Harem Assassins : King Sekton's Harem Planet, Book 2: A Space Opera Harem Adventure by Baron Sord (mobi ebook reader .TXT) 📕

down my life for her, I will. So will the others. It’s our duty to obey your every command.”

“No,” I snorted in disbelief. “I’d never ask you ladies to do that.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No, I mean, I don’t even like the idea of you laying down your life for me, let alone anyone else laying down theirs. I just need you to keep quiet about this.”

“Serving you is my honor and my duty, my king.”

“Sure,” I grunted, not sure I was getting through to Theia. She sounded a bit robotic. Our conversation was reminding me of talking to Cygna about wants and choices back on the Artemis. That had been the first time we had almost kissed. Cygna had barely known what wants and choices were, and had wanted to do whatever I wanted to do, without any thought for her own desires. Theia seemed equally… disconnected from herself.

Theia said, “Your secret is safe with me, my king.”

“Thanks,” I said, forcing a smile and struggling to hide my concern for Violet’s well-being. Her safety was weighing on me like a noose around my neck.

Theia’s face softened and her kryptonite eyes searched mine. “I know this experience is new for you, my king. Taking on the royal crown can be overwhelming for some.”

“Some? How many times have you seen the crown change hands?”

Her green eyes shifted upward in recollection. “I’ve lost count,” she smiled apologetically.

“What?!” I chuckled. “You make it sound like you’ve been doing this for a long time.”

“Over three hundred years,” she sighed.

“Three hundred?!” I snorted. “You look like you’re 24 years old. 25 tops.”

“Thank you, my king. We Zalaxian women age very gracefully.”

“That’s an understatement,” I chortled.

“It’s yet another reason Crewd and his pirates, and every other man in the known universe, wants to be in your position, my king. Their lust is only rivaled by their greed. Such men will kill whoever they must to gain the Zalaxian throne.”

I cringed. “You don’t think I’m like that, do you?”

“It’s not my place to judge, my king. Your word is law, not mine.”

“But you— I’m not— you don’t think I’m a murderer, do you?” That thought bothered me big time. “I was just protecting my four friends. Honestly, if it had been up to me, I would’ve taken Oia, Venus, Cygna, and Sirius away from the outpost, left this planet, and never looked back. But Crewd’s pirates didn’t give me much choice. Neither did the last king. He tried to kill me. You know that, right?”

“I was there. I saw what you did.” Her even tone and sedate expression were inscrutable. Was she angry about it? Happy? Indifferent?

She was impossible to read.

I was worrying because I had basically murdered Theia’s previous boss last night. Less than twelve hours ago. And I’d killed him in front of her and the Shock Knights. I wouldn’t be surprised if the group of them were secretly plotting to assassinate me the second I turned my back. Out here in the jungle, hidden by the dim light of dawn, would be the perfect place and time.

“My king,” Theia said plainly, “in my time as Captain of your Royal Bodyguard, I have seen many men come and go, but I have never known one such as yourself.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Permission to speak freely, my king?”

“Yeah, always. Like I said before. You don’t have to bullshit me, Theia. Be honest. Give it to me straight.”

“The loyalty and self-sacrifice you showed your friends last night was an inspiration, my king. You were willing to die for them.”

“I guess I was,” I said with a slight smile and a hint of pride.

“I have already told your Shock Knights that they and I should aspire to live up to the example you set.”

“You did?”

“I did, my king. But…” she trailed off thoughtfully.

“But what?”

Theia sighed, “Wearing the crown changes a man.” She let that sink in. “This is only your first day. You have yet to go through coronation, yet to set foot in the Royal Kingdom or your Royal Palace. You have yet to meet your million palace concubines desperate to win your affection.”

“Million?” I gasped.

“That’s not counting every other woman on Zalaxia, billions of them equally alluring and equally loyal.”

“Billions?” I chortled in disbelief.

“Billions. You will sleep with them. Many, many of them.”

“I will?” I said with a hopeful but guilty grin.

Theia closed her eyes briefly in what looked like profound disappointment. She said pointedly, “Your behavior suggests you will quickly become a pawn embroiled in their royal schemes.”

“Oh.” Maybe I shouldn’t have sounded so eager a second ago.

“I must warn you, my king, your royal concubines are mistresses of manipulation. I have seen them turn many a good man bad. They have corrupted many men with more years and more wisdom than one as young as you.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” I said with pre-emptive regret.

“You will change, my king. If there is one thing life has taught me, it is this simple fact. You. Will. Change.” Theia’s face was flat and emotionless, but no less beautiful. It was also the face of a woman so incredibly attractive, you would do anything to make her happy.

I said, “I promise, Theia, I’ll do everything I possibly can not to change for the worse. I know I’ll change, but maybe I can beat the odds and change for the better.”

Theia’s kryptonite eyes searched mine for a long time. Finally, she said quietly, “I hope so, my king. I hope so.”

EEEEEEEEEEEEE!

A blood-curdling female scream shredded the silence.

Violet.

I deployed my power armor’s helmet and visor with a mental command and rocketed toward the sound of her scream.

—: Chapter 10 :—

Violet’s scream was coming from somewhere under the purple jungle canopy. With my ABR-17 rifle tucked into my shoulder and aiming forward, I dove through a whipping tangle of gigantic leaves, branches, fronds, and vines. Some of them reached out to slash at me, or grab me or strangle me, but I was shooting forward too fast to catch.

When I saw