Bought By The Zandians (Zandian Brides 2)

“What’s happening?” Mikala calls out, one young in each arm. “Are we in danger?”

“We were. Not anymore.” Benn goes over and sits on the edge of her sleeping platform. “Ocretion pirates tried to sneak up on us, but we saw them and space-jumped. They can’t catch up, or find our location now.”

“Thank Mother Earth.” Her eyes flutter and she leans back. “I just want to be safe.”

Danica’s words. For some reason, I feel her presence so strongly that I almost think she’s here. I close my eyes for a second and see her face.

We’ve lost one Zandian today. We nearly lost a human and two Zandian children.

I’ve had enough losses.

We have to win Danica back.

Chapter 16

Benn

“Where is she?” I stride up to Master Seke, the male who trained Gorde and I from a young age to be warriors. Now that Mikala and her young have been taken to medical support, I need to find my mate.

“Slow down.” He holds up his hand and frowns. “We need to discuss this.”

“I need to see her. We both do.” I gesture at Gorde, who’s right on my heels.

Gorde adds, “We want to be there for the birth of the young. We need to see her.”

Seke shakes his head. “She delivered the young last planet rotation. King Zander has her slated for transport to Jesel.”

“What?” I shout, panic engulfing me. A spike of cold fear pierces me. Our vulnerable mate—sweet Danica—has been banished? It’s all our fault. Gorde and I, as her Zandian sponsors, abandoned her. Right when she needed us most. Now she’s gone through childbirth alone and is being sent away with a tiny infant and no being to protect her?

Gorde is a thundercloud beside me. “Why?” he booms.

Master Seke holds up a palm. “I understand she requested the deportation, herself.”

Gorde and I go still. Ice cold washes over me.

Oh Zandian star, how could we let this happen? We hurt her so badly she wants to leave. She’s running from us. Again.

A punch of illness hits me when I realize how alone Danica must be. How afraid. And it’s no wonder she wants to leave. She just had an Akronian young. I told Danica we kill intruders. She probably promised to leave to prevent any harm from coming to her young.

“Where is she?” Gorde asks at the same time I say, “We must see King Zander. She cannot be sent away.”

At that moment, King Zander enters the dock. “Benn, Gorde, a word?” He points to the space in front of him and we rush over to stand at attention before our ruler.

“You’ve forsaken your mate?”

“No!” we both shout.

“Forgive us, my lord. Yes, we did, but it was a mistake. We wish to remain mated. We will sponsor Danica. Please don’t send her or the young away.”

King Zander considers us. He’s hard to read in the best of moments. In this one, I have no idea what he’s thinking. Finally, he says, “I will allow her and the young to remain on Zandia.” I heave a sigh. I know he has the capacity to do difficult, hard things for the good of Zandia. This could have gone the other way, if he thought it necessary.

A huge wave of gratitude rolls over me. “Thank you, my lord.” I bow, relief making my voice shake.

“The young must be observed for any signs of violence. Her asylum here is provisional.”

We both bow. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Go get your mate. She is in the med bay.”