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“I couldn’t stay away froh their link Then he turned to face the press

“Listen to me, all of you!” he roared His voice seemed to shake the air around the the reporters to shut up They stared at the big Monstrum in uncertainty and doubt

“Thank you,” Rarev said, in a quieter voice “Here is what happened—a few days ago, I came to tell Minister Oxley that the Monstrue of Yillius e protect your planet”

Erees so clearly—and that people were listening for once!

“At the time,” Rarev continued, “There was a mob outside her house I took her aith s attacked yet again and my people, the Monstrum, used the last of our Yillium to repel the attack After it was over, we had no more left”

“Then what—” one reporter began, but Rarev gave hilare

“In a rowl in his voice “But first, please have the courtesy to let me finish So, as I said, ere out of Yilliuellen Five Unfortunately, the planet is occupied and the inhabitants do not give up their natural resources easily In fact, every ten cycles they hold Trials to see ill get the Mineral Rights to their planet Minister Oxley and I had no choice but to enter these Trials in our efforts to secure more Yillium to protect the Earth”

There was so as the reporters recorded all this, but for once they didn’t shout out any questions, allowing the Monstrum Commander to continue

“It was during these Trials, that I fell in love with Minister Oxley—with E a contract with the Rigellens so that we could continue to protect the Earth—that I bonded her to me I have tied her to me in the traditional Kindred way But today, I want to tie her to me in the human way as well”

Taking Eot down on one knee before her and pulled a s it, he displayed a gorgeous dia

“Emilia Oxley, you are the bravest, the most beautiful, and the wisest fe up at her “Will you domy wife?”

E around her She’d spent her last twenty years in the public eye, but nothing like this had ever happened to her before

“Oh…oh, Rarev,” she whispered, blinking back tears “I…I don’t knohat to say”