Chapter Fourteen
Her soft-soled flat shoes barely made a sound on the thick carpet as she paced the length of the room in front of the northward-facing windows. When she ran out of space and whirled to retrace her steps in the opposite direction, Maggie staggered, forgetting her full, floor-length skirt which twisted around her legs when she turned.
Muttering, “How do the women here function in these damn things?” She shook it out and resumed her pacing.
She didn’t pause to take in the warm sunshine of the suns beaming in through the windows, or to gaze at the mountains gleaming in vivid hues of pink, yellow, and green beneath the violet sky. She’d seen it before, beautiful and otherworldly each time she’d gazed at it from the window of her prison cell.
True, instead of bars, a hard cot, and having to share the space with a big, scary, tattooed woman named Bertha, the room was spacious, had a large, plush bed, a spectacular view, and was well stocked with books and an interactive video entertainment screen. But Maggie couldn’t open the door and leave if she wanted to, which by her definition was a prison cell.
Instead of being allowed to move freely around the floor designated for the new arrivals, and interact with her crew, this time, Maggie was alone, under lock and key, and saw no one other than one gruff, snarling warrior who must have drawn the short straw and got assigned to guarding her.
It had been the same on the return trip aboard the Dauntless, seeing only the guard who brought her meals and the med-tech who examined her after the effects of the neural gas had worn off.
She’d gone from one solitary cell of confinement to another. She was bored, lonely, and not knowing what was going on with the others was driving her nuts.
And, in all that time, she hadn’t made demands of any kind and hadn’t insisted on speaking to someone in authority, having learned her lesson the first time. It would be Roth, who she hadn’t seen since he carried her off the Odyssey days ago, and she preferred to put off answering to him, as he’d promised, for as long as possible. For an eternity, God willing.
At a knock on the door, Maggie turned expectantly. She watched the same guard stalk across the room, drop her food tray on the table, and pick up the one she’d left untouched since the last time they’d acted out this same meal exchange routine.
“How long until I learn my fate?” she asked flatly, not expecting an answer. Surprisingly, he grumbled a response.
“You’ll wait until you are summoned to appear before the council.”
“Any idea when that will be?” she dared to ask.
“Until we determine if the Princep will survive. Your fate depends upon his.”
“What does that mean?”
“If he dies…” He needn’t say more and didn’t while heading for the door.
“I didn’t set the fire in the mine, you fool. How could I, while under sedation in your infirmary?”
She regretted the careless words when he stopped, shot a hostile look over his shoulder, and said in a deep, scary tone much like the commander, “You call me a fool, reckless earthling? I did not take the Prima from her mate. Pray to whatever Maker you believe in she wasn’t too late to save him.”
He stormed out, leaving Maggie even more confused.
“What the hell does taking Eva away have to do with their Princep’s illness?” In an empty room, however, answers to her numerous questions weren’t forthcoming, and she didn’t expect them anytime soon, while her isolation continued.
With nothing else to do except stare at the walls or pace uselessly, she crawled into bed and slept, still exhausted. She didn’t stir when the grumpy guard returned with her supper, or in the morning with her breakfast.
“You must eat, female.”
“Why, so I can be fit when your council orders my death?”
“Death? What nonsense do you speak?”
She rolled to glare at him. “Isn’t that the fate you assign traitors to the king?”
He grunted. “Kerr is not a king, he is our Princep, and much to your good fortune, the Maker, answered our prayers. He lives. The Prima, his fated mate, has brought him back from the brink.”
“His fated mate?” Rebecca had mentioned rumors that Eva and their leader were this near-perfect match, but she hadn’t changed like Mai or Lana.
“Yes, we knew they were a good match, but the transformation delayed for some reason. No one knew, not the Prima or Max Kerr until his marking suddenly appeared on her.”
“What happens now?”
“You await the council. They may be less vengeful now since our Princep recovers.”
“Lucky me,” she muttered. “When will that be?”
“After the Prima’s audience this morning.”
“Wait,” she said, rolling over as he started to leave. “I thought she saved him? Why must she appear before the council?”
“Because she left him,” he replied as if she were dimwitted.
“Forgive me for not being up on all of your archaic Primarian laws, but what does one thing have to do with the other?”
“They are fated.”
She raised her brows, still not understanding.
“Didn’t you pay attention during orientation?”
This was the second time someone had asked that; letting herself to be distracted during was obviously a mistake.
“Fated mates cannot be separated, or they die.”
“Die!” She frowned, remembering the day at the transport center. This was the worse the purist referred to. “Sickening from being apart sounded inconceivable, I thought he was kidding.”
“Why would someone joke about something so serious?”
“You mean they must spend every moment together or die?”
“No, but you were gone for several days, which was too long for the Princep.” His brows slammed together in a scowl. “When things return to normal, I am going to recommend you repeat your classes.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You should thank me, and so will your future mate. If we can find a male willing to have you.”
His final cutting remarks left her speechless. After he was gone, she sat staring at the door, trying to process all he had told her, when a wave of vertigo made spots appear before her eyes. Breathing deep, she looked at the latest tray he had brought. Though not hungry at all, she stood and crossed to the table. When she raised the insulated dome, the aroma and rainbow of colors melding on the plate made her stomach rebel.
She slammed it down and spun, rushing for the bathroom. With nothing in her to purge, she staggered to the sink and splashed cold water on her face, wondering what was wrong with her. It could be many things, the lingering effects of the alien gas, her lack of sleep, not eating, or the overwhelming stress. Or it might be she hadn’t fully acclimated to the new, lighter atmosphere of Primaria.
Whatever the cause, she saw a thinner, paler version of herself in the mirror than a few weeks ago when this whole bizarre alien shit-show had started.
Swaying on her feet as another wave of dizziness stuck, she held onto the walls and furniture as she stumbled back to the bed and collapsed on the pillows.
Sleep is what she needed.
***
Roth paced the corridor outside the council chamber with restless irritation. The meeting had adjourned, but he remained in case the Princep needed his assistance. Although he’d survived the separation sickness, the fever and coma had left Kerr in a weakened state. And not even a full day into his recovery, he was out of bed dealing with a power play from two on the council.
“Unbelievable,” Roth muttered as his agitated stride took him back to the closed chamber doors.
He still couldn’t believe they started calling forward the accused without waiting for Kerr. The reason they’d given, the people wanted swift justice for those behind the mine explosion and the threat to their Princep. First up was the Prima on charges of treason.
It was unheard of, though not illegal, to try and convict a female without her mate present. In this case, the sentence of a public punishment had already been handed down by the time Kerr arrived. All that was left to him was to minimize the damage and protect her as best he could. He chose to do so by seeing to the punishment himself, which was his right as her mate. And by invoking an ancient law Kerr’s grandfather had magically pulled out of nowhere, which saved her from the public square, if not the lash itself.
What a Maker-bedamned mess!
About half a time-cycle had passed since Kerr had cleared the room except for Trask and three other witnesses.
Behind him, the doors suddenly opened.
“Max Kerr has asked for a few moments of privacy,” Trask explained, as he waited for the others to proceed him then closed the door firmly on his way out.
“It is done?” Mordrun, one of the elders, inquired.
Bonum one of the two from the council Kerr had selected to stay, nodded his head grimly. “In accordance with the law, the Princep has disciplined his Prima before witnesses, she has sworn her loyalty to him, and he has accepted. We move on now.”
Roth and the others waiting in the hall breathed a collective sigh of relief. Kerr healthy and strong was an excellent leader. He would quash the rebellion and move them forward beyond this temporary discord and strife, into the peace that Primaria was known for.
The crowd began to disperse, leaving Trask, Lothar, and Roth, as well as Krager, to see Kerr and his mate safely back to their residence. It angered him the council would pull this trick while he was still recovering from the brink of death, something instigated by the disloyal elders.
Hurried footsteps drawing near, drew their attention. It was Jarlan.
“I heard of the council’s actions. The Princep…” His eyes shifted to the closed doors. “He is well?”
“Weary,” Trask replied, “but he was able to withstand their twisted games.”
“I cannot believe they did this.”
“It was Udo and Druan who called the hearing,” Roth explained. “A move to distract attention from their involvement in this purist plot that led to the females’ escape.”
“We should have suspected, but it’s hard to believe from one of your own,” Mordrun uttered while rubbing the back of his neck. “I was delayed. I should have been here sooner, to lend my support.”
“Kerr had them removed, pending investigation. I’m confident they will be back here soon, but on the other side of the table, defending their actions.”
“Good.” Jarlan glanced his way. “I need to speak with you, Commander.”
This was a surprise. “What about?”
“Your mate.”
Roth stared at him a moment before a short laugh broke free. “You’ve got me confused with some other harried warrior. I have no mate.”
“That’s not exactly true. We have found a match among the Earth females, a highly compatible one.”
His amusement instantly evaporated, and he frowned at the older man. “You know I’m not looking for a mate.”
“That’s quite unfortunate since you have already bonded with her.”
“You breached one of the Earth females but didn’t claim her?” This angry accusation came from Kerr, who stood in the open chamber doorway with his arms around Eva. Both were flushed and visibly shaken by the events that had taken place within.
“I didn’t.” His eyes cut to Jarlan as he demanded, “Which one claimed that I did?”
“None of them. One of my technicians recognized your mark during an examination. Afterward, we analyzed both of your cell samples.”
“My mark?” he repeated, taken aback. “But that would mean we are fated. Impossible!”
“Apparently not,” Trask drawled.
“Which one, dammit?” Roth demanded, taking a step toward the respected physic who wasn’t known to be mistaken.
“It is the females’ captain.”
“Maggie,” Eva breathed.
“There has been a mistake. I didn’t breach her.”
“No mistake. She has transformed,” Jarlan countered. “So you must have.”
“I believe I would know if I fucked a woman.”
“The Prima, Roth,” Trask warned.
“My apologies for my crude language, Prima,” was his spontaneous yet unfocussed response as he rubbed his forehead in confusion. “This is insane.”
“You’ve had no contact with her, then?” the physic pressed.
He paused. “No, we had contact, although I did not breach her. I swear.”
“Describe this contact,” Kerr ordered.
Roth hesitated, shifting his gaze to Eva, who was tucked into his leader’s side.
“I’m a big girl, Commander; you won’t offend me.”
He looked over at Kerr, who was smiling down at his mate. “Go on, Roth, she has been mated to me for a little while now. Trust me. You won’t shock her, either.”
“Kerr!” the Prima protested, blushing rosy red.
The others chuckled. Roth didn’t find any of it funny.
“We kissed,” he stated succinctly. After a moment, he added, “We were attracted to one another, and things went further, but I stopped well short of breaching and bonding with her.”
“How much further?” Jarlan immediately shot back.
“Well short of breaching,” he repeated.
“Oral sex?” Eva guessed then asked of Jarlan, “Is that possible? I thought penetration was required.”
“I’m finding many things are possible with you Earth females.”
As memories of their one night together resurged, Roth barely stifled his groan.
“There’s your answer. Penetration was involved, only not in the traditional way of a breaching,” Trask observed dryly, obviously enjoying watching him squirm.
“Very interesting,” Jarlan replied. “I suppose the oral mucosa has the same properties of absorption.”
This time, the groan broke free. “Maker, take me.”
“I pray that he won’t for a good long time, my friend,” Kerr replied. “And it seems He has gifted you with a mate. Congratulations.”
“But if this is true, and we are fated, why was I not affected by our separation?” He asked this while turning back to Jarlan, his mind reeling with questions. “We’ve been apart for days, and I haven’t been ill or overcome by desire. Well.” Roth paused, recalling that night, and the sleepless ones ever since, and how easily thoughts of Maggie crept into his consciousness throughout the day. “That’s not exactly true, but I haven’t experienced the hunger. Why?”
“I don’t know. She had no such marking when I treated her illness after her arrival. Unless you have been with her more recently, that would make more sense.”
“No, I haven’t touched her since I carried her onto the Dauntless days ago.”
“Hm… Another interesting anomaly of human-Primarian bonding, which will require more research.”
Faex. “I didn’t want a mate. With me traveling across the galaxy, how would I protect a mate? And if we’re fated, I couldn’t leave her anyway.” He turned to Kerr. “I’ll have to resign my commission.”
“She’s a ship’s captain, Commander,” Eva reminded him softly. “Maggie lives for the stars. She’s wanted nothing except to explore the galaxies her entire life.”
“Your point, Prima?” Roth asked.
“Take her with you. I have my garden to make me happy. She needs to be exploring new worlds, or defending this one.” She angled her head up to Kerr. “Your males will find if you give us a carrot, we’re much easier to get along with.”
“And your carrot was the garden.”
She grinned at him. “In part, I also got you.”
“Indeed,” Kerr said, grinning once more. “There you go, Roth. Claim your mate, fully this time, address any further mutiny attempts, and when you have done that, take her with you. Problem solved.”
“You’d have him punish her?” Surprise was etched on Eva’s face.
“As you were, sprite. This was a serious offense; it cannot go unpunished. Although, I’m sure the Commander will do it judiciously, with the care that is required of a mate. Isn’t that right, Roth?”
“You can trust me to keep her safe, Prima.”
She frowned. “You have a weird understanding of the concept of safety on this odd alien world.”
“Alien no longer. This is your world now, and as it’s Prima, I’ll thank you not to use words like odd or weird to describe it.”
“Strange?” she countered.
“No,” Kerr’s response was concise but indulgent.
“Bizarre? Peculiar?”
“Eva.”
She sighed, leaning heavily into his side. “Can we go home?”
“Yes, sprite.” He bent his head and settled a kiss on her smiling lips, before glancing up at his men. “Now, before I fall flat on my face and lose every shred of dignity I possess. I’m going to bed with my mate for at least a week.”
As they passed, Kerr clapped Roth on the shoulder. Trask followed suit, unabashed humor in his broad grin.
Lothar paused by his side a moment. “I like your new style of breaching, Roth. When word gets around, you might just start a trend.” Laughing, he also pounded him on the back before following the others out.
Mated while fellated. Faex! He’d never live it down.
Jarlan lingered with one request. “After you have fully bonded, I’d like to run a few tests on you both.”
“More tests, wonderful,” Roth grumbled as he watched him leave. “My mate is a huge fan of tests.”