Silas: Imperial Warrior (A Sci-Fi Alien Warrior Romance) Read Online Free

people milling around the entry room of the fortress look up and take notice. There were servants going about their tasks, cleaning and tending to the various bits of tech that kept the place running. There were messengers, searching for the ears that their words were meant for while looking suspiciously at the other messengers going to and fro. There were other members of HIMA, collecting assignments from the higher ups, coming in off of patrols, preparing to head out. And of course, there were the guards, ever present, making sure that everyone stayed in line.
    There was hardly ever a time when the fortress wasn’t a swarming hive of activity, and the guards were always on call, watching, collecting information, passing it on. They weren’t strictly a branch of HIMA, Her Imperial Majesty’s Army, rather, they reported directly to the Empress’ right hand, Carnello, and were tasked with keeping Her Imperial Majesty safe. They were her first line of defense, but only hers .
    HIMA were the guards of planet.
    As such, they were afforded much respect when they were out and about. Silas had no sooner stepped into the main part of the entry room when servants were bowing, messengers were inclining their heads, and the guards were thumping their right fists over their hearts before lowering them back down to their sides in a sign of respect. Silas returned all of these gestures with a nod. When he saw someone he recognized, he waved shortly, but kept moving. No time to stop to talk; he had a meeting to attend. With the Empress herself, no less.
    It had been a good three full cycles since he’d been assigned to the position of Captain, and things had changed greatly. Now people looked at him with that deference in their eyes. When he had a victory, his name went on it, rather than just the name of the squadron he’d been in. And, probably the biggest change, now he had meetings with Her Imperial Majesty.
    Ammaline was the Empress of Gathra, and as it was one of the biggest planets in the entire Quadrant, she had quite a lot on her plate. HIMA was spread out through the planet, broken up into different sections, named for the Empress’ body. She, of course, was the head. They were hers to command. Other than that, there were five sections: the right arm, the left arm, the left leg, the right leg, and the tail. Each section defended a part of the planet, and it just so happened that the left arm defended the capital and the areas immediately surrounding it.
    Carnello was waiting outside of the Empress’ office when Silas arrived, head down, eyes focused on the tablet in his hands. The man was always doing something on that thing, scheduling meetings, attending to messages, fingers always in motion. He barely glanced up when Silas arrived, just motioned with one hand for him to proceed into the office.
    “She’ll see you now,” he said in his usual bored, clipped tones.
    “Thanks, Carnello. And you’re looking wonderful this evening.”
    The man glanced up then, heavy brows knitted into a frown. “Excuse me?”
    Silas just laughed and shook his head. “I said have a good evening, Carnello.” And he was through the door before Carnello could figure it out one way or another. Sometimes it was the little things in life that kept him going.
     
    The Empress’ office wasn’t lavish by any stretch of the imagination. There were no sumptuous fabrics or tapestries depicting old battles on the walls. No draperies, no frills, no inlaid furniture. It looked like the office of a military general almost. Spare, clean lines, no excess.
    Of course, it was different when the Empress sat behind her desk, because she added beauty to the room where there would have been none. There were some who said that Empress Ammaline was the most beautiful woman in the Quadrant. There were others who said she was the most beautiful woman in the entire galaxy. Either way, it was agreed upon that the Empress, with her creamy pale skin, bright jade