Mastered by the Zandians (Zandian Brides 3)

“Really? You, the ultimate rule follower, are suggesting that?”

He scowls. “I think…”

I put up my hand to forestall another argument. “Veck, let’s do it.”

“We can watch her the entire time. Make sure she doesn’t…try anything.”

“She wouldn’t. Not to us. Not now.” I’m nearly 100 percent sure this is true.

Domm

* * *

“Open your eyes.”

I remove the blindfold, untying the cloth from behind her head.

She’s silent for a second, then her whole body reacts.

“My craft!” she screams, a sound that reverberates into the bones of my skill, and runs forward. “Oh, sweet Mother Earth. You fixed it? It’s whole again. It’s here. How did you even?”

She whirls to look at us, then turns back to her craft and runs her hand over the hull. “What is this? It’s reinforced? This is the newest titanium spider silk. Stronger than steel. Oh, stars.”

She jumps up and down, literally. “And a new transponder? This must have taken forever.”

Her voice trembles as she raises her hand. “The door. Will it still…”

I come up and touch her cuff, enter a sequence of digits. “A temporary code that allows you access.”

This makes her go still for a second, then she raises her hand and rushes up the steps that descend, and we hear her exclaiming over the updated flight panels.

“There’s Level 1 cloaking, so the craft can at least get past the rough pirates,” Lanz says. “No weapons, but we put an enhanced engine in. Fixed the gyro issues.”

“This is incredible.” She runs both hands over the panels, soft, closes her eyes. “You did this for me?” Then she deflates. “But I—when will I even have permission to fly it?” She blinks a few times.

“Well.?

?? I take a breath. “That is unclear. But—” I hold up a hand and raise an eyebrow. “Right now, you may take it for a short test drive within our atmosphere, with Domm and me.”

She immediately sits at the panel. “Take your seats, warriors,” she announces.” Then she turns to look at me. “This is cleared with the air tower here?”

“I’ll officially be piloting it.” Lanz touches her shoulder. “But once we’re up, we’ll let you take over.”

She rolls her eyes. “Like a child learning to play.”

“Do you want this chance or not?”

“Yes.” She nods. “I do.”

She gets up and moves to the secondary chair, although her body language isn’t at ease.

Lanz gets into the control seat, communicates with our air launch system. Gets permission to enter our airspace.

Mirelle’s a little sulky, but still, once we’re above the clouds, she can’t contain her exuberance. When Lanz gets up and gestures to the seat, she immediately gets in and starts working the control panel, her fingers dancing over the buttons and screens.

“Testing the cloaking.” She taps. “Going to max speed.”

She takes the craft through a series of twists and dives that have me whistling in appreciation. “Stars, Mirelle, how did you learn to do that?”