Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 79

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**

**Chapter 79: The Talk About Matches**

At this moment, Emma found herself leaning heavily on Edric. He was her sole ally in a world that felt increasingly isolating, and that was a troubling reality. The weight of her situation pressed down on her; after all, Edric couldn’t be her constant shadow, always at her beck and call.

With that thought echoing in his mind, Edric decided to follow her into the kitchen, sensing that she needed more than just his presence. The air was thick with the aroma of her cooking, but it was their conversation that truly simmered with tension. After a brief pause, he ventured to ask, “Emma, about your nine other matches… Where are the rest of them, apart from the ones I’ve already met?”

His encounters so far had been limited to Damian and Drake, two individuals he could hardly trust. In fact, he felt that he could only rely on them as much as he could physically throw them, which, frankly, wasn’t very far at all.

Kael was a name that lingered in the background, a shadow of a match that had dissolved for reasons unknown to Edric. To him, Kael was a mere ghost, an irrelevant figure in the grand scheme of things. Corvin, on the other hand, was no beacon of reliability either, adding to Edric’s concerns.

That left four potential candidates, and the thought of them made Emma sigh heavily, the sound resonating with her frustrations.

“As for the others you haven’t met,” she began, her voice tinged with resignation, “I haven’t managed to get in touch with them.”

“Drake and I have come to a mutual decision to dissolve our match. What we had was strictly business. I provided him with mental comfort, and in return, he compensated me with star coins. You’re already familiar with Kael and Corvin. As for Damian…” She hesitated, searching for the right words, her mind swirling with thoughts of that cunning individual.

With a newfound determination, she declared, “I’ve decided to dissolve my match with him as well.” The weight of her identity as a human in the Interstellar Empire loomed large in her mind, and she refused to put herself in jeopardy.

Damian was as crafty as they came, and Emma had no illusions about his character. She felt a strong instinct telling her to steer clear of him, and her lack of faith in him was solidified.

Edric, listening intently, was not taken aback by her resolution. “Emma, I’ll stand by any choice you make,” he replied, his voice steady and reassuring. He had no intention of defending Damian; the therian had to face the consequences of his own actions.

If Damian desired a bond with Emma, he would first need to show his true intentions. By Emma’s decision, it was clear he had failed to meet that standard.

“Since you’ve opted to dissolve your match with Damian, I believe it’s crucial for you to reach out to your remaining matches,” Edric advised, his brow furrowed in concern. “This is a unique situation. You need someone at your side for your safety.”

In the Interstellar Empire, it was customary for a female to have a male Etherian or her mate accompanying her at all times. The idea of a woman living independently was almost unheard of, and Emma understood the logic behind Edric’s words.

She could see the worry etched on his face, and she wasn’t naïve enough to believe she could fend off every danger alone. After all, she was merely a Rank 4 Etherian.

“I’ll make an effort to contact them again,” she promised, her resolve strengthening as she activated her lightcore.

With a few swift motions, she tagged the remaining four in the group chat, her heart pounding as she hit send.

One minute passed. Then two.

Time dragged on, and after thirty long minutes, the silence in the group chat was deafening. She had waited until her beast meat noodles were ready, but the lack of response was disheartening.

Her eyes widened in astonishment, and she murmured, “They’re washing up before they eat. How are they so smart?”

Edric chuckled, his voice patient as he explained, “Emma, Corvin’s a therian. While he may seem as clueless as a cub right now, he still remembers some basic manners. And as for Coalball… Well, he might not be the prettiest, but he’s certainly a clever bird.

“Although, there’s a chance he doesn’t fully grasp what he’s doing and is simply copying Corvin’s actions.”

Neither Corvin nor Coalball bothered with cutlery. Instead, Corvin dove headfirst into his bowl, chomping away with abandon, while Coalball displayed a surprising grace, standing beside its small plate, picking up the meat with its beak, and tilting its head back to swallow it whole.

Emma watched them for a moment, ensuring they were content before she turned her attention back to Edric.

In the meantime, he was thoroughly enjoying her noodles, astonished by the flavors dancing on his palate.

He had thought the beast meat she had grilled was the pinnacle of culinary achievement, but this… this was an entirely different level!

Once they had finished their meal, Edric wasted no time in instructing the smart robot to take care of the cleanup.

He also insisted that Emma take a moment to rest, knowing full well she had gone out of her way to cook for him. He wouldn’t allow her to lift another finger.

After all, it was just a matter of ordering the robot to handle the cleaning, and Edric felt a sense of satisfaction in ensuring Emma could finally relax.