by Regine Abel
“Really? She’s my creation, my breeding project… A well-honed tool like her mother.”
I shouldn’t be arguing with that bastard, but part of me wanted to understand. “Is this how you justify your cruelty to all these females?”
Gruuk bristled at that. He clenched his jaw and his dark eyes hardened. “I’ve never been cruel to my property. As long as they behaved, they had comfort.”
Amalia had said as much but his reaction surprised me. He seemed genuinely offended to be considered a cruel master. His image flickered on the screen.
“Yet you breed them like cattle and sell their offspring to abusive bastards.” I squashed images of little Talisa and Alleria trembling before their master.
“It’s business. People are just chattel,” Gruuk shrugged. He started rolling what looked like a coin or medallion over his knuckles. “I don’t dictate how my customers handle the goods I sell them. Frankly, your outrage is hypocritical. Your own planet treats its Tainted like slave labor. Slavery exists because slaves allow it. I’d take my life before letting myself be caged or mastered.”
“So that’s your answer? Your victims should end their lives to prove slavery is wrong?” I exclaimed, dumbstruck.
“Yes.” Gruuk nodded as if he’d stated an obvious truth. “There’d be no profit capturing slaves that kept offing themselves. We’d move onto something else. With her ability, my pet could have crashed The Revenant or escaped a million times. She didn’t, fearing retribution on my other pets. She could have ended it years ago by killing me and my crew, preventing another decade of hundreds… thousands more slaves.”
“You blame her for your actions because she has a moral compass?” I’d had enough of this nonsense.
“Morals, sentiments… useless and impractical when it comes to business or self-preservation,” he snorted with a dismissive hand wave. “Her compassion made her an obedient pet and a willing captive.”
“Well, she’s free. They’re all about to be. And you’re about to taste your own medicine.” I snapped with a slashing motion of my hand. “Prepare to be boarded.”
“Wrong, General,” he chuckled, an indulgent look on his face. “Remember the part about never letting myself be caged? I live and die by my own terms. Even without me, slavery will continue to thrive because people are cattle. I’m not. You won’t cage me, torture me or get my secrets. It was, however, greatly entertaining meeting you. Please send my regards to my pet. Oh, and you have less than thirty seconds left to move out of range.”
The scanners still didn’t show anything but I couldn’t risk calling his bluff. I gave the order to move out immediately. With the intensifying storm, an explosion would charge the ionic particles, causing a chain reaction with so many ships clustered together. We were airborne within seconds, spreading out to avoid collateral damage. Right on cue, Gruuk’s hover-rover exploded twenty-eight seconds from his last transmission. With him, the identity of his Xelixian partner, his business associates and the location of his strongholds also died. Practical male until the end.
CHAPTER 33
Amalia
I was beside myself with excitement. We received a message from Khel about the mission’s success. Maheva’s beloved face appeared on the vidscreen, telling me she was coming and that Khel was taking good care of her. I laughed and cried at the same time. Poor Lhor didn’t know what to do. Hard to rejoice when your mate is in tears, even though they’re happy tears.
Gruuk was dead. I was free. The only downside was that his secrets had died with him. Once he’d detected the raid, Gruuk had launched a virus to wipe out relevant information from the computers. Had I been there, I could have stopped it. But such missions weren’t for me. As much as I loved my sword fighting practice, I didn’t have a warrior’s instincts. During the Guldan attack at the Fastening Hall, it never even crossed my mind to try to fight. Sure, it’s a reflex that would develop under the right conditions. After all, my primal side had taken over when Kamala had been trapped in that net. If not for my season though, I probably wouldn’t have jumped into the fray like that. Truth is, I didn’t care much for exposing myself to danger. Like Lhor, I battled with words… attitude… and mischief.
A wave of dizziness swept over me – I’d been holding my breath while watching their shuttle land. I leaned against Lhor for support, emotion choking me. My whole life, she’d been my rock, my comfort, my strength. With their relentless efforts, my mates, Ghan, the Tuureans and I had given her the greatest gift imaginable; freedom.
When the shuttle door opened and my Nana walked out, I fell apart. I ran to her, my face drenched in tears. I held her fiercely enough to bruise, blubbering all over her. She caressed my hair, whispering soothing words in my ears. I don’t know how long I embraced her. I could have stayed there forever. Lhor eventually intervened.
“Let go, my love,” he said, caressing my back. “You don’t want to smother her before she’s even set foot on Xelix Prime.”
Right. We still stood on the shuttle’s ramp. I sniffled and wiped my face on my sleeve. Goddess, I was a mess. That’s not how I wanted to look when Khel saw me for the first time after three days apart. Still wiping my face, I turned to Khel. The look on his face melted my heart.
“He-y ba-by,” I said, my voice still choked with emotion.
“My love.” He hauled me into a hug and crushed my lips with a passionate kiss. “I missed you,” Khel said when we both came up for air.
Maheva giggled, and we let go of each other, feeling embarrassed by our public display. Clearing my throat, I looked at Lhor and held his hand.
“And who might this handsome young male be?” Maheva asked.
“Nana, this is Lhor, my Second Mate.” I eyed her nervously. When she insisted I attended the Fastening, I made quite a fuss over mating with a single stranger. Yet here I was, three months later, mated to two. Polygamy wasn’t frequent in Veredian culture but was well accepted. I just didn’t want her thinking me fickle or reckless.
“Second? You have two mates?” She stared at me wide-eyed, taken aback.
“Yes,” I mumbled. “Technically, the law says I can have three.”
“Three!” Maheva exclaimed. Then her eyes narrowed and turned to Ghan, standing on the ramp next to Khel.
“Oh no. Not that one!” I denied with a giggle. “He’s my adopted brother.”
Maheva laughed, shaking her head in amusement. “It’s my pleasure to meet you, Lhor,” she said, placing her hand against her heart, then against his, in the Veredian greeting for loved ones and family.
“The honor is mine, Great Mother,” Lhor replied. “We’ve heard so much about you. I cannot wait to get to know you.”
“Handsome and charming. I can see why you chose him too,” Maheva said with a wink.
Lhor’s face flushed at the compliment and he shifted aside so I could introduce her to Jhola, Sivh and Minh. Jhola and Maheva took an instant liking to each other. It relieved and warmed my heart that the two most important ladies in my life got along.
But it was the look between Maheva and Minh that intrigued me. My Nana, like all Veredians, was attractive. She was sixty-eight years old, with another sixty to seventy years ahead of her. She probably couldn’t have any more offspring, but could still start a new life. I was getting way ahead of myself, but Minh was a good male and close friend of the family. He was seventy-one years old, Prime and a widower. Perfect match!
We wanted Maheva to get a proper medical examination after sixty-one years of captivity. If it ended up leading to more, I wouldn’t object. I was about to suggest we go inside, when I noticed Jhola gawking at Ghan. Something was clearly off, but I didn’t quite realize what at first. Then I saw it.
“Your scar! It’s gone!”
Lhor gasped, also noticing for the first time. Ghan gave me a pained look and frowned at Maheva, not quite glaring.
“Good work, Nana!” I beamed at her.
My Nana smirked, then shrugged. Goddess, how I loved her.
“I see where you got that grabby, touchy streak of yours,” Ghan mumbled. “She’s constantly touching and healing things that don’t need to be.”
We all burst out laughing. “Ignore him,” I told Maheva. “He loves it. He just pretends he doesn’t.”
With a long-suffering sigh, he carried what few belonging Maheva had and led us inside. Jhola and I had redecorated Khel’s old room in preparation for her arrival. Maheva nearly wept when I told her it was hers. She’d been denied so much and I intended to be right by her side as she experienced all the world had to offer.
We’ll get to dance together in the rain!
We all ate dinner in the garden by the pond so Maheva could enjoy the outdoors after decades cooped up on a ship. I proudly showed off my culinary skills – well, Jhola’s skill with my assistance. It was a great success. But while excellent, the emotional rollercoaster of the day put a damper on my appetite. I pushed back my plate, sated, and settled more comfortably in my chair, listening to Khel’s retelling of the rescue.
“You aren’t done eating?” Maheva asked when Khel paused to take a sip of his wine.
“I’m not hungry anymore,” I smiled.
“That’s irrelevant.” She waved a dismissive hand. “You’re eating for three now. The little ones require proper nutrition to grow strong.”
The stunned silence that greeted her words had her looking around the table in confusion. Then understanding hit her and she guiltily covered her mouth.
“You didn’t know!” Nana breathed. “I’m sorry, child. I felt them when I held you earlier. I assumed you knew.”
“Two? We’re having twins?” My hands rested protectively over my stomach. I had dreamt of this and hounded my mates relentlessly during my season to increase the odds. Yet, right at this minute, I was nonplussed.
“Yes, my child,” she nodded smiling.
“Oh Goddess!” Tears flooded my eyes, and my heart swelled, overwhelmed with joy.
I reached out for my mates who crowded me in a tight embrace. I turned my face to Khel who gave me a passionate kiss, while placing a possessive hand over my flat belly. Lhor nuzzled my neck. I grabbed his hand and placed it on my tummy, right below Khel’s. Cocooned between my mates, I could hear the cheers and congratulations from Jhola, Sivh and Minh. Even Ghan smiled.
“We’re going to have two little girls,” Khel whispered, his voice full of wonder.
“Good! So we won’t have to fight over who gets to hold her,” Lhor teased.
I chuckled at my silly mate. Then my eyes met with Maheva’s serious expression and my smile died.
“Nana? What’s wrong?” I asked warily.
Everyone turned to face her, going quiet again. She averted her eyes and my heart sank.
“Nana?” My voice hardened.
“It’s… They’re fraternal twins,” she said hesitantly. “Only one is a girl.”
An icy chill gripped my heart as I stared at her in disbelief.
“A son?” Khel asked. She nodded slowly and he turned to look at me in confusion. “I thought…”
“This can’t be happening,” I whispered, shaking my head in denial.
“He’s healthy. His heart is strong. I felt it!” Maheva argued. “He can make it.”
“He won’t!” I shouted in despair. “They never do! A hundred and fifty years since the cataclysm, Nana! Not a single boy has lived!”
“Then yours will be the first,” Maheva snapped in a tone that brooked no argument. “Your son is strong, Amalia. My hands were on you, I felt him. Don’t go borrowing trouble. I’ve been a healer for decades and seen my fair share of Veredian pregnancies, and many were males. None were even remotely as strong as yours. Nowhere near.” She pointed a firm finger at my chair. “Now, you’re going to sit down and finish your meal like a good girl.”
“Nana…” I sobbed, covering my face with both hands.
“Enough child,” she said softly. “Look at you. Look at me! Sixty-one years a slave. Sixty-one! No chance of salvation, until you. You made the impossible happen. You’ve beaten all the odds and you will beat this too. Stop fretting and let your family take care of you. Six months from now, I intend to hold the first Veredian male born in over a century. I’ll present him to the Goddess on his nameday, according to our ancestral traditions. So eat, child. You’ll need your strength.”
Khel and Lhor coaxed me back into my chair. We had beaten all the odds. I didn’t believe I could beat this one but I would fight with everything I had so both my offspring would live. A son… I looked at Khel’s face, staring back at me adoringly, and prayed the Goddess would protect this child. An heir, whether he or Lhor was the sire, would ensure continuity of his family’s legacy.
“You heard your Great Mother,” Jhola intervened with false severity. “You go on and eat child.” She faced Maheva. “Did you say six months? Xelixian pregnancies take eight.”
“I know. I’ve been reading a lot about Xelixians since news of Amalia’s mating reached us,” Maheva answered smugly. “Veredians are six months. She’s at least four weeks in, give or take a couple of days otherwise I couldn’t have sensed them. But if my assessment is right, their development is just slightly behind from where it should be if they were pure Veredians. We’ll need Dr. Volghan to confirm their growth more accurately, but I predict a seven-month gestation.”
Dr. Volghan cleared his throat. “Please, call me Minh.”
She lowered her eyes demurely. “Only if you call me Maheva.”
He smiled and said, “I’ll be delighted to verify your findings. This is most wondrous news.”
“Yes, it is,” Jhola exclaimed. “But six months is not enough time.”
What?
She made a face like we were dense when she noticed our confused expression. “We have to prepare the nursery. Make the estate baby-safe. Get clothes, accessories, toys… I have to learn about caring for Veredian babies. Do they have a special diet? And what’s that ancestral tradition you were talking about? Oh, this is so exciting!”
Oh Goddess…
EPILOGUE
Amalia
The next six months were a blur. Maheva adapted to life on Xelix Prime like she’d been born to it. Jhola and she were inseparable. After a very slow and hesitant start, Minh began a formal courtship of my Nana. It took him four months just to work up the courage to ask her to have tea with him. Tea!
She wanted to work with him at his clinic but we didn’t want it publicly known that Veredians had psi abilities. In fact, the population wasn’t yet aware of Maheva’s existence. She didn’t mind, though. She was content to live on the estate, having more freedom and open space than she’d had her whole life.
I continued my combat training well into my fifth month. Then I seemed to inflate overnight. When I wasn’t waddling around the house, I helped Lhor with his Council duties. I became quite proficient on People and Family Law, though subtleties of the law still escaped me. Many more years of learning lay ahead. We got our first major victory when the Minimum Wage Reform was adopted. Our Health and Safety bill, which sought to ensure safe working conditions, was close to passing as well.
I gave up cooking. After her first lesson with Jhola, Maheva declared the kitchen her domain and kicked me out. I didn’t mind. My feet and ankles were too swollen to stand on half the time anyway. I wasn’t exactly a great chef. Though my food was edible, the boys never seemed particularly eager to sample my latest concoctions. Doing the dishes also didn’t rank very high on my list of fun things to do. So yeah, the old ladies were welcome to the kitchen. Nana Maheva and Jhola would kick my ass if they heard me call them that. Not with that belly of yours, they wouldn’t. I snickered.
With all the sitting around, I became the queen of Bakhol, mopping the floor with the boys on a regular basis. Ghan wouldn’t even play with me anymore, the sore loser! Well, I was kind of a bad winner too. But we’ll let that slide.
A few days after Khel’s return home with Maheva, his wa
rriors brought the Specter into Orbit. Ghan had established a direct com so I could hack its system without leaving the estate. There wasn’t much to be found, the virus did a thorough wipe job. It was a complete fluke that I stumbled upon one of the crew’s personal journals. The lurid, rather disgusting content almost made me puke. But through all the trash, a reference to a stop at the abandoned Antares One colony piqued my curiosity.
A week later, a joint Tuurean-Xelixian raid revealed another breeding stronghold, smaller than Crebios, but ninety-two Veredians were rescued. Fifty-eight of them were girls under the age of twelve. My aunts weren’t among the adults. We rejoiced at the rescue, but also realized someone else had taken over Gruuk’s operations.
On Xelix Prime, it took nearly five months to find a second Blood House, the one in Xelhin. Surprisingly, Councilor Paldhin, whose DNA was found in one of the Xelhan’s blood slaves, hadn’t talked despite his harsh punishment. A thorough investigation of his seized estate and assets eventually gave us the clues needed. It would take time, but we would find the remaining two.
My mates’ birthday came and went. We threw quite the party which also officially marked the end of the Property Law threat for Khel. The family’s estate and wealth were secure. There hadn’t been any more threats or attacks against me. We were still very careful. Until V or the mastermind behind the Blood Houses was apprehended, we couldn’t let our guard down.
At my insistence, Khel grudgingly agreed to release Letha Colbhen from the holding cell. Her ill-advised actions almost cost me my life, but she’d never meant to harm me. I hadn’t given birth yet, but I would already do anything for my children. She could make amends by doing what she’d been hired to do in the first place; facilitate the bonding between Xelixian males and compatible females. Tainted males had a bad image, both locally and off-world. This needed to change if we were to lure more females to the Fastening and have them consider the Tainted, not just the Primes. The condition of her release was that she would commit to spearheading the cross-planetary campaign promoting life on Xelix Prime, destroying misconceptions about the Taint, and boasting the benefits of mating with a Xelixian male. We would keep a close eye on her though.