Bay wrapped his arm
around Jynx, flattening his hand against the base of his back, and started
walking down the corridor. If they couldn't have a few minutes alone, they
could still be together. He'd been missing time with Jynx just as much as he
had, although he hadn't voiced it. And Jynx was right, they were mates before
anything else. He needed to remember that.
"You know I want time
with you just as much as you do, right?"
he asked silently through their bond. "You need to know that. You are the
single most important thing in my life."
Jynx smiled up at him as
he bumped their shoulders together. "I know that."
"Good."
"I don't mean to be
whiney or anything, but—"
"You are not being
whiney. You are missing your mate, just as I am."
Bay slid his hand around to Jynx's hip and then pulled him close enough to
plant a kiss on the top of his head. "We'll fix this, love. I promise."
Maybe it was time for
him to appoint a second in command and begin to delegate some of his duties.
Despite what his pride told him, he didn't need to do everything himself.
There were others just as qualified who could handle some of the work for him,
freeing him to spend more time with Jynx.
He simply needed to
choose someone.
Torak was waiting for
them when they walked into the war room. Naris, who never seemed to be far
from Torak's side, sat in the corner once again, reading on a tablet.
"Report."
"The king and his
consort demanded an immediate video conference with you and Prince Jynx,"
Torak responded. "They did not say why, only that it was urgent."
"Very well." Bay
released Jynx and walked over to the video console. "Jynx, can you close the
doors and activate the communication dampeners?"
Jynx closed the doors
and then tapped in a code to the panel next to it before turning and walking
over to stand next to Bay.
"Naris and I can step
out, Commander."
"No," Bay said as he
typed in the code to connect him to the king. "I'm naming you as my second in
command." He hadn't expected to make that decision when he walked into the
room, but it felt right. "Unless the king needs to speak to us alone, you need
to be here."
Torak swallowed so
tightly, Bay heard it and glanced up. "Problem?"
"Me, sire? You want me
to be your second in command?"
"Yes."
"But..."
"You might not have that
much experience—yet—but you are smart, methodical, and you think before you
act. You are also not afraid to wade in if there is a battle. That's the type
of man I want working under me."
A rosy hue flushed
Torak's cheeks. "Yes, Commander. I will not let you down."
"I know you won't." He
had every faith in the man.
Bay glanced at the
screen on the wall when it flickered to live and Cooper appeared on the
screen. He crossed his arm over his chest and bowed his head in respect.
"Consort Cooper, how may I be of service?"
"Took you long enough,"
Cooper snapped.
Bay's eyebrows drew
together at the aggressive tone in Cooper's voice. "Sire?"
"We just received a
ransom note for Councilman Turlock. We have forty-eight hours to deliver Jynx
to Uranus to serve a prison sentence for killing Grothe Qaut'hsta or they will
execute him live on Galatic Weblink for the entire universe to see."
Jynx gasped and started
to slide down as his legs gave out. Bay grabbed him and pulled him tight
against his body. His nostrils flared with outrage as he glanced at the
screen. "Not going to happen." There was no way in hell he was going to send
his mate to the prison planet.
Cooper sighed as he
thrust his hand through his black hair. "Look, I just need you to play along
with this until we can figure out who has the councilman."
Bay frowned. "You want
me to send Jynx to a prison planet for a killing that you and the king both
said was justified?"
Had the royal consort
lost his mind?
"I know it sounds
ridiculous, but I need you to do this, Bay. Just until we find Councilman
Turlock and whoever is holding him hostage."
Bay growled as rage
infused every cell in his body. "Sire—"
"This is an order from
your king!" Cooper shouted. "Do not make me remove you from your position for
disobeying a direct order."
It went against
everything in him to defy the king, but how could he turn his mate over to be
tortured in that cesspool? Jynx wouldn't survive a day.
Jynx squeezed his hand.
"Something is wrong with all of this."
Bay didn't dare look at
Jynx. "Everything is wrong with this."
"I don't think that's
the king's consort."
That got his attention.
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