Thorn's Bondmate (Zarronian Warriors Book 2)

by Mardi Maxwell

Thorn wanted to brush his father's hand away and storm into her chamber and hover over her as Borg examined her. If he did that, they'd know he was possessive of her. "Fine. I'll be downstairs if you need me. He pulled his arm free, and walked away, feeling his father's eyes boring into his back.

  # # #

  "Daria, now that we've been introduced why don't you tell me how you're feeling?" Borg asked.

  Daria blushed. "I'm better now. It's only when I first get up that I feel so ill."

  "Or if something upsets you? Like a certain food or Thorn?"

  "Yes. Either one of those will do it." She grimaced and sent Lia an apologetic smile.

  "Thorn said you were unable to eat on the journey here. When did that start and how much weight do you think you've lost?"

  "It started about two moon phases ago. I think I've lost about fifteen pounds."

  "I see. But, you've gained some of it back?" He studied her slender arms and the hollowness of her pale cheeks.

  "Yes, some of it, but now I'm losing it again."

  "We're going to make sure you don't lose anymore." He turned to Lia. "Bread and tea first thing when she wakes up will help with the morning sickness, Lia. Can you have a serving female bring it to her?"

  "Yes. I was going to try that anyway." Lia sent Daria a smile.

  "Good. Now, how far along in your pregnancy are you?" he asked.

  Numbers ran through her head as she glanced at him, then at Lia. She couldn't admit the truth. Not in front of Lia. Quickly, she added several weeks to the truth. "About three moon phases."

  Borg frowned. "Gestation on Earth is nine of your months, right?"

  "Yes," Daria said.

  "On Zarronia gestation is only six moon phases but in both cases the morning sickness usually ends after the first third of the pregnancy. The morning sickness should stop soon."

  Daria nodded, feeling guilty for lying to them.

  "Shouldn't the morning sickness have passed to the baby's father by now, Borg?" Lia asked.

  The question confused Daria.

  Borg chuckled. "No, Lia. Earth males don't get the morning sickness. Only their females do."

  At first amazed, then alarmed, Daria asked, "Do all of the Zarronian warriors experience morning sickness?" If Thorn got it, it would serve him right, she thought, but then her secret would be out.

  "Yes," Borg said. "Our bondmates only have a slight problem with it at the beginning but sometime during the pregnancy the warrior has it for about thirty cycles."

  "When does that happen to the warrior?" Daria asked.

  "Usually around the third or fourth moon phases." Borg smiled at her.

  "That's incredible." She laughed. "And, fair. Too bad the men on Earth don't experience it." She'd enjoy seeing Thorn losing his breakfast. It would serve him right for not believing her.

  Lia and Borg laughed. "I'm going to give you two weeks to gain back some of the weight you've lost. If you haven't fattened up by then we'll find a way to help you. Alright, Daria?"

  "Yes, thank you, Doctor Veeson.

  "Call me Borg. Everyone in this family does. I want to see you in my clinic in seven cycles for a preliminary exam."

  "Thank you, Borg. Do you think my baby is okay?"

  Borg gave her an understanding smile. "Yes. The baby is fine but no more skipping meals. Also, I want you to rest in the afternoons and get some exercise but not too much. Just a walk around the garden would be fine."

  Daria smiled. "Okay."

  Borg rubbed his hands together. "Now, if you're feeling better, I want you to eat some breakfast. Do you think you can do that now?"

  "Yes," she laughed. "After the sickness goes away, I'm always starving."

  "Good. I believe I'll join you. Thorn's call interrupted my breakfast." Turning to Lia, he asked, "You don't mind feeding an old warrior do you, Lia?"

  Laughing, Lia shook her head, then helped Daria from the bed. "I imagine Eirik is downstairs eating my food as we speak."

  Borg laughed and led the way down the stairs and into the dining room. Eirik grinned at them as he raised a bite of food to his mouth.

  As Borg sat down Valan groaned. "Borg, who invited you?"

  "Your bondmate," Borg said innocently.

  "I'll believe that when I see a two-eyed Witvian," Valan growled. Eirik and Borg shouted with laughter.

  "Now, Son, you wouldn't begrudge two old warriors a meal would you?" Eirik asked.

  "I would if I thought you wouldn't go running to Lia." Valan said then looked at Daria. "How are you feeling, Daria?"

  "Much better."

  "Excellent! You know, I've been thinking about your situation."

  "You have?" Daria asked.

  "Yes. You and your occupation. I want you to go before the Council tomorrow morning." Valan turned toward Borg. "Can she do that?"

  "The afternoon would be better," Borg said.

  "Fine. Then, we'll see Daria in the afternoon. I don't want you to worry about this Daria. It's only a formality and we'll be with you," Eirik said.

  Daria nodded. "Will they ask me about my notebook?" She knew Thorn had given it to him, as she'd seen it on Valan's desk.

  "Yes, but you needn't worry. Valan and I have already explained your occupation to them."

  Daria couldn't help but think about what had happened the last time she'd been questioned. Absently, she rubbed the band on her left arm. She caught Valan watching her and dropped her hand.

  Valan rose from his chair and pulled Lia's back. "We'll see you later. Finish your breakfast, Daria and Eirik and Borg will entertain you while we're gone."

  Daria glanced at Eirik then at Borg. "Tell me, Borg. Do doctors on Zarronia do the same things as doctors on Earth?"

  Eirik chuckled and elbowed Borg. "I told you she was as curious as a saber-cat."

  Borg grinned, then began telling Daria about his practice. When he finished Eirik laughed. "My son told me how good you were at your job, Daria, but listening to you while you interviewed Borg was amazing."

  Borg laughed. "I feel like I've been questioned by the Council." He stood up. "I've got to get back to my clinic."

  Eirik rose. "I'll walk with you. I'm needed at the Council chambers." He smiled. "I'll see you later Daria."

  # # #

  Later that afternoon, Daria and Lia were in the living area taking notes on the furnishings available when Thorn and Soren returned followed by two tired little warriors.

  Dane and Dev saw Daria and climbed up on the couch, one on each side of her. Leaning against her, they told her they'd been to the training academy with their father and Uncle Soren. Daria stroked Dev's hair as she glanced at Thorn's brother.

  Now, that she could see him clearly, she could see that his eyes were aqua, like Lia's. Soren caught her looking at him.

  "Thorn, you haven't formally introduced me to your bondmate."

  Thorn looked at her, saw his sons snuggled up to her, and frowned. "Daria, this is my brother, Soren. Soren this is Daria, a spy from Earth."

  Daria heard Lia gasp as Soren's smile disappeared.

  Blushing, she forced herself to smile at Soren and tell him, "I'm not really a spy. I'm a reporter for a newspaper on Earth."

  "I know, Daria. My father told me. Even my stubborn brother doesn't really believe you're a spy. Even if he won't admit it."

  Dane looked from his father to his uncle, then laid his head on Daria's lap and yawned. Daria combed her fingers through his hair, drawing a sigh from him before he closed his eyes. Dev copied his brother and Daria massaged his head too. Within seconds they were both asleep.

  Daria looked down at them and smiled. They were so wonderful and so lovable. Watching them sleep she realized how sleepy she was and yawned.

  Soren laughed, then picked up Dev. "Thorn, get Dane. I think Daria needs a nap."

  Thorn lifted Dane from her lap then walked out. Daria rose from the couch. "Soren's right. Suddenly, I'm so tired."

  Lia smiled. "It's the baby, Daria. When I was carr
ying Thorn and Soren all I did was sleep. And, eat. It got so bad that Valan carried food with us everywhere we went."

  Daria smiled. "Well, at least I'll gain back the weight I've lost if that happens to me. I'll see you later, Lia."

  "Sleep well, Daria."

  Chapter Twelve

  After lunch the next day, Daria walked to the Council Building. Valan and Eirik walked in front of her, with Thorn and Soren following closely behind. Daria glanced down at Lia. "I was wondering about something. What do you do when you want to travel farther away? To one of the other provinces?"

  Lia slid her arm through Daria's and smiled. "We use small shuttles or we transfer to one of the docking stations, then transfer from there to one of the other provinces."

  "I haven't seen any shuttles." Daria glanced at the sky. "We walked from the transfer station the other day."

  "We prefer to walk, although that's changing as our cities grow larger. In fact, the Council has recently passed several new laws which regulate the size of our cities and how closely they're spaced from each other."

  "Really? So, how large is a city allowed to grow before it reaches its limit? Is that based on population, or actual-"

  Eirik laughed, and patted her shoulder. "Soon, Daria, your curiosity will be satisfied. I promise."

  Daria laughed. "I'm sorry. There's just so much I don't understand, and it's driving me a little crazy, I guess. My father always said that someday my curiosity would get me into trouble and now I know he was right."

  "I believe you're about to begin the greatest adventure of your life." Eirik moved back to Valan's side.

  Daria looked at the building they approached. It was huge, and made of dark brown marble. Steps stretched across the front of it from one corner to the other, and led to a wide terrace which led to six sets of huge, double doors spaced evenly along the front of the building. Daria counted the rows of windows above the doors and decided the building had five stories.

  Her nerves began to tighten as she placed her foot on the first step. They'd told her not to worry, but she felt as if she was going to her doom. She faltered, and felt Lia take her arm.

  "I know you're frightened, but I promise you, we won't allow anything bad to happen to you."

  Daria nodded, then lifted her chin and climbed the rest of the steps. As they approached the doors several warriors stepped through them and she recognized them from the starship. The blond one with the bright blue eyes glanced at her, frowned, and greeted Eirik.

  "Dag, Borg and I have made a wager about whether or not you will take off before the bonding with Lisa," Eirik said.

  Dag laughed. "You might as well give Borg the credits you owe him. I'm not abandoning Lisa."

  "There's still time for you to change your mind," Eirik said. "I believe I'll wait a while longer." He turned to the other warrior. "Ronin, I don't suppose you've chosen a female, yet?"

  "No, and that's not likely to happen until the last moment," Ronin said.

  Daria stared at Ronin. She'd thought that Thorn was the most handsome man she'd ever seen but this guy was pure fantasy with his long sable hair and the most beautiful pair of green eyes she'd ever seen. Leonardo De Vinci couldn't have done justice to his extremely well- proportioned face and body.

  "Ronin, have you met Daria?" Eirik asked. "She was on the Invincible."

  Ronin looked at Daria. His eyes sparkled as he sent her a heart-stopping grin. "No, I didn't get the opportunity to meet her on the journey."

  Daria smiled and thought his voice could melt solid iron.

  "Too bad, boy. You missed your chance," Eirik said. "Let's go. The Council will be waiting."

  Thorn grasped Daria's arm and led her into the building. They walked rapidly across the marble floors of the huge entry and she barely had time to glance around before he shoved two doors open and pulled her through them.

  The room they entered was a huge square. The ceiling soared three stories above her head. Opposite her was a high bench with five chairs behind it, and a cleared area in front of it. Rows of seats surrounded the room on the other three sides.

  Thorn led Daria to the cleared area in front of the bench. There were two three-foot round pads on the floor. He led her to one of them. "Step on this and stay there."

  She examined the pad then complied. The room looked like a courtroom on Earth, except the suspect, her in this case, didn't sit at a table with a lawyer.

  "Has my father told you about the testimony sensor?" Thorn asked.

  "Testimony sensor?"

  "Yes. The plate you're standing on. It's a sensor. If you lie, we'll know it."

  "It's a lie detector?" she asked, staring down at the pad beneath her feet. She wasn't sure she liked this, as it was a violation of her rights. Wasn't it? "Is it on now?"

  "Yes."

  "Ask me a question." Daria looked up at him, and saw him grin before he asked her age. "Thirty," she said, and immediately heard a soft beeping sound coming from the direction of the high bench.

  "Ask another one."

  Before he could, Eirik and the other Council members entered the room and took their places behind the bench. Thorn joined his parents and Soren in the first row of seats behind her. Ronin and Dag sat behind them. Daria faced the bench and studied the men behind it. Eirik sat in the middle with two men on either side of him. They all wore the same serious expressions. Taking a deep breath she prepared herself for their questioning.

  The man to Eirik's right introduced himself as Ruler Thorson then asked her to state her name and age.

  "Daria Zane. I'm twenty-six."

  "Explain the events which happened on Earth that brought you to us."

  Taking a deep breath, Daria began explaining her job and the call she'd received about the missing women in the D.C. area. She described the men who had killed Emma and told them how she'd been forced to hide from them until she'd decided to contact Ambassador Eirikson."

  "Tell us how you got aboard the Invincible."

  Daria recited her actions on the day she'd left Earth.

  Afterwards, the Council members conferred with each other for a few minutes.

  "Daria Zane was it your intention to spy on us when you boarded the Invincible."

  "No. "

  "Explain this notebook to us." Thorson held up her notebook as he spoke.

  "As I told you, I hid in one of the vacant quarters and I didn't have anything to do to pass the time. After I met Dane and Dev Thornson, I asked them to bring me some books and viewing discs to pass the time. I took the notes out of habit."

  "Did you take them with the intention of writing about us for your newspaper?"

  "Yes," she told them, knowing if she lied they would know it.

  "Even though you knew we had forbidden this?"

  "Yes, but I was hoping to receive permission from Ambassador Eirikson for the articles." She held her breath, then sighed with relief when the buzzer didn't sound.

  Thorson smiled knowingly at her, then asked, "If you had not received permission would you have written the articles anyway?"

  Daria thought for a moment, then told them, "Not if he made me promise not to write them or tell anyone about Zarronia."

  When the buzzer remained silent, Ruler Thorson sat down and conferred with the other Rulers. After a few moments, he stood and said, "Daria Zane, there will be no charges of spying."

  Daria had never been so relieved in her life. Smiling, she thanked them. She glanced at Eirik, wondering if she should leave now. He smiled at her, then stood.

  "Daria, we have a problem we're hoping you can help us solve."

  "If I can help you, I will," she said, puzzled. What could she do that they couldn't do for themselves?

  "We've decided that it is time to begin informing your people about our planet and our lives. We need someone intelligent to help us. Someone who knows and understands the people of Earth. We believe that you are that person."

  "You do?" she squeaked, as excitement rushed through her
.

  "Yes. We want you to begin 'reporting' from Zarronia. We want you to describe our planet, our homes, and our lives."

  "That's wonderful," she said with a small excited laugh. She was going to make history and be the first reporter to write about another planet from that planet.

  "There are three conditions," Eirik said.

  "Yes?"

  "First, you will not, in any way, refer to the fever or our need for compatible females."

  Daria nodded. "I agree."

  "Second, the people of Earth are not to be told that we only have sons."

  "Yes. I agree."

  "Third, everything you write will have to be approved by the Council before it is sent to Earth."

  Daria smiled, then nodded. She'd been expecting this condition, so she wasn't surprised by it. "Yes. I agree."

  "Excellent! Until this situation with the Witvians is solved you may use the viewing screen in Ambassador Eirikson's home to gather information. Later, we will arrange for you to tour Zarronia."

  "I'd like that. A lot," Daria said.

  "One week from today we will summon you again. At that time, you will present us with an agenda concerning the articles you will write for us. We want you to begin with the geography and general wildlife of Zarronia."

  Ideas were running through her mind. She'd write about the planet first, then begin narrowing the subject to specifics about the people. Absently, she nodded.

  Eirik and the other Rulers hid their smiles. "Daria," Eirik called for her attention.

  "Yes," she answered, absently, her mind on the articles.

  "You are dismissed."

  Blushing, she nodded, thanked them again and moved off the truth sensor. Thorn came to her, took her arm and escorted her from the building. Soren and Lia walked behind them, as Ronin and Dag took the lead. Looking at them, it finally dawned on Daria that they were there for her protection.

  "Where's your father?" she asked Thorn.

  "He has some business at the Council Building with Grandfather and the Rulers," Thorn mumbled.

  "Concerning the Witvians and ZL3?" she asked.

  "Yes."

  Daria nodded, knowing that he wouldn't tell her anything more as he'd told her that it was now considered 'warriors' business' and she was out of it. Daria worried about Marie and her co-workers for a moment then reassured herself that they were alright as they were being protected by the Zarronians.