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headed to the opposite wing where the Thresl disbursement sections were located. If they
were smuggling people, where else could they possibly be sneaking Thresls out of the
palace? The docks had wide loading areas for shuttles to come and go without transporting
through the main hub.
In order for smugglers to pass Thresls by security checks, there must be people at all
levels aiding the thieves. It made Leo sick that people this close to the Thresls and maybe the
cat shifters themselves would sell their kin.
 Hey, Leo gripped Zander s arm, pulling him to a halt.  It s going to be okay. We ll
find out what s happening and stop it.
 Okay. I just have a feeling that this is bigger than anyone suspects. I hope I m wrong.
Zander grimaced.
Leo kissed Zander.  We will deal with this together.
Zander flashed Leo a concerned look.  Do you think returning to the place you might
have been kidnapped will bring back any bad memories?
 I doubt it. I must ve been drugged at my capture. I pretty much went from my home to
yours with few additional memories. Leo had nothing but darkness in his memory banks
when he tried to recall how he had ended up in a cage.
Zander growled, a sound worthy of a Thresl.  The people responsible for this have
gotten away with it for far too long. The king can t remember his kidnapping either and
Prince Bleine didn t leave the planet so he isn t of any assistance in this matter. We have to be
careful not to scare them off while we investigate, Zander warned. He fidgeted with Leo s
clothing while he spoke, unwilling to meet his mate s eyes, smoothing Leo s shirt and
fingering a sleeve.
 Hey. Leo covered Zander s hands with his own.  It ll be fun. We can pretend we re
detectives, he teased.
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Zander s smile had an edge to it as if his mate had just discovered his inner hunter.
 Exactly like detectives. Since the king assigned me as his ambassador it gives me an excuse
to talk to the people in charge of processing and discover their procedures. I want you to let
me know what you sense from these people. You ve always been good with detecting
people s emotions. I might be empathic, but your skills are even stronger.
Leo beamed from the praise. His mate having noticed his abilities warmed him deep
inside.  I d be happy to help you with anything you wish, my mate. He stepped closer to
Zander. The scent of need pouring off his mate had Leo s inner beast wanting to pounce. A
low growl rolled up his throat.  Are you sure we need to do this right now?
Zander took a long step backwards.
 Focus, Zander scolded.  We can play later.
Leo groaned.  Promise?
 Yes. Zander pulled away. The cat inside Leo perked up.
 Chase?
 No! Zander said, laughing.  Come, mate.
Leo pouted. Despite his disappointment, he allowed Zander to lead him down the hall.
Playing chase and pouncing would ve been much more enjoyable. Leo wished he knew more
about the layout of the palace because nothing looked familiar.
 I wish I remembered more and could help out, Leo said as he followed Zander down
the hall.
After a few fits and starts they found the right department. They reached a door with a
small plaque beside it. Thresl Exploration was punched out on the tablet with raised letters.
Leo ran his fingers over the words and wondered how many Thresls were stolen out of
their homes and never heard from again. It would be difficult to discover because Thresls
didn t generally return to their home world to share their experiences. Thresls bonded and
stayed with their mates. If the king was right, there was a darker side to the entire
programme and many Thresls were missing owing to more brutal reasons. What kind of
ruler sold out his own people? Leo had a feeling, if his father wasn t already dead, King
Vohne would ve killed the last king himself.
They entered the double doors and were immediately plunged into chaos. The back of
the room had a ramp leading to a loading dock while the walls were lined with rows of
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cages some empty, some not. Two people stood beside a table examining a Thresl lying
there. The beast exuded a sense of calm. Leo wondered for a moment if it was drugged.
 Greetings, bonded mates. The Thresl on the table flicked its tail in a friendly hello.
 Greetings, Thresl.
Leo gave a short bow to the animal.
 I am Leo. This is my mate Zander.
Leo couldn t stop the smile spreading across his face over publicly claiming Zander. He
doubted he d ever get over that particular thrill.
The beast gave a soft chuff of happiness. Pleasure for Leo over his mating filled the
noise.
 Excuse me. What are you doing? A thin woman with her pale blonde hair tied in a
bun rushed to intercept him.
Leo watched with pride as Zander straightened his spine and donned his best smile.
Zander stepped forward and shook the woman s hand. Leo could tell she was a human.
 I m Zander Elios, ambassador for the Thresl king. The king assigned me to ease the
trading relationships between Thresls and the other planets. I ve come to determine how the
process of sending Thresls to their potential mates is done. I m supposed to study if there is
any streamlining needed. I d appreciate any assistance you can give me in this matter.
 Oh, it s nice to meet you. The woman backtracked, but her eyes narrowed as she
examined them.  I m Syline Barrin, the director of exploration. I m sorry, but the king didn t
tell me anything about this, so I can t hand over any information until you re cleared. Her
tone indicated she didn t feel the least bit sorry.
 She smells of deception, Leo sent into Zander s mind. The woman stank of secrets
and lies, as if her every word would be a study of sneakiness.
 Here s my paperwork. The king hasn t had time to send you a message. Zander
handed over the papers the king had given him. Leo noticed that Zander didn t go into the
unlikely chance that the king would show up in person to chat with her. He doubted she d
ever met Vohne.
She snatched the papers from his hand and scanned them thoroughly for several
minutes, longer than Leo thought necessary, as if she were looking for some flaw in his
mate s paperwork that would allow her to deny Zander s request.
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 I see. These do have the king s official seal and appear to be in order. Her smile
lacked conviction and the panic in her eyes didn t calm Leo s suspicions. He d have to agree
that Vohne s suppositions were probably right. He was willing to bet the smuggling started
here.
 If you want to come this way, I ll show you how we do things. She glanced over at
Leo.  Who s your companion?
 This is my bonded mate Leo. He ll be with me the entire time, Zander said.
 He s not on the papers, she said.
Zander raised an eyebrow.  Surely I don t need to refresh your memory over the legal
position of a bonded Thresl and his mate. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]