Free Of Blood and Angels (The Two Moons of Rehnor, Book 3) by J. Naomi Ay

the guards were killed. 
Then he refused go back to the prison to do his job.”
    I put my head down on the table.  I was
sick.  Almost twenty years ago would make Senya seventeen when this happened. 
Seventeen was when he came to me with his head shaved and lay in my bed too
weak to move.
    “Are you okay, MaKani?” Tilia asked.
    “No,” I replied.  “No, I'm not okay at all
and quit calling me that!” 
    “I will take care of you,” she said.  “I
am here to serve you.  You are the wife of our Overlord.  You will be our
Queen.”
    “I think I'm going to throw up,” I mumbled
into the table.
    “I will fetch for you a basin to spew in,”
Tilia replied and rose to her feet.
     
    The next two weeks, I monitored the ship's
repair work followed by some vacation time.  It was a working vacation though,
most of it having been spent attending SdK board meetings and traveling with
Senya to visit our new facilities.  SdK hospitals were on four planets now. 
The month after that, I returned to Rozari and worked in Admiral Mattson's
office doing a budget proposal for him.  To tell the truth, I loved being home
and by the time I had to go back to space, I was torn again about going.  I was
anxious about Senya.  The beta proteins were obviously building up in him and
he was extremely antsy.  He didn't sleep at all.  Frankly, he could hardly sit
still for more than a few moments.  During meetings with SdK staff, he
continuously paced the room.  Both Thad and Shelly rang to tell me how worried
they were.
    “Maybe we should go to Karupatani?” I
suggested later that night.  We were walking the grounds up to the waterfall
and back.  Exercise seemed to help a little bit.
    He considered it for a moment.
    “I do not have time now," he
decided.  “I shall go to the Karuptani continent here after you leave; as soon
as I can spare a day or two.”
    “Don't explode and blow up something,” I
cautioned.  “Keep a handle on it, please?”
    He nodded but was obviously preoccupied
with something else and as soon as we got home, went right back to his office.
     
    Two days later, I was back in space on the
ship.  I was sitting at the com, overcome with guilt.  I shouldn't have left
him.  He was obviously on the edge and now without me there to monitor him,
what would happen?  I decided to call Shelly before we went dark.  She could
alert Donak and maybe they could convince Senya to let them bleed him or something. 
I took out my cell.
    “You okay, Commander?”  Hevzi, our pilot
turned to me.
    “Fine,” I replied and forced a smile
though my stomach was in knots.  “Why?”
    “You didn't respond,” Hevzi said.  “I was
just asking permission to engage propulsion.”
    “Sorry.”  I tried to clear my head. 
“Engage and let's pull out of here.”
    The ship rumbled a bit and then glided
away from the Spacebase.
    “Coordinates are set,” Hevzi announced. 
“Enroute to Taurus IV, ETA 74.43 hours.”
    “Thank you, Lieutenant,” I said, palming
my cell.  I moved to go ring Shelly from the lift where I could have a minute
of privacy but there was a young woman standing next to me.
    “May I get you something, Commander?”
    “No,” I replied, not recognizing her.  Her
skin was tinged slightly blue, Andorian.  She had Yeoman stripes.  Her name tag
said, Siria.  “Thank you, Yeoman Siria.”  I tried to move past her.
    “Nothing at all, Commander?” she insisted.
    “No,” I replied a bit forcefully.  “What
would you possibly get me?”
    “Anything,” she said.  “Andorus serves the
MaKennah ka Rehnor.”
    “What?” I coughed into my hand.
    “You are the MaKani.  I will serve you.” 
She started to kneel.
    “Stand up,” I hissed. 
    “Yes, Madame.”  She stood up straight and
at attention with her shoulders back.
    “Where is your duty station?”
    “I am off duty, Madame.”  She followed me
to the lift.
    “Can I have a moment alone?” I asked,
showing her my