Benn puts both hands onto her shoulders. “Danica, we’re here. We’ve got you.”
She blinks, then touches her belly, her lips, her face. As if checking she’s still there, alive. She sighs, and gives me a small smile and reaches back to put one of her hands on top of Benn’s. “I’m fine.”
I shoot a look at Benn, and I know without hesitation that he agrees. It’s the expression on his face, powerful concern, fear and affection.
“Danica.” I touch her cheek. “We want you to be our mate. Benn and I. We don’t want a Zandian female.”
“Are you sure?” Her voice trembles.
Benn comes to stand beside me. He swipes her hair off her neck and gives her a kiss on the exposed skin. “We want you.”
She sucks in her breath and one tear forms in the corner of her eye. She looks from me, to Benn, and back again.
When Benn nods, I squeeze her hand. “Danica?”
She bites her lip. “Yes. I want you, too. Both of you. I say yes.”
Danica
King Zander scares me with his direct gaze; it’s like he knows all of my secrets. Thank God my deepest ones aren’t encoded in the lines lasered into my skin.
“Danica.” His voice is deep and authoritative. “Do you agree to take Gorde and Benn as your mates, and dedicate yourself to rebuilding Zandia for yourselves and your young?”
I glance at the huge males beside me. “Yes, my lord. I do.”
“And you?” He looks at Gorde and Benn. “You choose her?”
They both agree, each stepping forward. Gorde puts a hand on my arm and Benn touches the small of my back.
My legs are shaky but I grab their hands in mine, strong hands. Powerful. Protective. How long will it be before they figure me out? Until then, I can live here. Grow stronger. Make plans.
I just better not fall in love.
“Then you will give her your crystals,” King Zander proclaims. “Serve as her sponsors and take care of her. Ensure she is happy and satisfied.”
“We will.” Gorde squeezes my hand, his voice firm.
I glance at Benn. After all, he was the one who kept talking about a Zandian female. But his smile is full of affection when he looks at me, and his voice is strong. “Yes, Danica. We will.”
“You will get a home in the capital city. Similar to this.” King Zander taps on his comm device, and scrolls to a screen. He shows it to us: A sleek, efficient domicile in a vast urban area.
I’m surprised it’s not a dome in the country. In the holos I watched, I saw the homesteads where Zandians and humans were rebuilding the overmined land.
“Gorde and Benn are warriors,” King Zander says. “They serve the throne running missions, so it doesn’t make sense to base your unit anywhere else but the city.”
“How will I serve, my lord?” I curtsy. My stomach churns with nerves.
“We will assess your skills and assign you to an area of your choosing.” Zander taps his comm again and shows me a picture. “This is Arabel. She’ll meet with you and help you get started.” He pauses. “Of course, you will take the time you need to raise your young, when you have them.”
I swallow hard. “Young. Yes.”
Gorde slaps Benn on the back. “Starting the family unit. Now there’s a mission I can’t wait to run.”
The two of them chuckle, and Benn leans in to kiss my cheek. “Sorry,” he whispers. “But it’s true. You’re irresistible. I can’t wait to see your belly swell with our young.”
King Zander clears his throat.
I curtsy, keeping my voice steady. “Thank you.”