by S. E. Smith
Out of the fog, a gigantic leg suddenly appeared. Gril stepped back as far as he could, trying to shield Madas. He spread his legs and raised his sword.
Glowing red eyes and the large rounded body moved above the moss. This night crawler was larger than anything he had yet seen. Joren issued a hoarse curse.
“Down.”
Gril blinked when he heard the strange voice. Joren looked around in confusion, trying to see who was talking. Madas stood frozen, her head tilted as she looked at L’eon in shock. The little lizard was standing up on his hind legs on Madas’s shoulder, pointing at the night crawler. The ridges on his back were raised and he was glowing.
“Down. These friends. No hurt,” L’eon ordered with a wave of his finger.
The night crawler looked at Joren, then Gril, then Madas. L’eon gently stroked Madas’s hair. He stared at the night crawler.
“My pet,” he said.
Gril raised an eyebrow when the night crawler slowly sank down to the ground and stared at Madas. It lowered its head to the ground, then slowly rose and turned. They all watched in stunned silence as the night crawler disappeared.
“I bossy,” L’eon said with a grin.
“I think I’ve seen everything now,” Gril muttered with a shake of his head.
Madas looked at L’eon with a crooked smile. “So, I’m your pet?” she asked with a delighted laugh.
L’eon grinned and rubbed his cheek against hers. “You and Gril. You make good pets,” he said.
Madas turned her soft gaze to Gril. “Yes, we do,” she agreed.
Epilogue
Two days later:
* * *
“Do you have everything you want to take with you?” Gril asked.
Madas looked at the pile of boxes. There weren’t many, six in all. In some ways it was sad to see her father’s entire life reduced to six boxes—but in those boxes were thousands of drawings, notations, and documents.
“Yes, I think so. Did any of the power crystals Joren brought to you work?” Madas asked.
“No, they are all low grade. I need something that can produce a lot of energy. Joren said there would be another transport ship arriving in a few weeks. I can use one of their communicators to request a replacement,” he said.
“It’s a shame that Devac’s ship was never found,” she said.
Gril nodded. “It is possible I could have salvaged one from it,” he agreed.
Madas walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He looked down at her and released a loud sigh. She caressed his cheek.
“We could always go back to our spot until the transport arrives,” she teased.
He grimaced. “Am I so obvious?” he asked.
“Just a little. Thank you for not killing Tima and my brothers,” she murmured, fingering the collar of his shirt.
“I wanted to. I will report what happened when we return. There will still be consequences, Madas,” he warned.
“I know. I’ll let Tima deal with it. Joren said they were able to retrieve Cardin’s body. There was no sign of Devac,” she said.
“He told me that as well,” Gril said.
She released him when he pulled away to walk over to the metal box and pull the circuit board out. He stared down at it with a frustrated expression. She walked over and slipped her arm around his waist.
“We could always hike to the outpost,” she suggested.
He chuckled and shook his head. They both smiled when L’eon climbed up on her dresser and sniffed the circuit board. He was the one who had started this whole adventure by stealing it.
“Pretty rock,” L’eon said, pointing his front foot to the top box in her stack of boxes.
“What?” Gril asked.
Madas laughed. “L’eon likes to collect pretty rocks. I have a box of them. Hold on,” she said.
Turning, she walked over to the top box and opened it. On top was a wooden box filled with L’eon’s collection. She walked back with it, and opened the box in front of L’eon.
“Which pretty rock do you want?” she asked.
She giggled while L’eon rummaged through the pebbles, picking up several and examining them before putting them back until he held up the beautiful red rock that he had given her in the Goddess’s Fortress. She had forgotten about it.
“Pretty rock,” L’eon said with a grin.
“Yes, it is very pretty,” Madas agreed.
She frowned when L’eon climbed out of the box and made his way to the circuit board. Gril growled out a warning when L’eon pushed the red rock into the spot for the power crystal. He touched each end with his tail.
Madas released a squeak when she saw arcs of electricity dance on each end. Gril started to reach for the board, but stopped when the components lit up. L’eon sat back and grinned up at them.
“Pretty rock give power,” L’eon stated.
“Wow… it really does,” Madas replied in awe.
Three weeks later, Madas stood on the space port, looking down at Tearraid. Her throat felt tight with emotion. She had always wondered what the planet would look like from space—now she knew.
Gril had been in meetings on and off since they arrived. He was deeply concerned by what Devac had said right before her death—that what was happening was larger than either of them. Gril felt sure that whatever Devac had been involved in was important.
“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?”
Madas smiled when she saw the reflection of Joren standing behind her. She nodded. He came to stand next to her.
“I never did thank you for getting me out of there,” Joren said. “Gril said that he has a little pull and I could be accepted into the military academy.”
“I know, he told me,” she murmured.
Her gaze moved to Joren’s hand when he held out a worn leather notebook. Her throat tightened and tears burned her eyes. She hadn’t asked because she had been afraid of the answers.
“Father wanted you to have this. He said I would know when it was time—when you were ready to go to the stars. He was right,” Joren quietly explained.
Madas’s hand trembled as she reached out for the leather bound notebook containing her father’s most intimate thoughts. She lovingly ran her hand over the cover and nodded. Looking up at Joren, she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you for keeping this safe for me,” she said in a voice thick with tears.
Joren caressed her cheek before he turned his head and smiled at Gril standing in the doorway. He quietly left the room. Gril walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
She placed her arm over his and leaned back, staring out at the stars beyond their planet. An intense longing to see what was out there and document it filled her. Gril must have seen the longing in the reflection of the glass.
“How would you like to travel through the stars?” he asked.
“I would love to—as long as I do it with you,” she murmured, twisting in his arms and capturing his lips.
L’eon sat invisible on the couch watching his two pets nuzzle each other. He had learned that the creatures on this ship were a little wary when he walked around, but that was alright. He would give them time. After all, it wasn’t every day that a Chameleon Lightning Lizard found a new world to live on, he thought as he snuggled down and closed his eyes with a wry grin on his lips.
Post scene:
* * *
Thirty years later: Palace on Kassis
* * *
“Wow! I… that is…,” River Knight whispered, staring at Madas.
“… Amazing. I’m so glad that you finally shared how you and Gril met. It is so romantic,” Star Strauss said with a sigh.
Madas smiled across at Star. “I never thought about it being romantic until now, but Gril is a very romantic mate,” she admitted, tenderly caressing the growing bump under her blouse.
“Now I want to know everything that has happen
ed since,” Jo Strauss urged, leaning forward with her hand under her chin.
“Madas can tell us after we have some cake,” Star said, rising to her feet.
Madas gazed around Star and Jazin’s decorated living quarters. She had been shocked when she arrived for a prearranged visit and discovered that Star, Jo, and River had planned something called a ‘baby shower’ for her. Tears burned her eyes. She had become more emotional the further along her pregnancy developed and the eggs inside her grew.
There were dozens of people from a wide variety of species here. Her heart warmed that so many would come together to celebrate the coming birth of her and Gril’s offspring.
Madas looked to where Gril was standing on the balcony, talking with a group of the men who had attended the festivities. The men had quickly retreated to the balcony when she had started sharing how she and Gril had met.
Gril must have sensed her staring at him because he turned his head and lovingly returned her gaze. He absently nodded at something that Ajaska and Walter said, but she could tell he was completely focused on her. A slight flush warmed her cheeks when he looked down at where her hand was absently caressing her extended stomach and fire flared in his eyes.
“Madas, you better be careful! I think Mattie is going to try to talk L’eon into coming to live with her,” Jo laughed, drawing her attention away.
Madas chuckled when she saw the young animal trainer sitting crossed legged on the floor with L’eon on her lap. L’eon was lying on his back with his legs sprawled in abandon and his tongue hanging out, happily getting his belly rubbed. She shook her head in amusement. She looked up when she felt a warm kiss against her neck and Gril’s large hand covering her hers.
“Are you feeling well?” he murmured near her ear.
Madas relaxed back against her seat. “Yes. This is…. I am so lucky, Gril, to have you and friends like this. I love you so much,” she answered with a sniff, feeling emotional again.
He pressed another kiss to her neck, then wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her stomach. A shudder ran through his body and she heard him take in a slightly shaky breath. She rested her cheek against his head.
“I love you more, my beautiful forest warrior,” he finally said.
“Who wants cake?” Star announced.
Gril released her and stepped around the chair, holding out his hand for her. She placed hers in his, and for a moment, it was like they were the only ones in the room as she rose to her feet and moved into his arms. She had wanted to discover the universe, and among the stars she had found the magic of love with Gril and the true meaning of family and friendship among the stars.
* * *
Note from the Author:
When I first wrote a short scene in Star’s Storm: Lords of Kassis Book 2, where Madas started to share how she met Gril, I knew that I would need to write the story of Madas and Gril’s love.
Gril captured my heart in River’s Run with his understanding and concern; while Madas captured my imagination in Star’s Storm with her strength of character, intelligence, and her compassion.
I hope you enjoy their story as much as I do. Some characters deserve to have their own stories told and Madas and Gril—along with L’eon—are just a few of those who need their magical moments shared.
Enjoy ~ Susan aka S.E. Smith
Want more adventure? Try
Hunter’s Claim, The Alliance Book 1
* * *
USA Today Bestseller!
The Alliance came in peace, but Earth was thrown into chaos….
Alone in a world gone mad with just her teenage sisters, Jesse Sampson has seen the savage side of human nature and found they are not much different from the aliens who conquered Earth, but she's kept what's left of her family alive, that's all that matters—until Jesse sees an alien who will suffer a horrible death if she does not free him from his human captors. Her own nature won’t allow her leave him to his fate, and that decision changes everything.
Check out the full book here: books2read.com/Hunters-Claim
Additional Books
If you loved this story by me (S.E. Smith) please leave a review! You can discover additional books at: http://sesmithfl.com and http://sesmithya.com or find your favorite way to keep in touch here: https://sesmithfl.com/contact-me/ Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to hear about new releases!
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Recommended Reading Order Lists:
http://sesmithfl.com/reading-list-by-events/
http://sesmithfl.com/reading-list-by-series/
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The Series
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When Earth received its first visitors from space, the planet was thrown into a panicked chaos. The Trivators came to bring Earth into the Alliance of Star Systems, but now they must take control to prevent the humans from destroying themselves. No one was prepared for how the humans will affect the Trivators, though, starting with a family of three sisters….
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