The Space Empress He Craved

Chapter 60

POV: Lyra

Annie dropped her humor and reciprocated my serious demeanor. "They're alright. But it's always a worry when the younglings are at the education center. Waiting for the time to pass, just hoping they'll come home safely is pure torture."

"Let's hope the case can be closed soon," I said with furrowed brows, my skin shifting to concerned grey.

Suddenly, I felt my bio-suit being gently tugged. I looked at the source, and my voice turned soft as I bent down to greet the little boy. "Hello, Russell. How was the education center today?"

"Hello, Aunt Lyra." He wrapped his little arms around my neck right after he said that. It didn't matter how many times Russell hugged me, my heart would melt every single time. When he let go, he asked, "Aunt Lyra, can you come play with me?"

I already looked guilty that I had to disappoint him. "Well... no, sweetheart. Aunt Lyra has some work to do. But I promise to play with you one day, okay?"

His already-large eyes widened as he asked innocently, "Is Aunt Lyra catching bad guys?"

I smiled. "Yes, Russell. And we have to catch them fast so everyone will be safe. Hm?"

Russell hugged me again as he whimpered into my ear, "Be careful of bad guys, Aunt Lyra. When I grow up, I'll protect Aunt Lyra from bad guys." I was holding back my optical fluid [tears] as I held Russell before releasing him.

I pressed a kiss on Russell's head and said, "You're a brave boy, Russell. Go play with Rita now, okay?" He nodded dotingly with an adorable smile, showing those cute dimples before disappearing from the living room.

Annie's surprised voice then rang through the room. "Wow! You're really good with younglings!"

I stood up after Russell disappeared, then spoke in my normal voice. "Well, they're easy to be with. No ulterior motives. No ill-intentions. Easy to read. Just pure, little creatures."

Annie then asked curiously, "Were the younglings from your station like this around you?"

I said, "Yeah, pretty much. It's most likely because I'm the smallest Kaelari everywhere I go. So the younglings kinda see me as almost being one of them. The most daring ones even interrupt the training sessions with my specialists just to make me promise I would play with them on the rest cycles."

Annie smiled and said, "I don't think it's your size, Lyra. There's this warmth you bring that amplifies when you see a child. It feels welcoming and assuring. I think that's why Russell was drawn to you, so much so that it made your match jealous."

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked in disbelief. Christian started laughing again. I looked at Orion who was suppressing a guilty smile as he held me closer to the side of his body, his pathways flickering between purple and embarrassed orange. His reaction itself confirmed Annie's observation.

I asked in annoyance, "You were jealous of a four-cycle-old, Orion?"

Christian then said, "Oh, we thought he was five."

I shook my head slightly. "No, Ben said Russell is four cycles. Rita is five."

Orion then complained, his pathways shifting to indignant violet, "Like that matters. He's a male who's getting smiles and kisses from you without having to put in any effort. And he gets to call you 'Lyra'!" Annie and Christian were chuckling from the side at Orion's childish remark.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. But I decided to give in this time. So I pulled myself up and pressed a kiss on his cheek before saying, "Don't worry, my darling. Russell is cute but you're more of my type for a match."

The smile that graced Orion's features showed he was satisfied with the answer, or the kiss. His pathways glowed warm purple as he kissed my forehead before whispering, "You're my only type, Lyra."

I was completely lost for words. He made me feel special, yearned and loved. I pressed another kiss on his cheek, making his smile spread wider across his face, his pathways practically radiating contentment.

Annie's voice suddenly came from the side. "I see it." She glanced at Christian before continuing, "I mean, I already felt the difference in Orion's energy when he stepped through our portal. But now that he's right in front of me with his match, I can really see and feel the difference in his being."

Christian looked at Orion as he explained, "I told Annie that you've been less menacing and more welcoming with the people around us since you met our Empress."

Orion said, "Well, I'm bonded to an overly-responsible match whose priority is knowing our people and protecting them. I have to try my best to keep up with her." I was pressing back a shy smile, averting Orion's tender loving gaze as his thumb continued to stroke my waist, sending small neural sparks through my system.

Not wanting my skin to shift any pinker than it already was, I turned to the Duke and Duchess and asked, "Shall we start?"

Christian said, "Start lunch? Yes. Start work? No, my Empress. Neither of us are telling you where the audits are in this residence until you've eaten with us."

"Oh right, I forgot that we haven't eaten," I admitted.

Orion said, "That's hardly surprising. It's always about taking care of others first for you." After pressing a kiss on the back of my hand, right where the neural sensors clustered, he said, "Come, my love. Let's eat. It'll give us a chance to meet the other two families too."

The evacuated families. Three households caught in the crossfire of political corruption. Russell's innocent trust made the stakes even higher—we had to make the galaxy safe for younglings like him. No child should grow up fearing the 'bad guys' would come for their family.

Through our bond, I felt Orion's determination matching mine. These families weren't just statistics or case files—they were real people whose lives had been upended. And Russell... that brave little four-cycle-old who wanted to protect me from bad guys when he grew up.

We have to solve this. For them.