Chapter Nineteen
The instant Thorin’s eyes glowed blue, Vala knew there would be trouble.
No sooner had she calmed Thorin down, he pressed his lips to hers.
For a few seconds she opened her mouth and accepted his tongue. His warm body against hers and his taste in her mouth calmed her mind and eased her tension a fraction.
But all too soon she remembered everyone watching and broke the kiss. One of the warriors spoke up, and Vala turned to see him with his gun blaster raised, pointed at Thorin’s head. “Brevkan scum.”
One of the other warriors shouted, “The prince ordered us to follow him. Shooting him signs your own death warrant.”
The warrior with the gun sneered. “The Brevkan killed my uncle and his two children. By right, I can seek revenge.”
“Look at him. He would’ve been a child when that happened. See reason.”
Vala never moved away from Thorin. As she watched the warriors squabble, she feared things would devolve into a gun fight. Matters didn’t improve when an older, tougher looking male warrior entered the room with a frown.
Taking a deep breath, she drew on every bit of steel she had and shouted, “Before you kill him, ask Prince Keltor for orders.”
Everyone stilled and stared at her in disbelief. The warrior with the gun blaster frowned. “You forget your place, Barren.”
Thorin growled. “Watch your tone.”
Vala patted Thorin’s chest, but she never severed eye contact with the soldier as she jumped in again. “Ask the prince about me as well. It’s a logical request. After all, Prince Keltor is the ultimate word of the law and your ranking general. If I am speaking out of turn, he will issue a punishment accordingly.”
The older male warrior who entered last moved to a computer terminal and spoke up. “Everyone stand down and give me a moment to contact the crown prince. Defy my order and risk losing your rank.”
No one said a word, which meant the older male was some type of leader on the ship. Since Vala had spent almost all her time either in a room or assisting the doctor with Azalyn, she hadn’t had time to learn who was in charge.
The warrior typed in a set of codes and instructions. Not long after, the prince’s face appeared on the screen. “What is it, General Lorrick?”
The general waved toward Thorin. “We have a situation, your highness. His eyes glowed, denoting Brevkan heritage.”
Without missing a beat, the prince answered, “I’m aware of his heritage.” Murmurs rose, but the prince ignored them. “My original orders still stand. Question them again and all of your military careers will end with a dishonorable discharge. Am I clear?”
General Lorrick spoke up. “Yes, your highness.”
“Good. Stop wasting time and put your orders into motion.”
The screen turned blank.
Facing the other warriors in the room, Lorrick barked, “Will you follow the prince’s orders? If not, step forward now and I’ll walk you to a holding cell myself.” When no one moved, Lorrick slowly turned to meet Thorin’s gaze again. “All pertinent information related to this ship and its crew is ready for you in the general’s personal office. If you relieve me, General, I will go and take over your shuttle.”
Thorin tightened his grip on Vala. “You are relieved, General.”
Lorrick made a fist and thumped it against his chest. “May your journey be safe and uneventful.”
“The same to you.”
Lorrick gave one last look at the warriors and Vala noticed that no one still held a gun blaster in their hand.
As soon as the general disappeared, Thorin spoke up. “I’m giving you one chance and one chance only to decline following my lead and willingly be confined to quarters. The prince is trusting us with a special mission and I won’t have that trust compromised because of bias or a brewing mutiny.”
Vala half expected for some of the men to speak up with General Lorrick gone, but they all bowed their heads.
Interesting how their attitudes changed when their own lives and futures were at stake.
“Good,” Thorin stated. “My first order is for all of you to treat Vala Yarlen with respect. She’s a vital part of the crew.”
A few of the males clenched their jaws, but all of them nodded.
“Return to your stations and prepare for our departure. The prince doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
As the males dispersed, Thorin lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, “There’s much I want to say to you, Vala, but it must wait. Just know that I’m happy you’re all right. Now, will you take me to the prince’s son?”
At the mention of Kelzal, Azalyn’s unconscious body flashed into her mind. “Yes. And what about Azalyn?”
“I will check on her briefly as well.” Thorin lightly caressed her cheek. “Just know that despite what happened, she is a fighter. I have no doubt that she will recover.”
She crumpled a little against Thorin. “I hope so.”
He held her and Vala took a few deep breaths. His masculine scent was as addictive as she’d remembered.
What she wouldn’t give to have just five minutes alone with her warrior to kiss him and hold him close.
Thorin soon pushed her away a few inches and took her hand. As he squeezed her fingers, she did her best to hide her disappointment at the loss of his comforting heat. “Come. The sooner everything is in motion, the sooner we can talk alone.”
Vala couldn’t tell from his tone if it was a good or bad conversation coming. Regardless, she hoped to curl up against Thorin’s chest and listen to his deep voice beneath her ear. Maybe then she could relax for a moment and even reveal the true depth of her worries.
She might be putting on a strong front out of necessity, but Azalyn’s condition was uncertain. The thought of her new, lively friend dying caused her throat to close up.
Clearing it, she tugged Thorin’s arm. “This way. And I must warn you that the prince’s son still doesn’t know the full truth, although I suspect he knows who his father is now.”
Thorin grunted. “We shall see. Although it’s not our place to say anything. The prince will decide how to handle it.”
As she led him down one corridor and then another, she finally murmured, “Thank you for standing up for me.”
He stopped and took her chin between her fingers. “No thanks should be necessary. Even apart, you are what has kept me grounded. I spoke the truth when I said you are a vital member of the crew.” He lowered his voice, “Although you are much more than that to me, zyla.”
Zyla was a Kelderan term of endearment, used by males for females they cared about.
There may be a lot left unsaid between them, but that single word gave Vala hope for the future. And not just any future, but one with Thorin at her side.
She decided to risk saying the equivalent term used for males a female cared about. “Then let’s hurry, zylar. I’m eager to talk with you in private.”
Thorin smiled, but it quickly vanished. No doubt he needed to keep up his warrior facade for the other males onboard.
Still, as she guided him toward Kelzal’s room, Vala smiled without caring. Even if something happened to drive them apart because of Thorin’s heritage or her own recent actions, she would enjoy every second she had with him in the present.
~~~
Thorin only released Vala’s hand when they stopped in front of a guarded door. His every instinct was to scoop her up and carry her to a room to show her how much he had missed her.
But if he truly wanted to find a way to be together once his current mission was complete, especially since being half-Brevkan was no longer a secret and the news would surely spread, then he needed to perform to the best of his ability. That meant pushing aside his own desires to protect the prince’s son and his mother.
He nodded at the warrior guarding the door. If the warrior had heard of Thorin’s recent actions, he didn’t show it on his face. The male merely turned and entered the access code to open the door.
“You should enter first, Vala, since he recognizes you,” he said.
His female didn’t hesitate to walk into the room. Thorin followed and frowned at the male pacing the length of the space.
He realized that he didn’t know the young male’s name. Thorin glanced to Vala and raised his brows. She smiled and looked at the male. “Kelzal, I’ve brought someone for you to meet.”
The male with golden skin, dark blue hair, and green eyes stopped and looked between him and Vala. “He doesn’t look like a doctor.”
“My name is General Thorin Jarrell and I’m tasked with bringing you to Prince Keltor.”
Kelzal ignored him and said to Vala, “What about…Azalyn? Is she alive?”
“Yes. I told you, if her condition changes, I’ll let you know straight away.”
Kelzal went back to pacing. “I just feel like a fool. I had days to get to know her, and I was too angry to take advantage.”
Vala shared a look with Thorin, and he nodded, giving her permission to keep talking with the male.
Vala walked up to Kelzal. “It was, and still is, a lot to take in. It shouldn’t be long until we reach Keldera, maybe a day, and then the prince will sort things out.”
“You still won’t speak the truth and say that he’s my father?”
“I can’t, Kelzal. The blood relation must be proven to make the claim. Otherwise, I risk treason for even suggesting it.”
When the young male growled, Thorin moved to stand next to Vala. He spoke up. “I understand that you’re young, but waiting one more day is reasonable.”
Kelzal moved his gaze to Thorin. “How can you speak of reasonable? My life is about to turn upside down.”
Thorin grunted. “You are not alone in that.”
Kelzal frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Answers will come. If there’s an emergency, you can reach me via the AI system. I’ll also have Vala visit you frequently, to keep you current on your mother’s status. However, you will remain in your quarters for your own safety.”
Before the male could do more than open his mouth, Thorin took Vala’s hand and tugged her out of the room. Thorin said to the guard, “Vala and I have access to this room. Until I update you with any other names, no one else is to enter.”
“Yes, sir.”
They walked and once out of earshot, Thorin murmured, “When did you last check on Azalyn?”
“Right before you teleported. She’s sedated and will be for some time.”
“Does she have anyone to watch over her?”
Vala nodded. “Yes. Since I assisted with the surgery, the doctor ordered me to rest for a while and come back in eight hours for another shift.”
“Then take me to your quarters, zyla. It’s time for us to talk.”
~~~
With each step she took toward her assigned quarters, Vala’s heart thumped faster. True, she’d been longing to see Thorin and draw strength from his touch, but so much had happened since they had last been alone together. Between her status as a Barren and him revealing his Brevkan heritage, she wondered if a future existed where they weren’t ripped apart.
The instant they were inside her room, Vala released Thorin’s hand and walked to the farthest point away from him. He frowned at her. “What’s wrong?”
“If I stand next to you, I’ll be tempted to delay talking and just kiss you. And right now, we definitely need to talk, Thorin.”
“What happened to zylar?”
She wrapped her arms around her torso. “I slipped up in using it earlier. For all we know, I could be banished to a far-flung Barren citadel on Keldera for the number of times I’ve spoken up and overstepped my rank. It may be easier to keep our distance until things are more certain.”
With a growl, Thorin closed the distance between them. However, he didn’t touch her as he leaned his face close. “I will only touch you if you ask, but know this, Vala Yarlen—there has never been a female I would risk everything to see again. Even when the prince asked me to teleport and I knew it would probably bring out a Brevkan rage, I risked it to see you one more time. You, Vala Yarlen, deserve a male so much more worthy than I. But even so, I hope you will choose me as your male and allow me to prove every day how precious you are to me. I love you.”
She blinked. “B-but we haven’t known each other that long. And surely you know that loving a Barren means a lifetime of sneering looks and harassment, not to mention the fact you have to give up your career.”
He moved a little closer, until his hot breath danced against her cheek. “Without you, Vala, life is not worth living. You are my light in the darkness. I know accepting a half-Brevkan male is a lot to ask, but I do ask it of you. No one else will protect and cherish you as much as I will. I promise you that, zyla, and I will spend every day proving it to you.”
Vala had learned to be strong in many situations, but this wasn’t one of them. She needed to see Thorin’s eyes.
Reaching out a hand, she touched his cheek and pressed until he met her gaze. She barely noticed the blue glow. All she saw was love mixed with a vulnerability she never would’ve expected of Thorin Jarrell.
And it was all because of her.
She closed the distance between their lips and wrapped her arms around his neck. Thorin pulled her against his body and caressed her back with his hand. His erection also pushed against her stomach.
He truly wanted her despite her inability to bear children and the possible scrutiny they may face.
Tears cascaded down her cheeks. Thorin broke the kiss to cup her cheek. “What’s wrong, zyla? Please tell me that wasn’t a goodbye kiss.”
She shook her head. “No. I just never expected for any male to risk anything for me. After all, not even my birth father wanted to keep me.”
He kissed her chin. “Don’t ever doubt what I will do for you, zyla.” His lips brushed her cheek. “I will never take for granted the gift of your feelings for me.” Resting his forehead against hers, he murmured, “You are worth any and all trouble.”
She tried to stop her tears, but couldn’t. “Thorin.”
“I mean it. Your father was a fool to toss you aside, and no, that’s not just pretty words. Remember, my mother kept me despite my shortcomings. A parent should love their child, regardless of what they may or may not have been born with.” He wiped away her tears. “Speaking of which, it will probably be harder for you than me once word spreads of my father. Long-held hatred is a difficult thing to put aside.”
“You had zero part to play in the Brevkan war. And as I’ve told you, your mother wasn’t alone. If Kelderan society blames children for the crimes of their fathers, then maybe Jasvar will welcome us. A new start is what we all need.”
He smiled. “My feisty Vala. We just need to face the prince before we can plan our future. However, I know you have an inner strength strong enough to face anything. Right?”
“If you’d asked me that a few months ago, I never would’ve answered. I merely would’ve bowed my head and scurried away. But after not only helping to rescue Prince Kason but also surviving the ordeal with the Tallarians, standing up to the scrutiny of a prince will pale in comparison.”
“So does that mean you will be my bride?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t remember you asking in the first place.”
Thorin stepped away, and Vala wondered if she’d made a mistake.
Then he kneeled on the floor and bowed his head. “Vala Yarlen, once I have completed my current mission, will you do the honor of becoming my bride?”
Tears threatened to fall again. “I want to say yes.”
He looked up. “Then why don’t you?”
“Becoming a bride when you can’t reach the final stage of marriage with a pregnancy will be difficult enough. I want the chance to know you a little better. If you become my lord and then push me away one day when you finally yearn for a baby, I’m not sure I could survive it.”
Thorin took one of her hands. “The only children I want are orphans in need of a home.”
“It’s easy to say now, Thorin.”
He shook his head. “I’m not trying to placate you with pretty words. No one should be cursed with the blood of the Brevkan. I never want to pass that on to a child. I would much rather provide a home to one in need, provided I’m allowed to because of my heritage.”
A vision of Thorin and Vala hugging two young children, both of which looked nothing like either of them, flashed into her mind. The scene was tempting. “Opinions may change about those like you, who are part Brevkan. That may also change your mind about wanting your own children.”
“Vala, I’m not one to change my mind on a whim.”
She put up a hand. “I’m not saying no, but I want to know you a little better first. Please give me that.”
As Thorin searched her gaze, Vala held her breath. Maybe she was foolish for declining what might be her only offer of marriage.
And yet, she needed to be sure. Thorin’s happiness was important to her.
Thorin finally stood. “I will wait as long as it takes. But know this—I’m still going to resign my place in the army once this mission is complete.”
“Why? Until you make a declaration, you can merely say I’m your mistress. There’s no need to resign.”
He growled. “I won’t take that route and hide my intentions. I’m out to prove myself to you, Vala Yarlen. Just tell me one thing—do you wish to still join the colony on Jasvar?”
Somehow she managed to bob her head. “Yes.”
“Good. Then I will find a way for us to both go. That way, if you wish it, you may dismiss me and still live out your dreams.”
“Thorin,” she whispered.
With a smile, he moved in front of her and cupped her cheek. “You’re going to learn quickly how determined I can be, zyla. This is just the beginning.”
Thorin looked at her like she was the most precious female in the world. She might not be ready to accept being his bride, but she was more than ready for him to claim her once more. “I want to ensure this is reality and I’m not dreaming back on the Tallarian ship. Claim me, Thorin. Take me now.”
With a growl, he kissed her.