“Thank you, Daneth. This is what I needed to know.”
~.~
Lamira sat on her luxurious sleeping platform, holding both her mother’s hands, still weeping with joy.
“But tell me about this prince—you are his prisoner, but he grieves your loss.”
She blinked her wet lashes. “He does? How do you know?”
“I sensed it in him. He loves you. Even his warrior agreed.”
“Master Seke?”
Was her mother actually blushing at the mention of the master at arms? Well, Seke was an incredible specimen of masculinity, even if he was old enough to be her father.
“But, Mother, he believes he cannot trust me.”
“I know—he told me the same thing. Lamira...can you trust him?”
She hesitated. Her mother’s familiar and loving face made her chest nearly explode with joy.
“He knew about your father. He knew we are part of the resistance movement, yet we both still live.”
Lamira gaped in surprise. He knew? She shook her head. “Did he say why he bought you?”
Her mother shook her head. Mother Earth, which Zandian male would she be given to? Did they believe she was still of breeding age?
“Do you know why he bought me?”
“Tell me.”
“For breeding. Daneth—his doctor—ran a program and it chose me as his best possible mate to bear children.” She waited for the shock to appear on her mother’s face. All those solar cycles her mother had worked to protect her from exactly this fate.
But her mother only touched a finger to her lips thoughtfully. “Why, do you think?”
She could not think. Her emotions were running in too many directions and her brain had overheated into a melted blob of confusion.
“I cannot see him giving the mother of his children up to the Ocretion slaughter block.”
“But I haven’t given him children,” she wailed. “And now I won’t.”
“What I’m saying is perhaps he can be trusted with the truth of your gifts.”
“They aren’t gifts,” she started to protest, but then remembered the whispering from the crystals.
He needs you. Pay attention to all knowing.
Perhaps they were gifts. To him, anyway. Her knowing had already saved his life, after all.
“You should tell him.”
“He probably won’t believe me, anyway. They don’t understand sarcasm, and he’s convinced humans lie about everything.” She caught her mother’s hand. “Wait. You know telling him may risk your life, as well.”
Her mother gave her a tight smile. “I know.” She squeezed her hand.
~.~
Zander paced the length of his chamber. He’d sent for Lamira and now his body hungered for her, just at the thought of having her near him again.