, too. Why was he so different from his people?

  Before she could ponder any more, he spoke.

  “Well now, who is this?” he asked in a warm, friendly tone which Sarah didn’t trust a bit.

  “My Lord Magnate,” Chandra began timidly. “It is I, Chandra, pair partner to Kendro of the thirteenth house of the Sketty-moors of Idd. Do you remember me?”

  For a moment The Lord Magnate frowned, as though trying to place her. Then his aristocratic features broke into a sunny smile.

  “Why Chandra my dear! Of course! You used to play in the palace halls as a child when your mother brought you to court. You were such a happy little girl.”

  But didn't Chandra say he “bred” her once? Sarah thought. Did that mean the Lord Magnate had known her as a child and still decided to have sex with her when she became an adult?

  She tried to hide the look of disgust that wanted to form on her face. It reminded her entirely too much of the way Father Caleb operated back at the Compound. He sometimes didn’t even wait for girls to reach legal age before declaring that they were ripe to become a “Bride of the Prophet.”

  “Yes, my Lord Magnate—that was me.” Chandra came forward and kissed him on the cheek.

  The Lord Magnate smiled warmly at her and tugged her breast chain, admiring her nipples. “Look at you—all grown up!”

  Chandra bowed her head. “Yes, my Lord Magnate.”

  He snapped his fingers. “Wait, I remember now—you were almost one of my concubines!” He drew Chandra to him and cupped her breast in one hand, fondling her familiarly. “But somehow you got away.”

  “Not for lack of trying on your part, My Lord.” Chandra giggled. “You did your very best to give me a big belly, as I recall.”

  “So I did.” The Lord Magnate let her go with a final tweak of one pierced nipple and turned to the rest of them. “So, Obglod,” he remarked. “Who have you brought me today?”

  “These fine people are Commander Sazar of the Kindred and his lovely pair partner Sarah,” Chandra said quickly. “Minister Obglod is sponsoring them and he asked me to make their introductions to you, my Lord Magnate.”

  “I see, well—it’s a pleasure to meet you.” The Lord Magnate nodded at them which appeared to be their cue to step forward.

  They did so but Sarah made sure to stay behind Sazar, well out of fondling range. She didn’t care what strange customs the Alquons had—the casual display she’d witnessed between Chandra and the Magnate, who was old enough to be her grandfather, had sickened her.

  More and more the Alquon ruler reminded her of Father Caleb…of the way he would brush against her in the halls and try to find reasons to touch her inappropriately. She could never bend over if she thought he was anywhere around—he would be sure to snake a liver-spotted hand up her skirt. Or he would pin her to the desk and grind against her, telling her it was her duty to help “Slake the Prophet’s Needs” now that Sister Hope was no longer able to do her duty…

  “My Lord Magnate, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Sazar said smoothly, interrupting her distressing memories. Apparently he had regained his diplomatic composure because he looked cool and collected as he bowed to the Alquon leader.

  “Commander Sazar, how very good to meet you. We have heard of the Kindred, I believe. Genetic traders, aren’t you?”

  “Indeed yes, My Lord Magnate.” Sazar nodded. “I have come to see if your people might consider a genetic trade with mine. And I am also seeking new weapons technology to help in our war against the Hive—a race of insectile beings who threaten our very existence at the moment.”

  “Well, I’m afraid we won’t be much help in a fight against insects,” The Lord Magnate remarked. “We have none since our world became completely submerged.” He chuckled. “It’s one of the benefits of having a completely underwater society.”

  “I can see how that would be so,” Sazar said dryly.

  “But as for a genetic trade…let me think on it.” The Lord Magnate rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I must get to know you a bit better before I can determine if our peoples would get along.”

  “Of course—such decisions cannot be rushed.” Sazar nodded.

  “And I want to get to know this enchanting creature as well—much better.” To her dismay, Sarah saw The Lord Magnate was eyeing her hungrily. “Come out my dear,” he said, beckoning to her. “Don’t be shy.”

  A low growl began to rise in Sazar’s throat and Chandra, obviously seeing the problem, hurried to The Lord Magnate’s elbow.

  “Sarah and Commander Sazar are very close, My Lord,” she said softly. “And their culture does not allow the, uh, sharing of females. In fact,” she added hastily as The Lord Magnate began to reach for Sarah’s breast chain. “Even our forms of greeting are against their cultural dictates.”

  “Is that right?” The Lord Magnate raised one pure white eyebrow which wasn’t kelpy at all, Sarah thought. In fact, his hair looked like, well…hair instead of some kind of sea plant. She wondered again why he was different.

  “I’m afraid so, My Lord,” Chandra said humbly. “There was a…slight misunderstanding with Councilor Rando on the way in so I wanted to be certain My Lord knew the customs of our guests.”

  “Indeed. We must at all costs treat our guests with respect,” The Lord Magnate said but Sarah couldn’t help noticing his jewel-toned eyes were trained on her bare breasts. Having him look at her like that made her skin crawl—it was exactly the way Father Caleb had eyed her after Sister Hope had gotten pregnant.

  “You have a beautiful palace,” she said, trying to shift his attention away from her exposed chest. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much gold in one place in my life.”

  “Ah yes—that was the wish of my sire.” The Lord Magnate lifted his eyes eloquently to the vaulted ceiling. “One cannot speak ill of the dead, of course, but I will say his tastes were rather…extreme. I am a simple male myself.” He motioned at his unadorned white robe and trousers.

  “Maybe you ought to let your wife—er—pair partner redecorate,” Sarah suggested.

  For some reason her words caused Minister Obglod to exclaim and Chandra to blush.

  “I’m sorry,” she said uncertainly. “Have I said something wrong or offensive?”

  “Oh no, my dear—not at all.” The Lord Magnate laughed. “It is just that, I alone among all the people of Alquon Ultrea have no pair partner.”

  “And why is that, may I ask My Lord Magnate?” Sazar asked. His deep voice was still close to a growl—clearly he didn’t like the way the Alquon leader wa