Page 10 of Loaned to the Leonid Knight

“Then I selfishly hope for a mass exodus to the Felix Orbus Galaxy,” Marcus chuckled. “Perhaps if enough human Queens leave the Sapien-Sytem, men will value them more highly, as they should.”

“Maybe. So what do I do? Wait?”

“That’s entirely your choice. You may wait, or you may accept Farhet’s assistant, Gideon, who is on his way here.”

“Wait, Farhet is sending someone else to sleep with me because I’m too repulsive for his tastes?”

“Mhm.” Marcus didn’t even try to phrase it more kindly. “I cannot speak for all Felids, just as I cannot speak for all humans. I’m sure some of them would find us too furry, too odd-looking, too strange in general. I don’t fault him for having a preference—I fault him for signing up for a program and knowing exactly who his potential surrogate was—and still acting like a spoiled brat who needs a good kick in the tail.”

Sasha muffled a laugh behind her hand. “Oh, good. That’s how I felt about him, too. I mean, I tried. I tried to like him. I have nothing against the... the physical differences between humans and Felids. But his assistant, this Gideon guy, what if he feels the same?”

“Then feel free to ask Talos to fling him into the shuttle bay, and we’ll send him packing.”

“He was hired by Farhet? He just hired someone to ‘assist’ him in making a cub? Like some random guy off the street?” Sasha shuddered.

“No, no. A trusted family retainer. His personal assistant and secretary.”

Sahsa’s mouth fell open. “I thoughtmylast boss was demanding! But wait, this child won’t be his at all.”

“Well, he’s citing some old human custom, claiming sperm donation was used on Earth and on the other planets in the earlier centuries of the Sapien System. He’s claiming that ifwe’re adopting human customs with human females, it would be discriminatory not to accept a male surrogate—a sperm donor.”

Sasha felt her dislike of Farhet intensify. “If you’re going to be a parent, shouldn’t you be willing to put in some work? Face some fears? I mean, I know I’m not every Felid’s personal ideal of attractiveness, but shouldn’t he have been willing to try to get to know me, get used to the way I look, and not just run away and hand the chore of making a baby off to someone else?”

Marcus growled low in his chest, and Sasha blinked.

That sound shouldn’t have made her sit up and take notice, but it did—and she hadn’t even had the booster yet. There was no reason to find that noise attractive, to notice how it made her body thrum in response, a call and chorus of sound and blood.

“I agree with you. I’m tightening our rules and requirements, Miss Cordovair. You are free to pass on this potential client. I will support you, unequivocally.”

“Why doesn’t he just adopt a cub? With all the Queens who passed away, and from my understanding, lots of males did, too, in the early days, aren’t there a lot of orphans?”

“There are. My wife and I are actively in the process of adoption. Within a few cycles, we’ll be a family of five or six. We’re looking at sibling groups.” Marcus beamed.

Sasha beamed back, her heart moved. “For every Farhet, I hope there are ten Marcus and Abis,” she whispered.

“I believe there are. Please don’t judge all of us based on him.”

“I won’t. About this assistant?” Sasha hesitated. “Would this assistant and I have...” She stopped. She wanted to ask if they would have any rights to see the baby, or even to stop the process if they decided they didn’t want Farhet to have their cub. That would be adoption, surely, and people had the right to refuse to place a child for adoption, right?

But what if Gideon was no better, just less squeamish?

What kind of life would I give a cub? No life at all, that’s for sure, not on Sapien-Three.

Farhet’s family is so wealthy and powerful. Well-connected. This baby would probably hate us forever if we took it away from a world of opportunities, a world where he or she wouldn’t live every day knowing the definition of struggle or survive.

“Yes? Would you and Gideon have what?”

“Would we have time to meet and talk for a few days before I decide?”

“Absolutely. Remember, you are in demand. Knights and Kings are plentiful. Queens like you are scarce. I think that most Felids would be utterly appreciative of your time and sacrifice. Let’s give the young Leonid a chance—and just so you know, I’m not done fighting Farhet’s manipulatory tactics.”

Sasha smiled. “Thank you. I don’t mean to be difficult.”

Marcus snorted. “Hewas difficult. You are a pleasure. Rupex and I were raised on Leonid-One, too. We’re not all snobs. I bet this Gideon will be just a delight. Probably very cultured and urbane to work for someone like Farhet.”

Sasha bit her tongue. Cultured and urbane?

If urbane meant growing up in a city, she had that down pat. If it meant going to the orchestra or live theater... Nope. Not unless you counted the tox users having their nightly brawls and histrionic quarrels in front of her apartment “theater.”