The Suns of Anarchy - The Last Queen of Qorlec, #3

The princess of Qorlec is back, this time surviving the harsh purple deserts of the planet Anarchy. In the hauntingly beautiful oasis of Lot'Vasa, Quinn must learn new languages and cultures, endure marriage, motherhood, and the brutal training of the entirian resistance – and keep from tripping over her skirt and falling down the stairs -- all while simultaneously earning the respect of her people. For not all are willing to fall blindly in line behind an entirian princess who was raised by a human.

--

She knew in that moment that falling in love with the princess would destroy her, and so she decided at once that she would do her damnedest to despise her. 
-

She stood over the princess for a time, simply looking at her as she willed herself to climb in, and she knew doing so would make it utterly impossible to hate her. The princess looked so innocent and vulnerable as she dreamt, and it was difficult to hate someone once you had seen them sleeping. 
--
"I can't help it," the princess said with a laugh. "I like you. You're my friend, aren't you?"

"Yes," Ckyla said dismally. Dammit, she thought dismally. 
--

"The real princess of Qorlec would know the mother tongue. But you are more zonbiri than entirian, are you not?" Her unfeeling eyes glittered. "It is with regret that one must remove you and end the Miora line once and for all." 

"The hell one will," Quinn muttered darkly. 
-

Varzo rolled her eyes, putting her own buckets back on her shoulders and rising as well. "Of course I care, Quinn. We're friends, you idiot."

"We're friends? When did that happen?"

"I dunno," Varzo realized. "It just sorta . . . happened."

-

"Haven't you been humiliated enough, princess?" Callam rasped. "You can't use your special magic powers here. If you're lucky, you'll walk away in one piece."

"If you're lucky," answered Quinn, "you'll walk away."