Gia blushed, and he wondered what had entered her, at times, surprisingly filthy mind.

  He said, “I’ll think about it, and I won’t get back to you on my answer.”

  Daniella smirked, “That’s the plan.”

  The wicked sparkle in her seductively smoky chocolate eyes told him she very much wanted to hear about it, they just wouldn’t be having that conversation around Gia.

  Even with a pass, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He was still uncomfortable with the idea. He’d never cared what his past lovers did, but he knew he’d lose his mind if one of them stepped out on him. In his mind, it should be all or nothing, and he was a bit confused by the easy agreement of his ladies. Especially his queen.

  Another part of it was that perhaps, was because he really wanted it. He really wanted to spend more time with the prelate twisting the sheets, more than he was comfortable with, so it’d feel like being unfaithful even if in their eyes he wasn’t. Or something.

  So in the end, he was still a little nervous about it as they dropped out of FTL, and he teleported them to the reception room. With a solid picture in his mind of the destination, the teleport would fail if the room didn’t actually match it. When familiar with the place he was going it was almost impossible to wind up teleporting into and merging into something, unless he lost his concentration or fucked up the spell. Which was extremely unlikely given it was one of his specialties. Transporting to coordinates without a clue what was on the other side was a much greater risk.

  The reception room was just as he’d remembered it. Looked more like a museum display than anything else, with art on the walls and statues on the alcoves. The furniture was ancient, from when the original church colony fled an overpopulated and war-torn Earth.

  He also wasn’t all that surprised to see Benjamin. That time however, he was just the queen’s protection and guard, so the young man bowed deeply and floridly to Daniella. He wasn’t really expecting to be acknowledged at all.

  “Your majesty, welcome to the Grand Temple. I’m Brother Benjamin, the prelate’s assistant. She’d have been here to greet you personally, but she was unavoidably detained. She’ll welcome you directly tonight, at the banquet. I’ll be escorting you to your suite, which has a main room for you and enough other rooms for your guards and advisors.”

  Daniella nodded her head, “That would be acceptable.”

  He led them toward the same part of the temple as last time, but a different hallway which was far more palatial. He stood in front of the door when we arrived at a large double doorway.

  “I will return in two hours to escort you to the grand banquet hall. If you need anything at all, sister Leanne still has access, and if she needs help, she can contact me at any time of the day or night.”

  Daniella said, “That’s very gracious of you.”

  He bowed, and set off back the way they came, and to his surprise the man handed him a small envelope as he passed, his name in calligraphy graced the front. He tucked it into a pocket to read later as the royal guards checked the rooms out, then waved them inside.

  The first difference was the entry room was about three times the size, with enough seating for the six of them, if not the six additional royal marines. Past that was the living room which was also about twice as big as the suite he’d stayed in, and there were enough couches, chairs, and lounges that all twelve of them could have a meeting.

  Past that on the left was the kitchen, and straight was a hallway with three rooms on the right, three on the left, and a large master bedroom fit for a queen, literally, through some double doors straight ahead. Each room had a private bath, but only the queen’s had a hot tub spa.

  He cast a quick spell, ensuring the range of it did not exceed their quarters.

  “Two bugs, both burned out. It’s safe to talk.”

  Daniella said, “Thanks, Dacen. Interesting start, I was expecting her to meet me personally, but I wasn’t going to throw a fit about it.”

  He nodded, “My guess is the short notice, she’s probably dealing with underlings throwing a fit that she allowed the immoral queen on their holy ground.”

  Leanne giggled, then covered her mouth, “He’s right, Dani. The prelate is a lot more openminded than most of the blessed or Archbishops. If I had to guess, as soon as word got out that we were coming to request military aid, she started to be bombarded by objections.”

  Daniella nodded, “I also find it curious you’re officially still a sister with all access, when your loyalties and oaths lie with our knight, and therefore me.”

  Leanne replied, “Under the understanding that I won’t be used against the church. My oaths to my goddess are still active. I gave those oaths to Dacen under the understanding he’d never order me to do anything nefarious toward my church or the prelate. So they trust my old oaths, and they trust Dacen’s word that it will not come into conflict. The information I provide and insight into the missionaries is what everyone wants me to do.

  “Succinctly put, I am still a sister in the church, just without a governmental post.”

  Daniella nodded, “Well, we only have two hours to get ready.”

  He chuckled, “You all look rather stupendous already.”

  Daniella arched an eyebrow playfully, “Rather?”

  He grinned, “Splendiferously stunning?”

  Daniella winked, “Better.”

  He spanked her, then snickered at her affronted gasp, which was mostly just her playing. Then of course, he got out of the way after that. A smart man didn’t bother his women when they were primping. Instead, he took on the task of unpacking all their clothes and did his best to ignore the occasional giggles and other outbursts coming from the bathroom. The fact his ladies got along so well was a good thing in his mind. A very good thing.

  Once that was done, he opened the card and took a look. He wasn’t all that surprised it was from Aria, or that she’d trusted her son to deliver it. It simply requested his presence early AM tomorrow for breakfast and conversation, and that Leanne could escort him as she had in the past. It also said she’d have him back to his queen before the tour started, so he wouldn’t be neglecting his duties in guarding Daniella.

  There was no real way to say no, it just wasn’t an option. More than that, he really didn’t want to say no.

  Not to any of it, even the unspoken part. Aria wasn’t a stunning goddess like Leanne, but she was quite attractive, beautiful even. With similar golden blonde hair and blue eyes, which was quite common in the theocracy. The prelate was petite and curvy at five foot one, and maybe a little top heavy, but in a good way. Her rounded C cups were deliciously large on her small frame, and her hips and ass were quite shapely but extremely petite and in proportion to her height. Her face was quite beautiful, in the classic sense with strong high cheekbones, and a delicate nose.

  “Something on your mind?” Gia asked.

  He looked up, “Done already?”

  Gia smirked, “Don’t I look done?”

  He shrugged, “You heard me before, you looked done before you went in there. The hair looks great.”

  She giggled, “So…”

  He answered her question, “Just thinking,” and waved the invitation to breakfast.

  Gia made an O with her mouth while she read it, then nodded, “I’ve had more time to think about it, and I think you should rock her world, worry and guilt free,” she moved in and kissed his lips gently, and then caressed his face with a soft touch of her fingertips, “If I came off unsure earlier it was because I wasn’t expecting it. I’d never really thought about it, because I knew you wouldn’t sleep with anyone but us or just for a fling, or for some strange.

  “But Prelate Aria isn’t either of those things, and you have history. You owe her a thank you, as do we who’ve benefited from your healing heart, and I can’t think of a better one than that long fat cock.”

  He snorted, “I just can’t imagine it won’t be different after.”

  She shrugged, “Women are different, and it’s not cheating. Not with permission. You just feel that way because you’d lose your mind if we strayed from you or the rest of our circle of lovers. But don’t feel like a hypocrite, it’s not hypocrisy, it’s just men and women need different things. So show her a good time, and thank her for what she did. We just need to know you’ll never leave us for another, and that you’ll be there for us. This won’t change that.”

  He nodded, “Alright. Is it really that easy?”

  She giggled, “Hell no, but I don’t think I can make you understand. Plus, we’re all giving in this relationship, not all women would agree with the five of us. Not even most. The important part is for us five it’s the simple truth. And let’s face it, when it comes to Allison, she’s just perving over the idea of sharing a cock with a prelate and a queen.”

  He chuckled.

  Allison yelled from the bathroom, “Damned right! I might just fight Leanne over cleaning up after a prelate creams your cock.”

  He laughed, “Alright, I do feel better.”

  She smiled warmly, “All part of the service, as your healer.”

  “And as my woman?”

  She blushed, then smiled widely. Her average beauty transformed to startlingly lovely with those dimples in evidence.

  “Is that what I am?” she asked half hopefully and half in challenge.

  He pulled her closer, and wrapped an arm around her waist, being careful not to muss her.

  “It is, woman. Until you say it’s not and you ask for a transfer. Until then you’re mine, and I’m yours, which is the whole reason I needed permission. Isn’t it?”

  She giggled, “Yes,” and then she bit her lip.

  He raised an eyebrow, “Just say it. There’s something on your mind.”

  She blushed, “I’d rather not. It’s a surprise for later.”

  He liked surprises, and if her blushes were any indication then it’d be a naughty one, so he let it drop. He also really enjoyed that quirk of Gia’s, his sexy lady seemed to be as turned on as she was scandalized by a lot of things they got up to as a sixsome, including her own desires and actions.

  Chapter Six

  The grand banquet room was as vast as he remembered, with six double doors as entrances from the four directions, almost twice as long as it was wide giving it two entrances on the east and west sides since it intersected two major hallways. It could hold five hundred easily, and there were less clerics and bishops than that on the planet, just over four hundred.

  That night she hadn’t invited quite all of them, like she had for the signing, but the place was packed in. All ten bishops were there, and just based on the cuts of the robes and rank there was also around a hundred clerics. The rest of the seats were filled in by the brothers and sisters of the church that called the temple home.

  Regardless, it was rather impressive given it’d only been about three days since they’d reached an agreement. It must’ve taken a small army of servants to get such a feast for five hundred organized so quickly. The room itself was rather opulent, with a large twelve-foot-wide chandelier in the center, and several other six footers running the length of the room on both sides.

  The place was full of rounded tables, with the exception of the head table which was rectangular and on a slightly raised dais, with everyone seated there looking out over the whole hall. The prelate sat in the middle, and she had the six of them to her left starting with the queen. To Aria’s right sat the ten bishops.

  He wouldn’t describe the atmosphere as tense, but it was hardly jovial either. The prelate’s welcome was genuine, but even she had a measure of subdued seriousness in the public venue. In other words, she had her public face on as the prelate, he likely wouldn’t see the real Aria until breakfast.

  He was alert, vigilant in his duty toward the queen’s safety, but so far he wasn’t detecting a dangerous level of hostility. Mistrust certainly, but no outright hatred or disgust in the room. He judged violence unlikely, unless of course there was something planned and the ones behind it weren’t there yet.

  Aria had on the white robes of her station, which were cut to look both official but not entirely lacking in sex appeal given what was underneath them. Every other level of the clergy wore black robes.

  The prelate’s greeting came right after they were seated.

  “Good evening, and welcome to New Blessing, your majesty. May the one goddess light your way through the darkness, and may she bless and keep you through this trial in her mercy and grace. Our conference begins in two days, until then enjoy the hospitality of my world and of the grand temple.”

  Daniella nodded regally, “It is a pleasure to be here, prelate. We thank you for your gracious welcome in these turbulent times. We also look forward to the days ahead.”

  The prelate smiled politely, then waved her hand and that aforementioned small army of servants flowed from the northern doors bearing plates and other dishes filled with steaming foods. He detected the prelate casting detect poison as all their plates arrived, and at her nod he did so as well, at least for the head table. It perhaps, bordered on insult to do so, but Aria had given permission and he had little choice but to be thorough in his duty toward the young and seductively beautiful queen.

  As absurd as the idea was to him personally, he couldn’t afford to make any assumptions, for all he knew Aria had cast the spell to make sure the poisoned dishes had arrived at the right seats. Ridiculous, but duty could be that way sometimes, and he wouldn’t apologize for it. Aria’s understanding of that was welcome.

  What followed was a typical state dinner. Ridiculously polite and endlessly boring, without a single word of substance being uttered by anyone involved. There was a small disturbance about halfway through at the southern door on the east side, but it was handled by the guards before he was forced to do anything to protect the queen and the rest of their party.

  That had been the height of excitement for the dinner, and after an indeterminably long time they returned to their guest suite to turn in for the night.

  As for that surprise Gia mentioned, it did drive him a little crazy to learn all five of his ladies had gone commando under their dresses for the occasion. No doubt his wicked queen had talked them all into it, a naughty thrill to inject a little excitement into a boring and serious dinner. He got to strip those dresses off personally for each and every one of them, and not always before he was balls deep…

  “Any regrets?” he asked.

  His golden-haired goddess was escorting him through the halls to the prelate’s private dining room, and she had a somewhat wistful look on her stunningly innocent and devastatingly beautiful face.

  She smiled at him, “No. I quite enjoy my new life with you, but I do miss a few things about my old life and place. No regrets though, it was the goddess’s will I move on, and a blessing for me in a number of ways.”

  She winked, “If anything I enjoy my new duties much more. It’s just this temple that I miss.”

  He nodded, “Duties?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

  She giggled a little wickedly, but someone that didn’t know her wouldn’t know it was a wicked giggle. Her tone of voice was far too innocent and light, as deceptively arousing as her innocently seductive beauty. Of course, her innocence was only seductive because she was far from innocent in reality. Her body built for sin might’ve had something to do with it too.

  Given they were in public halls, that’s as far as she took the teasing, as she changed the subject.

  “Do you think this right here, what’s happening now, is why the Confederacy’s ambassador tried so hard to have you killed and prevent the treaty.”

  He paused for a second at the obvious thought. Obvious in hindsight anyway, as it hit him between the eyes, then slowly nodded.

  “Yes. At the time we assumed they were afraid we’d work together against them. Which is true, but not for the reasons we originally assumed.”

  He’d assumed at the time the confederacy would fear them working together aggressively against them, but now in hindsight it was obvious the confederacy had feared they’d work together defensively from their aggression. Which was a subtle but profound difference.

  He continued, “They’d already been working for five years on weakening the kingdom and preparing an invasion fleet. They’d have wanted to prevent deeper ties between us at any cost, including needing to flee and cutting off all political contact with the Grand Communion.

  “In fact, I bet they were also hoping my assassination led to war. It would further weaken the Moiroi Kingdom and the Grand Communion. It that had happened, they could’ve pounced on the winner and taken both interstellar territories at the same time. As it is, it’ll take a generation or two for them to turn their eyes on the church, if they win against the kingdom.

  “As it is in the moment, I think yes. This would be their worst nightmare, the idea their ambitions for expansion may drive the kingdom and communion together.”

  She stopped at the prelate’s door, and she gave him a cute curtsey while her eyes danced with mischief. She was very aware her insight had turned him on no small amount, and that she drove him crazy at times.

  “We’ll discuss one of those duties you enjoy when I return.”

  Her eyes sparked, “Of course, sir.”

  She winked, the minx had gotten him going on the walk, and he half suspected she’d done so merely to wind him up for her prelate. Which was a shocking thought that was probably just true. There wasn’t a selfish bone in her body, and she had no qualms about seducing or manipulating him in the course of her duties as she saw them.

  The fact he could see it in her made it no less effective on him. She was too loyal, too breathless for him, for him to possibly take offense in it. No, she was a hell of a woman, and the idea of her seducing him on behalf of another wasn’t all that shocking when he considered it.

  He kissed her cheek, whispered a sweet nothing in her ear, and then opened the door and went through.

  He could take a hint, and Aria had left a large one. Namely, the dining table was bare except for a candelabra and a bowl of fruit. He shook his head in amusement, even as his cock stirred, as he moved deeper into the prelate’s private sanctuary toward her bedroom. Apparently, they weren’t even going to go through the polite fiction that this wasn’t just about an intimate reunion that morning.