Chapter Five

 

Mina grew nervous about her father’s reaction to her plan as they docked on Zandian Freedom, the ugly training pod. “Where did you get this thing?” she asked to distract herself. Industrial and gray, the metal structure was clearly more utilitarian than homey.

“The pod? It was an Ocretion death pod. Lamira’s sister, Lily, was sentenced to death on it and her mate, Rok, shot it down to rescue her. Our army in training consists of the slaves and prisoners they found on board.” He put an atmospheric helmet on her before pulling one on for himself.

“Hmm. That was handy.” Her voice echoed in her ears as it played in their joint comms. “They receive a full pardon only if they swear fealty to the purple king?”

Erick grinned, apparently not offended by her dry assessment. He somehow managed to appear handsome and debonair even with the helmet. She doubted hers had the same effect. “Exactly. The humans weren’t really Rok’s aim, but Lily insisted on saving all of them.” He opened their hatch, and they jumped down to a metal platform.

“I’m looking forward to meeting Lily,” she said. “And Cambry.”

He gestured toward the door to the pod. “Female warriors like you.” His understanding made her heart beat faster. “I’m sure you’ll find them charming. You’re not prejudiced against humans like many Zandians were to begin with.”

She raised a brow. “Were they? Why? Zandians didn’t keep slaves.”

He stopped outside the door, as if he didn’t want to talk about humans once they were inside. “No, but our only interactions with humans, if any, were with slaves, so there was a general consensus they were not worthy of respect. If Daneth hadn’t been desperate for Zander to breed before we go into war, we probably never would have introduced humans to our mix.

“Do you like them?”

“Yes. Not much difference, if you ask me. More emotional, and physically weaker, but they seem just as intelligent. They’ll contribute to our effort.” He hit the button, and the door slid open to reveal a small antechamber. They stepped inside and waited until the door closed before pulling off their helmets and hanging them on the hooks on the wall. “Come on, pet. I’ll introduce you around.” His fingers brushed her hand, but he balled them and stuck them into his pocket, as if the very presence of her fingers beside his was too tempting.

She wanted to accept his gesture, considering the tenderness he’d shown after their rabid sex, but he was right. She wasn’t allowing him to claim her as his mate, especially around her father, so she couldn’t allow any public shows of affection.

“Erick, where are my galactacarriers?” A big, burly warrior met them at the door.

She registered a slight hitch in Erick’s step right before she fell to a dead stop. Her mouth fell open, heart pounded in her chest. She recognized the male.

His gaze turned soft, almost sympathetic. He bowed. “Lady Tara, I’d heard you were found. You must recognize me. We escaped Zandia together as children. Our ship crashed on Stornig.”

“You lived!” She fell on him, tears in her eyes. She hadn’t known him before that fateful planet rotation. One of her father’s guards had brought her, Talia, and the young male through the underground tunnels to an old outpost where he bundled them into an airship and made it out of Zandian airspace. Unfortunately, they’d been chased by a Finnian ship and shot down. She hadn’t seen her sister, the guard, or the young male again until now.

He let her embrace him. “So did you.”

“I’m sorry—I never even knew your name.”

“Rok. A Stornigian smuggler wanted on three planets.” He bowed. “And now a Zandian army commander.”

She beamed. “Rok—Lily’s mate.”

He lifted startled brows. “Do you know Lily?”

“No, but I want to.” She peered around him. “Where is she?”

Rok chuckled. “Hard to say. She’s always somewhere making herself busy. Come, I’ll show you around.” To Erick, he said, “Where are my galactacarriers? We need to train the pilots to land and take off from them, not to mention pick six who will actually fly the carriers.”

“I know, I’m working on it.”

“I thought you said they’d be here last week.”

“There’s been a snag.” Erick’s voice tightened. The change was almost imperceptible, but Mina’s body had attuned to his and she recognized the same clipped way of speaking he’d used with Prium. “I’ll update you when I have more information.”

They rounded the corner and met two human females. One had coppery hair and green eyes, almost identical to Lamira’s. The other had a wild mane of wavy red hair, the front pulled back in small braids.

“Ah, here they are. Lily and Cambry, meet Tara, Master Seke’s daughter.”

Lily stuck her hand out in the human form of greeting then quickly withdrew it, probably realizing her mistake. “A pleasure to meet you,” she said.

“Tara was interested in meeting you both,” Rok prompted.

She drew herself up. “Yes, I’d like to join the army. To train with you for battle.”

Cambry nodded. Rok didn’t blink an eye, either. “Are you interested in flying one of the battleships?” he asked.

For some idiotic reason, she glanced at Erick, as if needing his opinion. But he wasn’t her mate—his feedback had no bearing on her future. Even so, she appreciated his nod of encouragement. “Yes, I’d love to learn to fly.”

“All right. You’ll train in battle arts as well. You need to be prepared if you’re shot down.”

Shot down. Rok said it so casually. Well, what had she expected? This was war. And the danger was the reason the females at the palatial pod thought her participation would be denied.

“Wonderful.”

“Great. Cambry, show her the training area. You and Lundric can take her through the paces.”

“Yes, Master Rok.”

 

~.~

 

Erick itched to follow Mina, to volunteer to oversee her training, but it would show his hand to every being on the ship. But why was that a problem? It would be a declaration of intent, not of completion. His female hadn’t consented to mate him. Yet.

He started down the corridor and heard Rok chuckling behind him. “So, that’s how it is, then?”

“Veck you.”

More chuckling. He didn’t care if he came off as a lovesick fool. Every Zandian who he’d witnessed before and after mating—Zander, Seke, Lundric, Daneth—had all exhibited irrationality, and bursts of emotion uncharacteristic of their species. He’d attributed it to the influence of the more emotional humans, but what if it was the natural response for Zandians during the mating process? Or a result of being without females for such a prolonged period before mating?

He trailed the females into the training room, where Lundric and several other Zandian warriors worked a group of humans through fighting exercises using wooden staffs instead of swords. Master Seke had taught them any object could become a weapon—if they only committed to swinging it.

Lundric glanced at the females—no, at Cambry. It took him a moment longer to notice Mina, but when he did, he walked over and bowed. Erick joined the group, itchy at having Lundric near Mina, even if he was already happily mated.

“Lady Tara, we heard from your father of your return. It means so much to him to have you back.”

She inclined her head. “Thank you. I’m here to join Prince Zander’s army and train with you.”

Lundric didn’t hide his shock. “Has your father approved this plan?”

Mina put her hands on her hips. “Why shouldn’t he?”

Lundric looked to him for help. He winced, caught between his most protective male instincts and the desire to give his precious female anything and everything she desired. He was saved from answering by the appearance of Seke, himself.

Seke’s startled gaze landed on Mina, then flicked to Erick. He strode over. “Is everything all right? Tara, what’s going on?”

Erick started to speak, to help Mina, but she cut in. “I asked Master Erick to bring me here. I’m joining the army. I’d like to help win back Zandia.”

Seke’s face remained impassive, but Erick knew him well enough to notice the subtle signs of tension. “I see. I’m sure you can train with Lily in medical assistance.”

“No.” Mina stuck out her chin. “I’m going to learn to fly an airship and train in ground fighting in case I’m shot down. Master Rok already approved.”

“Rok is not—” Seke appeared to visibly calm himself. “I am Master at Arms. All final decisions about where and how we use warriors will be left to me, and my decision is final. I cannot allow you on the front line of any battle—in the air or on the ground. You can find another way to help.”

Mina’s face flushed purple. “The final decision can be made at a later date. What is the harm in training me? If I’d had these skills before, I might have been able to fight my way to freedom sooner.”

Smart female. Her words struck home, causing her father to wince.

“Shouldn’t we ensure every Zandian is prepared, regardless of how we use them?” Erick offered. “Isn’t that the reason you trained every being who survived the invasion?”

Seke’s lips tightened. Only males had survived, so training females hadn’t been a question, but he didn’t respond with further argument. Instead, he met Erick’s gaze. “You approve of this plan?”

Something sticky slogged through his veins. Thoughts rushed through his head. No just one thought—Seke knows, Seke knows, Seke knows. But that was stupid. Seke recognized Erick’s interest in his daughter, that was all. He was asking Erick, as her potential mate, if he truly wanted Mina to train.

He nodded. “Yes. Not every female is content to be shut up for safekeeping when there’s a war to be won. Your daughter is a warrior. She escaped from slavery on her own, with no help from any of us. She deserves to train with our best.”

He didn’t allow himself to absorb Mina’s grateful gaze because, if he did, nothing would stop him from pulling her against his side and presenting them as the united front he wished they were. Instead, he met Seke’s angry one, holding steady under it. He believed what he said, even if the thought of Mina ever putting herself in danger made him physically sick.

Seke pursed his lips for a long moment. “Very well. Train. No sense in withholding knowledge or skill from those we wish to protect.”

All three females beamed at Seke for that pronouncement, and he had the irrational desire to one-up the Master Warrior just to earn the same grateful smile from his female.

But he needed to earn far more than a smile from Mina. He’d meant to earn her trust, to prove he respected her as Tara as much as he wanted to possess Mina. But, instead, he’d acted like an animal again. Stars, had he really shoved her to her knees and held her captive as he plowed her poor pussy into oblivion?

Yes. Yes, he had.

Sigh.

He needed to leave the Zandian Freedom until he got a grip on his base desires. Except, leaving Mina here—surrounded by virile young Zandian warriors—was an impossibility.

Still, what reason could he give for remaining? What business of Zander’s could he conducted here? Especially when he needed to be out recovering their much-needed galactacarriers.

Excrement. He needed to face the sovereign and tell him the truth about the galactacarriers. The longer he waited, the more his guilt and shame ate at him.

That’s what he would do—return to the palatial pod to explain to Zander. Then find an excuse to get back to Freedom. In the meantime, Mina would be happier here, at least, even if he couldn’t be with her. That should count for something.

And she’d wait for him. Wouldn’t she?

Veck, he didn’t know. Did she recognize their true connection, or did she believe it was just about sex and breeding season?

Seke had always taught them to master their worst fears by leaning into them. So he’d just have to leave Mina here, around all the other warriors, and trust that he’d made enough of an impression on her that she’d wait.

And if she picked another?

I’ll vecking kill him.

No. He’d fight for her, but he had to respect any decision she made. He owed her that much after the way he’d pushed himself on her three times now.