Night of the Zandians (Zandian Brides 1)

King Zander is answering questions, but he gives an impatient flick of his hand and the crowd falls silent again. “Those Zandians willing to volunteer, step forward and be counted.”

There’s a great shuffling of bodies and beings. Humans shift to the side where I’m standing, Zandians males move toward the makeshift dais where Zander stands.

My mates are among the first to step forward. Master Seke speaks to them, but without the voice amplifier, I can’t hear what he’s saying.

Lily murmurs, “I heard for the first groups that volunteer, King Zander’s going to waive the DNA testing and let them request a choice, to make the whole thing more appealing.” She reaches out to touch my freshly pierced earlobe. “So that means you’re all set.”

I try to school my face to keep it from showing my extreme relief.

From the looks on the faces of all the Zandians, making mating more appealing is not at all necessary. They seem practically bursting to start the mating process immediately, even before any kind of domes or assignments, judging from the hungry looks on their faces.

“Where are the domes going to be?” I peer into the distance, but nothing is visible but debris, all the way to the horizon.

“I’m not sure, but I think some are far from the capital,” she explains, “in the areas of the planet that have been overmined.”

I feel a pinch of anxiety. What if things go wrong with my mates and I have no friends around to comfort me? No other humans?

But then I catch Jax’s thoughtful gaze. He’s staring across the plaza at me as if he’s deciphering every small emotion bouncing around inside me. As if he plans to alleviate every worry.

“I heard from Thalia there are places on the planet that are still lush and beautiful, with the natural crystals unmined.”

I remember Thalia is one of the few Zandian females. She’d been kidnapped by the Finn and held here before Tomis, her warrior, rescued her.

“Too bad we won’t get sent there.” I try to imagine shimmering crystals, walls and caves of them, crystals sparkling amidst green plants. I don’t miss the slaves on the agrifarm, but I do miss working with plants, and the smell of verdant life. My fingers itch to touch soft leaves again. I cross my arms over my chest as a hot breeze attacks me from all sides. I slide my gaze to my friend. “Will you and Rok homestead, too?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I think he wants to. We’ll have to see if King Zander allows it. I know he won’t stand for me being mated to other males, though.”

I almost laugh out loud at the thought. Her male is as dominant and possessive as they come. It probably takes males who have already bonded or are family, like mine, to make this work.

“Eventually, teams will rebuild the cities as well.” Her voice loses some spark as she joins me in searching the horizon. “Although it does seem a monumental task.” She sighs. Then her voice brightens. “But think about how exciting it will be, Riya. We have a planet now. It’s ours.” Her voice is full of pride.

Lily is the one who sold the idea of freedom to the humans on the death pod. She was on it, too, and her mate Rok brought it down with the help of King Zander. I think she’s probably also the one who sold the idea to Rok and Zander to engage humans in the Zandian war effort. Otherwise, we’d all be dead. I’m grateful for her influence. Still, I think she’s overly idealistic or optimistic to call this planet ours.

“It’s the Zandian’s,” I correct her, biting my lip.

“No.” Her voice is fierce. She’s as much a warrior as her mate when she wants to be. I stare at her. “Riya, you heard him. It’s ours. All of ours. Zandian and human together. Our shared DNA will mix and rebuild this world into something powerful and strong, stronger than either of our species were alone. They are in charge, yes, but our DNA is half the story. It’s ours too. And I, for one, am grateful.”

I sure as hell hope she’s right. Even if my DNA won’t be making any personal contributions.

“My nephew is proof, Riya.” She’s referring to little prince Zander. Her voice, softer now, is still firm. “He’s all of our future, yours, too. Soon you will have a child of your own, more than one, and you will know how amazing it feels to know that you are providing life. Not just for this planet rotation, for a thousand eons, star willing.”

My heart swells with untested emotions. As a slave, I was taught that I was inferior, lower, stupid. Good for nothing but breeding to make more slaves. That my human race was annihilated because they were weak, and I was lucky to be alive as a worker. That the future was not mine, and I only existed to serve the superior races on their way to galaxial domination. The idea that me—my DNA, is useful and even powerful? It’s a strange new idea, and it frightens me.

But I can’t participate the way they need me to. I will eventually be found out as useless for the future. I should disclose the truth now. At least to Lily.

Hell, she may not be able to bear young either. She was a sex slave before Rok rescued her. She may have been altere

d not to conceive.

But I see my males looking over at me with—oh stars—is it pride? And I can’t even bring myself to speak the words out loud. I can’t consider the alternative to being their mate. Maybe I could petition to stay on Zandia anyway, devote myself to being a helper in a dome, even if I’m not a mate, but the thought makes me feel dead inside.

Besides, I don’t even know if the Zandians would consider that worth the food and air I’d be consuming, or if they would just send me away? I can’t risk it.

Tarren

We’re queued up in front of Zander to petition for our homestead and I’ve lost sight of Riya. My hands curl into fists at my side. Ronan tosses me a curious glance. I know I’m radiating aggression, but I can’t dial it back.

There’s too much at stake right now. If Zander insists on DNA testing for Riya and matches her with another group, I will vecking kill every member of that group with my bare hands. No beings are going to get between us and our mate.