by M. K. Eidem
"He is," Luol said, "and he is developing just fine."
"He?" Nikhil's gaze shot to Luol. "Male?"
"Yes," Luol confirmed nodding. "Your first male should be presented in about six moon cycles."
"Six moon cycles..." Nikhil seemed to pale slightly at that.
"Mac, I'm going to want to monitor you closely and..."
"What?!! Why?!!" Nikhil cut Luol off. "What is wrong with my Mackenzie? With our offspring? You said everything was fine!"
Nikhil's chest was heaving by the time he finished and the jagged emotions pouring off of him had Treyvon stepping in front of him.
"Commander Nikhil! You are an Elite Kaliszian Warrior! Get yourself under control! Now!" The Supreme Commander ordered in a cold, hard voice. "If you do not, I will have you removed for your True Mate's protection!"
"No! She is mine! Mine to protect!" Nikhil rounded on Treyvon, his massive hands clenched into fists.
"You can only do so if you are in control!"
For several tense moments Nikhil and Treyvon continued glaring at each other, their glowing eyes getting brighter and brighter. It was Mac's one trembling word, 'Nikhil', that seemed to break through. Closing his eyes, Nikhil took a deep, shuddering breath and once he was back in control returned to his True Mate.
"I'm sorry."
"What happened?" she asked, cupping his cheek with a trembling hand.
"That," Maysa spoke up looking to Jen, "was an Elite Kaliszian Warrior losing control. It tends to happen when they first find out they are going to be a manno."
"Wow," was all Jen could say.
"My apologies, Commander, I did not mean to imply there is something wrong with either of them," Luol spoke carefully.
"It is I who needs to apologize, Luol. My manno warned me, but I never truly really believed..."
"Yes, one must experience it to fully understand," Luol agreed before continuing. "Your True Mate is in good health, Commander, as is your offspring. But she is smaller than a Kaliszian female, and because she is not Kaliszian, I want to keep a close eye on her. Her physiology is very similar to ours and she has been able to tolerate our food and medicines well. I see no reason why she should have a problem bearing your offspring. But this is the first human-Kaliszian conception and it needs to be watched closely."
"Is she at risk?" Nikhil asked gruffly.
"Nikhil?" Mac's questioning gaze met his.
"You matter more to me than offspring, Mackenzie. You I will not lose. Is she at risk, Luol?"
"There is risk with every conception, Commander."
"Then..."
"Commander," Maysa cut him off, knowing what he was about to say would devastate Mac. "Do you really believe that the Goddess would grant you not only her greatest gift, that of finding your True Mate, but also the gift of offspring if it weren't possible for both to survive?"
"She is also the Goddess who destroyed all life here on Pontus," Nikhil murmured.
"Maybe she's trying to make amends for that." Jen just shrugged when all eyes turned to her. "I'm just saying. She's made it possible for the Kaliszians to find their True Mates again. Who knows what else she might do."
• • • • • •
Jen enjoyed the way Treyvon was able to tuck her under his arm as they walked down the corridor. It was something Todd had never been able to do, not even when she wore flats. She felt loved, protected, and cared for.
"Treyvon?"
"Yes?"
"Why were you coming to see me?"
"What?"
"Earlier, when we met up in the hall with Maysa. I'd only just gotten upset so that couldn't have been why you were coming to see me."
"No, I was wanting to let you know that the storm was ending and that we should be able to go out into the gairdín after Last Meal."
"Oh. Okay."
Treyvon frowned at her lack of enthusiasm. "I thought you were worried about the Crann."
"I am," she told him. "It's just..."
"Just what?" He stopped and turned her to face him, unconcerned that they were in the middle of the corridor, then gently cupped her face. "You know you can tell me anything."
"I know I can," she told him reaching up to grip his wrists, comforted by the strong, steady pulse her thumbs found there. "I've just enjoyed this time we've had with everyone having to stay inside. I've gotten to spend time with and really get to know your warriors, since so many of them spent that time in the kitchen area. And yes, every one of them was respectful."
She knew he was still enraged that he hadn't known how Spada was treating her before his attack. Because of that he was hyper-aware of how any Warrior treated her.
"I'm just going to miss that. Many of them have even asked if they could be put on kitchen duty so they could learn how to make biscuits."
"They are requesting to help prepare Last Meal?!!" Treyvon couldn't believe it. No Warrior had ever asked for that duty. His Jennifer was a truly amazing female.
"They want to be able to teach their family members. Speaking of which," she snuggled back into his side, wrapping an arm around his waist as they started walking again. "I told Maysa I would make a video, for her offspring, showing them how to prepare biscuits. That is possible, isn't it?"
"Video?"
"Yes, it’s a visual and audible recording."
Treyvon nodded he understood what she was saying. "Yes, that is possible. Would you be willing to make it available to whoever wanted to learn? Or do you want it just for Maysa's offspring?"
Jen gave him a surprised look. "Of course anyone who wanted to learn could view it. Why would you ask that?"
"Because you have a valuable skill, the transformation of food. It will be greatly sought after."
"Sought after?" She turned to face him when they entered the kitchen, wrapping her arms around his narrow waist as the door closed behind them. "You're saying people would pay to learn how to make biscuits?"
"Yes, and if you restricted who you taught, it would be even more valuable."
"But... is that what you think I should do?" Jen found that hard to believe. "I mean they are just basic biscuits using ingredients available to all. There's nothing special about them."
"That is not truth, Jennifer. For a Kaliszian, there is nothing basic about them and they are very special. Look at how my warriors have reacted to them."
"Then why don't you want me to share the recipe?"
"I do, but you need to consider that you could become a very wealthy female if you charged for it."
Jen understood what he was saying. After all, it’s what she would have done on Earth. Chef's didn't just give away their recipes or show people how to make them. If they did, no one would come into their restaurants and pay for them. But she wasn't back on Earth and this wasn't some secret recipe. This was a basic recipe that would benefit all Kaliszians. She couldn't profit off of that, no matter how tempting it was. And she could admit to herself that it was tempting
If she had learned this when they had first arrived, she might have gone that route. After all, she and Mac had basically been at the mercy of the Kaliszians’ generosity. Something they didn't have a lot of, where their food supplies were concerned.
But they weren't alone now. They had Nikhil and Treyvon. And to profit in such a way had echoes of Aadi in it and she would never do that to Treyvon.
"That doesn't matter to me, Treyvon. I have you and your people need this."
Treyvon pulled her up onto her toes as he lowered his head to give her a hard, deep kiss. Goddess, he loved this female.
"You, Jennifer Neibaur, are truly a blessing from the Goddess."
"Rayner," she whispered, "and I think you are a blessing too."
"What?" Treyvon gave her a confused look.
"I think you are a blessing from the Goddess too," she repeated.
"No, not that. You said Rayner."
"Well, yeah, that's my last name now. Jennifer Rayner."
"You would give up your first Dasho's name and take my las
t name?" Treyvon asked quietly.
"It's how it's done on Earth. So I assumed... I guess I should have asked... Do you want me to take your last name?"
"Goddess Jennifer, yes! But you must remember, Rayner is not a well-respected name in the Kaliszian Empire. It..."
"Stop that right now!" Jen ordered. "You are the Supreme Commander of Kaliszian Defenses. You can trace your lineage back to Raiden Nacy the Great, Emperor of all the Known Universes and the Bringer of Peace. And even if none of that were true, I would still take your last name because you are what makes it respectable. You are a fit and worthy male. I love you, Treyvon."
"Well said, little one."
Treyvon was about to sweep his True Mate up in his arms and kiss her like he'd never kissed her before, when the male's words stopped him. Lifting his head, he saw a strange male standing a short distance behind Jennifer, wearing nothing but a short piece of white material that covered him from waist to mid-thigh with a sword strapped to his side.
That alone had him swinging his True Mate protectively behind him. It was only then that he noticed that the male's skin changed colors. And while his eyes glowed like a Kaliszian's, he had the hair of a Tornian.
"Who are you?" Treyvon demanded.
"Oh, my God!" Jen exclaimed, sticking her head out from behind his back.
"Jennifer! Stay behind me!" Treyvon ordered, his own hand going to his sword only to realize he'd left it in his Command Center.
"It will do you no good defending your True Mate there," the male taunted, gripping the hilt of his sword.
Treyvon pulled a blade off each of his biceps and crouched down ready to pounce on the male.
"No, Treyvon!" she pulled on his arm and pointed. "God! As in Raiden!"
"What?" He gave his Jennifer a confused look.
"You should listen to your True Mate, General. She may be small, but she does you proud with her strength and wisdom."
"She doesn't need to do me proud," Treyvon growled, his head snapping back around. "She is perfect the way she is."
"That is a good answer, Supreme Commander." The voice came from the female that appeared at the male's side.
"Goddess," the male growled looking down at her in frustration.
"You think you can go to meet one of yours and I won't notice? Won't follow? Especially one who thinks so harshly of you?!!" The Goddess's eyes flashed and the Kevtoof walls began to glow.
"Goddess, calm. He meant no offense and he has the right to his thoughts."
"Not when he's read the texts Jadi left here on Pontus. If this is how he thinks of you then he is no more being worthy of being one of yours than Aadi was."
"How dare you!" This burst of outrage came from Jen and she didn't care that the Goddess was a Goddess. "You will never compare him to that male! Not to me. Not to anyone! Especially not after what you've done!"
"Calm!" The males roared and the absolute command in both their voices as they grabbed their females around their waists, stopping them from attacking one another, had the females looking up at them in shock.
"You will not attack his True Mate!" they continued in unison.
"Treyvon?"
"Raiden?"
"Jennifer, this is the Goddess. You must speak to her with respect."
"No, I don't. I will only give her as much respect as she gives you, and only then because that is what you want, Treyvon."
"Goddess," Raiden turned his mate so she faced him. "I know you, know your heart is pure and full of love. But even you cannot say such things about a worthy male, especially in front of his True Mate, and not expect her to defend him."
For a moment neither couple said anything and then Raiden's nose began to twitch and he sniffed.
"What is that... interesting smell?" he finally asked.
"Yes, what is it?" The Goddess's gaze traveled around the room before settling on the table.
"I would like to know that too," Treyvon admitted.
Jen gave them all a confused look. "Are you talking about the brownies?"
"What are... brownies?" the Goddess asked.
"You don't know what brownies are?" Jen asked.
"Don't be insolent, young one," the Goddess's voice hardened.
"Don't call me 'young one', like that. I have survived things you will never experience!"
"You know nothing about what I have experienced!" The walls around them didn't just glow now, they vibrated.
"Goddess!" Raiden tightened his immensely strong arms around his True Mate and still he was barely able to hold her. "Calm, she has no understanding of what you have had to survive."
"I may not know," Jen admitted, "but I do know that all the Kaliszian people are suffering now is because of you. Because of what you did."
"This is truth," the Goddess admitted and the room returned to normal. "I was so enraged by what Lucan, Aadi, and Kaawa had done that I didn't consider how my actions would affect others. I regret that. Don't you regret any of your actions?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Jen.
"I do," Jen admitted, "for what I did and didn't do."
"And can you correct those things?"
"No." And no one in the room could doubt how badly that hurt her.
"Then I believe we understand one another."
After a long pause, Jen responded. "Yes, I believe we do. But never attack my Treyvon again. For while you might understand what I went through because of my decisions, you will never understand what he's had to go through because of Raiden and Aadi."
"I..."
"She is right, my love," Raiden interjected, giving Treyvon a regretful look. "I walked my path without the weight of what others had done before me because no one had. There were no expectations or hindrances. Treyvon has only ever experienced the hindrances of being one of mine."
"It wasn't because of you," Treyvon's honor forced him to admit. "It was because of Aadi. As for the ancient text, only a small portion has ever been translated because the language your brother wrote it in has been lost to time. What has been translated tells of how a powerful male failed to protect his people and it destroyed them."
"Jadi recorded so much more than that," the Goddess murmured, gently rubbing her mate's arm. "We shall make sure the language is understood again so the real truth is finally known."
"It is not important, my Goddess."
"Of course it is!" she argued back.
"No."
"I have to agree with the Goddess," Treyvon said quietly. "It would mean a great deal not only to me, but to my people... your people," he corrected, "to know where they came from. Who they came from."
"It would also mean a lot to your True Mate," Jen added, "to know that you were being given the respect you deserve."
Raiden's serious gaze went from Treyvon to Jennifer and then to his Goddess before slowly nodding as he leaned down to kiss his Goddess. "Then it shall be done, for there is nothing I would not do for you."
• • • • • •
Jen couldn't help but smile as she used her thumb to clean the smear of chocolate from the corner of Treyvon's mouth. Looking to Raiden and the Goddess, she saw their faces were the same but she didn't say anything.
All three of them had watched her intently as she frosted the brownies with the mixture she had made earlier, then cut and served each of them one. That one had turned into two, then three.
"I can't believe you've never had these before. I mean you’re a God and Goddess. Aren't you able to just," Jen lifted her hands, twirling her wrists, "poof things into existence just like you poof around?"
Raiden and the Goddess looked at each other for a moment then burst out laughing and suddenly it felt like the universe was a happier, brighter place.
"It doesn't quite work that way," Raiden said still chuckling. "It needs to be something known, and obviously we didn't know about these."
"Neither did I," Treyvon said reaching for another one.
"You don't have chocolate here?" Jen couldn't hide her dismay.
>
"No," Treyvon told her.
"Nowhere? Not even in the Tornian Empire?"
"No," this came from Raiden, "and I don't remember tasting anything like this even when all the universes were known."
"You are saying they aren't now?" Treyvon asked. The Goddess and Raiden exchanged a look. "You are."
"There are... several that you are still unaware of," Raiden carefully admitted.
"Why are you saying it that way?" Jen asked.
"The interference of the Gods..."
"And Goddesses," the Goddess added refusing to let her mate take the weight of the blame alone.
"And the Goddesses," Raiden agreed, "has not always been beneficial to those that aren't. It is best if you discover certain things yourself."
"But what about Earth?" Jen asked
The Goddess and Raiden exchanged another look.
You know where it is, don't you." It wasn't a question because Jen could see they did.
"We do, but it would be best for you to discover it yourself," Raiden continued.
"But my sister!"
"If you wish to be reunited with her, wish to find her safe and whole," the Goddess told her, "then we cannot interfere."
"But how? The Ganglians..." Jen started.
"Are not the only ones who know Earth's location," Raiden said, shocking both of them before the sound of warriors coming down the corridor had all eyes looking at the closed door.
"Treyvon," Raiden walked up to him and reached out and clasped Treyvon's forearm just below his elbow. It was the ultimate gesture of respect one Warrior could give another, at least in Raiden's time. "Things are changing. All the known and yet to be known again universes are at a precipice. What has occured here on Pontus is the key, but it must be allowed to grow and spread or what happened to my people will happen again. And this time none will survive. Daco will see to it."
"What can I do?"
Treyvon's response without the slightest hesitation had Raiden's chest expanding with pride. Yes, this was one of his. A truely fit and worthy male.
"Protect your True Mate. Stay at her side and help her do what she must to come to terms with her past so that you can move foreward. Together."
When Raiden looked back to the door that was sliding open, Jen and Treyvon did too. When they looked back, Raiden and the Goddess were gone.
