Mastered by the Zandians (Zandian Brides 3)

Lanz catches my elbow to hold me steady.

Domm holds a fluid tube to my mouth. “Let’s get you fully healed first.”

“No, I need to tell you both something. I didn’t mean what I said. I don’t hate you. I love you. I want to come home.” My eyes swim with tears.

Domm strokes my cheek with his thumb and looks into my eyes. Lanz crowds against me from behind. “We love you, too. We need you. And you’re coming home, whether you like it or not.”

I give a watery laugh and fall into Domm’s arms, my tears wetting his tunic. “I missed you, you overbearing, bossy male.”

He kisses the top of my head while Lanz strokes up the sides of my waist. “We missed you, too, sweet little vipn.”

The ship is full of Zandian warriors with weapons; they’re at partial ease, after having searched the Ocretion ship, but still alert. Tense.

The king’s holo

flashes up in front of us and flickers to life.

The Zandians aboard the craft give the Zandian salute—their fists in the air, elbows bent at ninety degrees.

“Mirelle. Speak for yourself.” His voice rings out.

“My lord.” I bow my head in respect. “I have returned. I would like to be granted, re-granted asylum.” I cough. “To live permanently on Zandia.”

I gesture to Mandy and Tess and they come stand beside me, a little shaky but firm. “I have rescued two humans who also request asylum here. And we have brought you an Ocretion pirate warship with their latest tech, so you can reverse engineer it.”

“Lanz? Domm?”

They step forward.

“She initiated, on her own, a plan to obtain the Ocretion ship. We assisted in the ultimate takeover, but I do believe she could have done it on her own.”

“We wish to have her back with us,” Domm says.

The king gestures and I come forward. “You left Zandia and your mates.” He narrows his eyes, and I swear, it’s like he’s looking into my soul. “You are not committed to Zandia.”

I swallow. “It’s true, last time I held something of myself back. I left my father on Jesel and I yearned to get back to him and to my work of saving humans. I felt”—I glance over my shoulder at Domm and Lanz—“trapped by my mates, who gave me everything but my freedom to return.”

Domm and Lanz shift behind me.

“My father is now dead and I realize my work is here, contributing to Zandia. This time I bring my entire self.” I gaze at him, letting him see the truth of my words. “I see things differently now. I wish to join with Zandia and help other humans find a home here, too.”

Domm clears his throat. “My lord, may I speak?”

The king nods.

“Mirelle may be human and female, but she is a warrior like us. Lanz and I tried to keep her from battle, but it went against her nature. Battle is where she belongs.”

Warmth flows through my chest, expands it to the point of bursting.

“I believe if we’d allow her freedom and took her on missions from the beginning, she will prove to be as trustworthy and capable a warrior as any you employ.”

The king considers me, his expression inscrutable.

“My lord, when I first arrived, part of me was back on Jesel, and I was unable to commit to Zandia until I’d finished my work there. That work is now complete. I can come to you, to this planet, without reservations now. Before, I was only giving part of myself. Now I will give 100 percent. There is no need for me to go back to Jesel, or anywhere else.”

We look at each other for a second, and I hold my breath. If he doesn’t say yes, I don’t know what I’ll do.

His eyes, a warm brown rimmed with purple, lock onto mine. I don’t waver. The force of his gaze makes me dizzy, but still I maintain eye contact.