He’d wanted a human pet because he was bored, because the universe’s distractions had become stale for him. He was not bored now. He was annoyed and concerned, and he was having to tolerate repeated audiences with officials who demanded his attention.
He should have listened when Archon warned him. But no, he had to disregard his fellow monarch’s words because he was too caught up in the exoticness of it all, and claiming a human as his pet.
“Crime has risen substantially in the city! Petty thefts now occur daily.” The Lord of the City Guard said. “We have been receiving multiple complaints about a juvenile crime gang, or perhaps aliens wearing the suits of juveniles. Pink clad, they run about the city stealing that which they are not entitled to, and which they have no intention of paying for. It is unprecedented in our history.”
“Perhaps the City Guard has become complacent,” Dominax suggested. “Perhaps being an interstellar hub cannot be all hugs and trust falls.”
His reply was uncommonly sarcastic. He almost heard her voice while he was speaking, as if the human had commandeered some part of him and was making her presence felt even in her absence.
“Perhaps the alien element is causing problems, as we predicted they would when you decided to open Golden City to the universe at large. It was so much easier when the city was open to Homelanders only. Now we have to have ramps and street access. It is unsightly, and they are being used to facilitate flightless crime.”
“Change is inevitable, Knax,” Dominax said. “If you are not willing to police the city as it needs to be policed, and catch criminals instead of complaining about them, there are many who would take your place, and your rank, and your title, for that matter.”
The Lord of the City Guard turned a bit ashen upon hearing that, though Dominax did not know what he had expected to hear. Had he truly believed that if he only complained enough, the king would reverse his position on having the city open to the universe and return to the days when only Homelanders were allowed to live on the planet?”
Probably.
“My apologies, sire,” Knax stammered, bowing deeply, his wings folded in contrition. It was not common for the king to threaten to remove a lord from service, but it was possible.
“SIRE!”
A fresh voice rang out, interrupting the king and his audience. There was only one reason anybody might be permitted to do that. Dominax was actually glad to be interrupted.
“GOT A PRISONER FOR YOU, SIRE!”
“You can stop shouting and come in,” Dominax said, gesturing the intruders forward.
“We found him! He was at home!” one of two very proud guards called out. They had a tall Homelander between them, a distinguished member of Dominax’s own guard — and a traitor.
Alf had disappeared on the same day and at the same time Katie did. At first it had seemed like something of a coincidence, or perhaps some evidence of foul play.
“Clear the court!” Dominax cried out. He did not want witnesses to the exchange about to happen.
The courtiers fled, not wishing to be caught in the king’s ire. Dominax had never been this furious, or this dangerous. When he and Alf were alone, he focused all that anger on the soldier.
“You,” Dominax growled. “You took something from me, something you had no right to take.”
The guard he had once trusted to keep his pet safe now kneeled in chains, though he did not have the good sense to look ashamed.
“I didn’t take her, sire. I helped her leave. She wasn’t a prisoner. And you were hurting her. I did what was right.”
“You are not here to do what is right. You are here to do what I tell you to do. Need I remind you that I am your king?”
“No, sire. You need not remind me.”
Dominax let out a snarl. He wanted to kill this soldier for his treachery, but Alf was not any mere soldier. He had served under Dominax's father. He was a literal war hero. Killing him would cause a scandal and potentially turn the entire court against him.
Being king did not mean having unlimited power without consequence. It meant being at the top of a grasping, desperate, greedy pile of maniacs who each wanted his seat.
Losing a pet like a careless child did not look good. It looked like weakness. Having had his pet stolen out from under his nose by his own guard looked even worse. When the old guard rebelled, that was the beginning of the end.
He needed Katie back. He craved her with every part of his being. Alf didn't understand how badly he had hurt his king by taking the female. But he would understand.
“You will find her, and you will return her.”
“I will do no such thing. If you want her, you should earn her. You should woo her. You should…”