Chapter Twenty-One

Natasha

She rose and moved to the window to stare at the sight. Flowers. She’d never seen flowers before. The scant resources on Andromeda would never be used to grow something as useless as flowers. People couldn’t eat blossoms. What other strange things would she find here?

Elise and a small band of Maidens and Nymphs had built a secret community on a forgotten planet. Natasha knew that much from what Elise had told her in a few short conversations they’d had. Natasha had been too tired to ask many questions, but she fought off the fatigue from teleporting to ask Elise where she had been since she’d disappeared.

A movement in the doorway drew her attention. Elise stood, watching her warily.

“How long have I slept?” Natasha asked.

“Two days,” Elise said. “I was so worried about you. I checked every hour, even at night.”

The note of concern in Elise’s voice rankled. For months she’d worried sick over Elise. And all that time, her sister had been alive, working on her mission in secret.

Two days of sleep had not blunted Natasha’s anger. How could Elise not communicate with her, somehow, to let her know she was alive. The grief had changed her, had weakened her, and had been completely unnecessary.

“You, worried about me?” Natasha scoffed. “That’s touching.”

“I suppose that now you’re a Nymph I should expect you to be weak, and tiresome,” Elise said carelessly. “And I’m sure you don’t have anything to do all day, not like when you were a Maiden.”

“Not really,” Natasha said. “I have plenty of energy. When I don’t teleport into a stolen ship.”

Elise smirked. “Maybe you just need practice.”

“I don’t care to practice.”

“Fine. I don’t think you’d be helpful on any of my missions anyway. It’s a shame you let this happen to you.”

Natasha could feel the disapproval. Sometime in the last few days, Natasha had changed out of her dress and now wore the typical Maiden attire. Mud brown pants and shirt. The clothes were tight, of course, and hid nothing from Elise’s critical gaze.

“I didn’t let anything happen to me,” Natasha said.

“I don’t believe you. I think you always wanted a child of your own.”

“This happened to me because I met my mate, Elise. I had no control over these changes.”

“With any luck, you’ll change back.”

Natasha shook her head. “Maybe I don’t want to change back to what I was.”

“You want to stay like that so you can have children?” Elise’s tone was incredulous.

“I would like that, yes. Is that such a terrible thing?”

“You want to have children with Gunnar’s brother? Ragnar?”

Natasha’s face warmed. “Yes.”

Elise shook her head and turned away. “Well, you can’t leave. I can’t allow it. If you leave, others will find us, and we won’t be safe. Gunnar has threatened to kill the person stealing his minerals. Don’t you see, Natasha? If you leave, you’ll endanger everything I’ve worked for.”

Elise turned and left the room, not waiting for Natasha to respond.

Natasha followed her down the hallway. “You can’t force me to stay here. Especially when you won’t tell me what you’re doing.”

“If you leave, everything will be lost. Gunnar will find us and kill or imprison us all.”

Natasha didn’t believe that. Gunnar had seethed with rage over the theft, but she was certain he would treat Elise decently. Still, she couldn’t say with certainty that he wouldn’t want to punish her.

“Let me talk to Ragnar,” Natasha said. “I’ll get him to agree to clemency. I’ll explain that you stole the minerals to help this community. He’ll understand.”

“I’m not worried about my life, Natasha, I’m worried about the others that live here. If you contact him, he’ll know our location.”

“Gunnar won’t kill you. He’s angry, yes, but he wouldn’t hurt a woman. Jaegarians have a code and they protect women. Always.”

Natasha followed Elise into a large, windowed room. A mat, for sparring, lay in the center. Dumbbells and barbells lined the edges of the room. Natasha looked around in wonder. The room was finer than any exercise facilities they had on Andromeda.

“It seems a life of crime pays off,” she said.

Elise snorted. “Jaegar has more riches than they know what to do with. I’m certain Gunnar hasn’t missed the stolen mineral shipments. His pride is hurt. That’s all. I shouldn’t have taunted him.”

Natasha smiled, imagining Gunnar growing red-faced over Elise’s barbs. “He says he’s going to make you pay.”

“Not if he can’t find me.”

Natasha shook her head. “You’re not stealing from him anymore. I won’t allow it.”

“I have important work to do here.”

“Which is?”

“Build a school for the foundlings.”

“What foundlings?”

“The ones that Major Sebastian wants to destroy.”

Natasha stared in disbelief, waiting for her sister to say more.

“Sebastian wants to rid Andromeda of misfits. All of them. Maidens. Nymphs. Anyone who won’t or can’t conform and fulfill their duties.” Elise turned away and crossed to a rack that held a collection of wooden staffs. “She especially dislikes twins. She says we’re an abomination.”

Natasha didn’t reply. Sebastian didn’t like twins. It was true. She’d made a few snide remarks to her, but Natasha had never given the comments much thought. The notion that Sebastian wanted to get rid of women was novel. And horrifying. Her throat felt tight. She had to coax air into her lungs.

“Stop being so selfish, Natasha. Think about what’s at stake. A lot of lives. And all you want to do is get fat and have carnal relations with that Jaegarian thug.” Elise took two of the staffs from the rack and tossed one high in the air toward Natasha.

Natasha caught the staff easily and twirled it. It had been a year or more since she’d sparred with a staff. The feel of the weapon in her hand pleased her. “Ragnar’s not a thug, or at least not all the time. Besides, we’re mates. We’re fated to be together. You can help me or not, but I promise you he’s coming for me.”

Elise circled, keeping her eye on Natasha as she spun her staff. “Ragnar’s already gotten another woman.”

With a flick of her wrist, Natasha tossed the staff high in the air. “Liar.”

“Sad, isn’t it? Look how much you changed for him and he’s already replaced you.”

“I don’t believe a word you’re saying.”

“Really? Well, tell me this, how much did he change for you?”

A huff of surprise came from Natasha’s lips. The staff slipped from her grip and clattered to the floor. With a growl of frustration, she snatched it and began spinning the weapon. She spun it faster and faster until it whirred in the air.

Elise smiled with satisfaction. “He didn’t change at all, did he? So, what makes you think he’s your fated mate?”

Natasha gritted her teeth. Elise, in her typical way, knew just where to strike, a vulnerability Natasha didn’t even know she possessed. Ragnar hadn’t changed. He was his usual, bossy self, expecting things from her, telling her what to wear, keeping her on Jaegar and refusing any discussion of her return to Andromeda. Ever.

“I should just let you send him a message,” Elise taunted. “He probably won’t care because he’s too busy with the latest woman he has his sights on.”

Elise was wrong, Natasha knew it. The part about Ragnar being unchanged, that he was the same man now as before they met, she believed that was probably true. But, there was no way Ragnar was pursuing other women. Natasha was certain. He claimed he’d never touched another woman, and she believed him.

“You should send him a message.” Natasha brought the staff down on Elise’s shoulder, drawing a yelp from her. “Then I could prove to you he’s my mate, because I promise you he’s not chasing anyone else.”

Elise swung her staff and hit a blow that glanced off Natasha’s arm. “I need one more mission. If I can take one more load, I can sell it and I’ll have enough money to finish the clinic.”

“Stop stealing. It’s dangerous and immoral.” Natasha thrust her weapon and jabbed Elise on the shoulder.

“Natasha, you brat,” Elise hissed. “You still know how to fight even though you’re so chubby.”

Natasha snorted. She was hardly chubby. While she had breasts and hips, she was still lean and strong. “I’m not chubby. I’m curvy. And Ragnar happens to love my curves.”

Elise rolled her eyes. “That’s disgusting. I don’t want to hear another word about that. I think you should see a doctor and try to get your condition reversed.”

“And I think you should give up your life of crime.”

Elise rushed forward. In her haste, she left herself open to attack and Natasha knocked the staff from her hands. It arced in the air and rattled on the floor.

She scowled at Natasha, but slowly her expression softened. Stooping, she picked up her staff. “I cannot understand any of this, but tell me something. Do you love this Jaegarian?”

Natasha’s eyes stung. In the times she’d been apart from Ragnar, she’d missed him. Being apart from him was painful. With every breath she thought of him. When she went to sleep, she wondered what he was doing, and when she woke, she reached out, seeking him but finding only an empty bed.

“I do love him,” Natasha said softly.

Elise shuddered and made a gagging noise. “I know you want to go back to him. You cry out his name in your sleep.”

Natasha shrugged. “I can’t help that, can I?”

Elise rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to listen to that night after night.”

“So take me back. Or send me back with one of your sentries.”

“My sentries are Vrandarians. They hate Jaegarians.”

“Vrandarians! Why did you hire Vrandarians? They are rough, brutal, completely without morals or discipline.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

Natasha couldn’t imagine hiring Vrandarians. They were basically thugs with guns. “Let me speak with Ragnar. He can send a ship for me.”

“You seem sure he’ll come for you, Natasha. What if he won’t?”

Pain stabbed Natasha’s heart. Would he come for her? Elise didn’t believe her and maybe she was right. “I know he’ll come for me. If he knew where I was.”

Elise let out an exaggerated groan. “Stay with me a little longer. After I make this last run, I’ll take you to him. I know how to get into Jaegar airspace undetected.” She snickered. “Obviously, right?”

“Elise, it frightens me. If Gunnar catches you stealing from him again, he’ll make you pay. That’s what he’s said all along.”

“How exactly is he going to make me pay? I’ve given all my money to this cause.”

“I don’t know.” Natasha shook her head. “But I don’t want to know.”

“It’s just one final heist and then I’ll never trouble Gunnar again.”

Natasha’s chest tightened. She’d lost Elise once before, forever, she thought. And now she found her sister, for a moment, only to have her risk death again. She didn’t think Gunnar would hurt Elise if he caught her, but what if someone else caught her? One of Gunnar’s men?

“I wish there was something I could do to talk you out of this scheme, but you’ve always been stubborn.”

Elise smiled. “Come. Let me make you something to eat. I’ve learned all about cooking.”

Natasha returned her staff to the rack and replaced Elise’s too. “You’re cooking?” She shook her head in disbelief. “My sister making food… there’s something that really frightens me.”