Mastered by the Zandians (Zandian Brides 3)

“Come on,” I mutter. “The most interesting thing I’ve heard in weeks. Don’t fail me now.”

I don’t know why the pilots of this craft are speaking on an open channel, but I’ll use it.

I tap the button, and then the voices come again. “Rumor they’re…near Jesel…”

I sit up straight, heart pounding. “What?” I ask, as if he could hear me. Which he can’t. This is a one-way listening device, picking up stray signals that aren’t masked or hidden. Messages from across the galaxy.

“…raids…” comes through, and then the signal dissolves into static. No amount of channel-hopping gets me anything, so I turn the device off and hide it at the back of my storage cupboard, underneath my clothing. My mates have never checked my things, as far as I am aware. Because they trust me now.

This makes me feel sick, but not as awful as the sensation of being helpless and trapped here, so far from home.

I need to get to Jesel.

Chapter 14

Lanz

* * *

Despite our best efforts to keep her amused, Mirelle has been low lately, lacking energy. I watch her at the window, and frown at the expression on her face. I’ve been arguing more with Domm because neither of us know what to do. Right now we’re in a truce which is good. I can’t stand arguing with my best friend, my brother.

“Why can’t she just cheer up?” I scowl. “We do so much for her.”

“Have you ever seen the Grand Menagerie on Liberty-3?” Domm’s voice is low.

I shake my head. “Heard about it. Why? What does that have to do with anything?”

“All the craziest, most exotic creatures from the galaxy are on display. There’s a thing called a tiger, barely as big as a vipn, but just as fierce. Striped with orange and black. It could kill a being with one swipe of its paw.”

“I’ve seen it on holograms. Never live.” I raise my eyebrows.

He looks straight ahead. “A thing called a Mer’ax. It floats in the air, shifting colors, humming. More like an energy field than a being.”

I grunt. “What are you getting at?”

“If you watch holograms of these creatures in their own habitat, you see how majestic they are. In the menagerie? You look at their faces, you see the glaze of death.”

A sense of unease stirs in my stomach.

He gestures at Mirelle. “It’s like they no longer contain the spark that made them unique.”

We watch her stare out the window, her body slumped forward.

He clears his throat. “We thought it was going to be fun. Instead, I feel more of a criminal than she is.”

Mirelle is as motionless as a stone. Her chest barely moves with her inhalations. For a second, I want to touch her, make sure she’s not paralyzed.

“She likes part of her time with us.” I think to the way we made her cry out in pleasure, over and over.

“Is that enough?” He raises a brow.

“You’re right.” I sigh. “But what do we do?” I don’t like the tone of uncertainty in my voice.

“Well, we need to give her more freedom.”

“Maybe we can take her out to fly her craft.”

We look at each other for a second. Neither of us have cleared this with our superiors.