The Pirate Prince (22 page)

She sounded unsure of the woman’s claim.

“Great-grandmother,” Mei said. “I have heard your predictions and I know why Prince Song Lok must be my husband. I understand now that my marriage will bring peace to our world and will help cement the relations between our two nations. With what we have discovered, I know that my marriage will mend what has been done.”

“I said all that?” An snorted, the sound very unladylike.

“Yes, you said you consulted all the powers,” Mei insisted. “Can’t you remember? You said you did the oracle bones, the divining basin, even listened to the wind. You said you saw my fate. Please, don’t you remember?”

“I did all those things, but I never said you were to marry Prince Lok. I said the first foreign man of royal blood whose path you crossed would be both father of your child and husband to you. You and your father decided on Prince Lok. I did not.” “Blessed Stars,” Rick mumbled, “Even her voice is airy.Jackson , you have to feel her. I swear, it’s like she’d not even there, but she is.”

“But,” Mei stepped toward the woman, ignoring Rick. Jarek didn’t bother with the man. His ears strained to hear everything that was said between the spirit and Mei.

This was his future they were talking about, his heart. He didn’t have time to worry about Rick getting his ass thrown in prison if he insulted the Zhang Emperor. There would be time for that later. “Prince Lok was the first man of non-Zhang royal blood to cross my path. Our marriage will ensure peace. It makes sense.” “Your place is with the father of your child,” An insisted, her words slow and careful.

“I know that. I know I will bear him a child.” Mei gave Jarek a forlorn look of regret and mouthed so the rest of them couldn’t see, “I’m sorry you have to hear this, my love.”

He shook his head, not wishing her to worry about him. Though the thought of another man’s child in her womb tormented him greatly. “Grandmother?” the Empress demanded. “Stop speaking in riddles. Out

with it. If you know something you are not saying, say it now.” “What riddles? Who is speaking in riddles? I was quite clear,” An huffed. “I said the first foreign man of royal blood whose path she crossed.” “And that was Prince Lok,” the Empress interrupted. “Mei went there with Haun and they negotiated the exploration of the Lin Yao Mines.”

“No, that was the first prince shesaw . The first path she crossed belonged to this man, thisten nai, this tiger man.” An turned to him. “You were in the city beyond the Mountain palace, where you not? You walked the streets before you saw Mei, before Mei saw the Song Prince.”

Jarek nodded. “I did walk the streets.”

“There, you see. He walked in one place. Mei then walked over where he had walked. She crossed his path.” An grinned. “I find it a pretty simple explanation. There is no riddle in what I said.”

Mei’s rounded gaze turned to him. Jarek felt hope rising in his chest. If An wasn’t transparent, he would have grabbed her in a hug. The woman smiled over the living, clearly savoring her moment of brilliance.

“How do you know?” the Empress demanded. The Emperor came to her side, touching her arm. The gesture didn’t stop her. “You have no way of knowing whose path she crossed. You speak nonsense, old woman. Leave my daughter be. This decision is for the living. It’s bad enough you wanted to send her across the Satlyun, but what you say now… How will…? Where will she…? You would send her to the stars where we can’t protect her? See her?”

The Emperor pulled his wife’s arm and she looked helplessly at him. Jarek felt a sting as the woman openly rejected his suit of Mei. “I know,” An declared. “Besides, she should marry the father of her unborn child.”

It took Jarek a moment to realize what was being said. Mei gasped, her hand flying to her stomach. The steps became deadly quiet for a long time as they all stared at Mei.

“My love?” he said softly, touching her stomach. “Fea?”

Mei bit her lip, looking as stunned as he was. Pleasure filled him at the thought.

Mei with his child! Surely her parents could not protest their marriage now. “Way to go, Cap!” Rick yelled suddenly, breaking the awkward silence. “You sent off some straight shooters right up the old--!”

“Rick,” Dev growled, reaching to grab the man and shut him up. He shook him violently, jolting him like a rag doll.

“Ow, let go!” Rick cried. Dev released him. “I didn’t knock her up.”

“You insolent little....” An began, turning on Rick.

“Whoa, easy there, ghostly sweetness,” Rick said, grinning at the older woman.

“You’ll get your chance at me. No need to call Dev names.”

An’s figure shuddered with light and her face tinted with the lightest of pinks.

Furious, she pointed at him, “I will teach you respect, little man. You will bow in the presence of my greatness.”

Rick paled. “Hey, now, I was just joking around. Things were getting a little tense and I was just trying to save the Captain from everyone’s anger. You know, lightening the mood with humor.”

“Do not make me curse you,” An warned.

“Rick, I’d listen to her and say no more,” Evan warned. “Easy, don’t get your, uh, gown in a twist,”

Rick said, ignoring Evan’s sensible words. “No need to threaten us with whatever mojo power thing you have.” “What does that mean? Twisting gown?” Mei whispered. Jarek shrugged, not knowing.

“Ah, so you think you are funny,” An said. “Let’s see how humorous you and your friends think my power is.”

The crew glared at Rick for getting them in trouble with the spirit.Jackson hit his arm. An’s eyes glazed over with white. Jarek started to take a step forward to protect his men. Mei pulled him back, shaking her head.

“She predicts their future. No physical harm will come to them,” she assured them.

“Together you travel and together you’ll remain. Tied and joined like the five elements of our people.” An’s voice took on an ominous quality. “The road to happiness is very rocky for all of you.”

“What does that mean?” Lochlann whispered.

“Is she telling the truth?”Jackson questioned.

“I don’t know,” Evan said. “I can’t read sprits.”

“Great going, space cadet,” Jackson nudged Rick.

An’s eyes cleared and she smiled vindictively, clearly knowing something they all didn’t. “You will find your love hidden within the mystery of the five elements. One element for each of you. The corresponding element will hold the secret to your future happiness. But fate is not clear. If you do not recognize it, you will lose it and be forever alone.”

“Elements?” Lochlann uttered. All five of the crewmen looked horrified and enraptured at the same time.

“What elements?”

“Yes. The secrets of your future is hidden in the five elements—metal, water, wood, earth and fire.” The ghostly ancestor grinned wickedly. “Which one am I?”Jackson asked.

“And I?” Lochlann questioned.

“That is for you to figure out.” With that, An disappeared, blowing away on a sudden gust of wind.

“How does predicting what will come curse us?” Rick asked, frowning in confusion.

“She just gives us enough to consume our thoughts,” Evan said. “Trust me, knowing only a very small piece of something will drive you mad. The thought will creep into our heads and make us crazy.”

“Metal, wood....” Lochlann began, frowning.

“Water, earth, fire,” Evan finished.

“Dev’s got fire, that’s easy,” Rick said. “And I must be metal because my body is rock hard with muscles.”

“I think the elements refer to the ones we are meant for,” Evan said. “Not who we are.”

“She didn’t say that,” Rick protested. “I’m metal, I know it.”

Seeing his men were unharmed, Jarek turned to Mei and touched her stomach. He was so happy. Nothing could bring him greater joy. His princess carried his child.

“Mei,” he whispered, awed. His heart soared with hope.

“Jarek,” she said. “
Qin ài de!”

“No,” the Empress denied. “Mei, please, reconsider.”

“It is her choice,” the Emperor decreed. “Zhang An is right. We assumed she meant Prince Lok. If this is not so, we cannot deny Prince Jarek anymore than we could have denied Song Lok. Haun has said the Song prince showed no interest in her as a wife.

Fate has willed it and it appears as if our daughter has accepted her true fate. She has accepted Prince Jarek of the Var.”

“Mei?” The Empress stepped forward, her face pleading.

“I choose Prince Jarek,” she said, grinning up at him. Jarek yelled, unable to contain his happiness as he picked her up and swung her in his arms. Mei kissed him, moaning that she loved him into his mouth as he spun her in a circle.

When he set her down, the Empress said, “You are going to leave us, my little one, aren’t you? The day you were born, Mei, I knew that you would be the one to leave us the second I looked into your eyes for the first time. When I heard that your future was with Song Lok, I was happy that it was not as bad as I feared. Across the Satylun would keep you close to us, closer than the stars.”

Mei let go of him and went to her mother. “I will come back. I promise.”

Haun was the first sibling to come forward. “Mei has always been like the wind and we have kept her trapped for too long. Prince Jarek speaks wisely. To understand what is out there will only make our rule all the more secure. Her knowledge will help us in the future. It must be so. Fate has chosen wisely.”

A tear slipped over Mei’s face. Jarek stayed back, letting her have a moment with her family. He motioned his crew to leave. They did quietly, still stunned by what had happened with Zhang An. Evan was right. Already Jarek could see the questions on their faces. Later, they’d be punishing Rick for making the spiteful prediction happen.

“Congratulations,meimei ,” Haun said to his sister. There was an air of sadness to him, but he nodded once at Jarek. “You have made a fine choice.”

At his words, the other Zhang siblings rushed forward.

“Yes, Mei,” Fen said, tearing up. “But I will miss you. You must send transmissions often. Promise? And make sure you include pictures so that I may see what you see.”

“I will,” Mei said.

“The palace will not be the same without you.” Fen grabbed her, hugging her tight.

“Ah, little one,” Shen said when his sisters parted. He grinned, hugging Mei before stepping aside.

“Many blessings, sister,” Lian said. “I believe fate has done well for you.”

“Yes, many blessings!” Jin added.

Lian reached for Jarek, shaking his hand. It prompted the other brothers to do the same. Jarek clasped their palms in his, nodding gratefully for their support because he knew it would mean a lot to Mei to have her family behind her decision. And if she was happy, it would mean a lot to him as well.

The Emperor came forward, looking down at her stomach before slowly nodding.

“This is always your home, Mei. I, like the others, have known that you would someday leave us. Your eyes have always been turned away from this place and your spirit has always been too free to confine within the palace walls. Go with my blessing.”

“Xièxie nî,” Mei said. “Thank you.”

“But, you do not need to leave us yet,” the Empress said in a rush. “There is no reason why you can’t stay for a wedding. It would be wise to do it quickly because of the baby.”

“We are already a little married,” Mei said, only to quickly add as her mother frowned, “in Jarek’s culture. It’s called lifemating and it is very binding.” Mei looked back at him and smiled.

The Empress looked at her husband.

“We will say she was married by foreign custom,” Emperor Zhang said. “That way there will be no talk of the baby being created before its time. It will save any scandal.”

“But they must still make an offering,” Mei’s mother insisted. The Emperor nodded in agreement.

“Prince Jarek, please accept our hospitality for you and your crew. There is no reason to run off right away.” The Empress touched her daughter’s cheek. “We will have a banquet to honor your marriage and to recognize you as our son.”

“I would be honored.” Jarek didn’t care where he was, so long as Mei was his.

And she was. She was his wife.

“Come,” the Emperor ordered, making his family leave. “Lian, go find where Prince Jarek’s crew has gone. Invite them to dine with us.” Lian did as he was ordered. The others left at the Emperor’s prompting. When they were alone, Mei squealed and jumped into his arms. “I never dreamt that I could be so happy,qin ài de . I....”

Her words trailed off as she kissed him, wrapping her legs around his waist.

“Ah,fea ,” Jarek growled. “I’ve missed being alone with you, wife.”

“Wife?” she repeated softly, as if awed by the word. “I like you calling me that.” “Ah, sweet, beautifulfea

.” He lightly kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you more than there are stars in the galaxies.”

Mei smiled, her whole heart shining in her expression as she looked at him. To Jarek, Mei was perfection. Leaning in for a kiss, she whispered against his mouth, “And I love you an infinity past that, my pirate husband.”

Chapter Twelve

VarPalace, Planet of Qurilixen

Two Months Later

Mei took a deep breath as the docking plank slowly lowered on Jarek’s home planet of Qurilixen. They were outside the Var palace, literally on the bottom of a long row of steps leading to the back entrance. After spending time with her family, they’d finally left Líntian so she could meet his. Though she was nervous about meeting his family, he’d assured her quite thoroughly that they would love her. Already he’d told her

of some of their customs, which helped as well, as she felt prepared.

Mei glanced at Jarek as he neared, holding out his arm. The crew was still onboard, shutting down all the systems. Her catshifting husband was excited to be home and had been too anxious to be of much help to them. Just seeing his pleasure intensified her own.

When she had dressed that morning, Mei wasn’t sure what to wear and had gone through almost every stitch of clothing. Jarek wore a tight tank shirt with cross laces down the side from under the arm to his hip. His pants were the same style, giving peeks of flesh as the cross laces worked down his hip over his upper thigh. The material was soft, not like silk, but a fuzzier soft that made her want to press her face to his chest and cuddle. With the combination of her overly excited pregnancy hormones and his sexiness, Mei had him out of his clothes and on the bed within seconds.