Series: Zandian Brides Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
There are a few non-committal head bobs, but no other Zandian says a word. My heart thuds against my chest, horns stiffen with anger.
Lon continues. “If we must sacrifice one or all of the females to learn about this,” he shrugs, “I, for one, believe it’s worth the loss.”
“No!” I roar it, and I’m on my feet even before I’m aware of standing. “We’re not sacrificing the females.”
“They may be in on this,” Lon says.
“They’re not,” I growl, and suddenly I’m sure.
I’m certain of Sia. She’s not working with her former masters to betray or trick us. She was only protecting her life and the lives of her friends. She was afraid of exactly this outcome–that our king would order their death in the name of security and research.
Compassion for her plight hits me like a fist to the gut. My sweet human might be dissected like a lab beast. I can’t allow this to happen.
“They were slaves,” Axe growls. “They kept their mouths shut to save their skins. I have no doubt if they had any choice in the matter–which they didn’t and don’t–their loyalty would lie with Zandia. No doubt.”
“Nor do I,” I say.
“It might be the only way.” Lon rises now too and gets in my face. Only a few inches away, I can feel the heat of his breath and see the anger sparking in his gaze. “Would you have our whole planet compromised? We need to do what’s necessary.”
“Killing unnecessarily is not our way!” I’m ready to put my hands on him.
“Silence.” The king barely raises his voice, but the command makes us all freeze. “Take your seats. We will discuss this rationally.”
Lon and I face off for another second before he finally takes a seat. Axe and I lower ourselves, too.
“Dr. Daneth, please continue your investigation and attempt to preserve the life of the human,” King Zander says. “If she dies, move forward with autopsy and extraction.” He turns his attention to Lon. “Lon, I need you to determine if any recorded information from their chips has actually made it off the planet.”
“I think not,” Tral, another engineer, speaks up. “I’m in charge of home base comms security, and I haven’t seen evidence of any illegal transmissions. Not once, not even when the human Katia had her episode.” He touches his holo. “We routinely look to intercept any transmission, anything of interest, and certainly I’ve had nothing coming from inside our planet. Of course we have the usual plethora of random communications from passing freighters and civilians, but nothing outgoing. The humans reported that they felt the recordings activate with certain words…”
“Maybe they have new tech that can hide from your systems.” Lon is back on his feet, gesturing. “Maybe we should consider eliminating the risky humans.” He looks around. “I’m only voicing what I know other Zandians are thinking.”
I’m going to rip his arms off his body. I rise, baring my teeth. Axe is right with me, drawing his sword.
Before I can get to him, King Zander interrupts. “That’s enough from you, Lon. Leave the proceedings.”
Lon shoots us a dark look as he exits.
Axe and I return it.
King Zander’s comms unit beeps, and a holo springs up with one of the dungeon commander’s head and shoulders. “My Lord, one of the humans is missing from her cell,” the commander says.
“Which one?” King Zander barks.
“Sia. Daven's female.”
My female. Yes, Sia is my female. My mate. How could I have renounced her? She only did what she had to do to stay alive.
I surge to my feet for a third time.
“How did she escape?” The king's voice is terse. The look he sends me, accusatory.
My heart thunders painfully against my chest, my fists curl at my sides.
“It appears another human sent her free. Mirelle, the pilot.”
Master Seke looks up from a communication he received on his wrist comms. “I just had word that the two of them have left the planet.”
Chapter Seventeen
Sia
“Brace yourself for hyper drive.” Mirelle’s voice is calm as she handles controls from the pilot’s panel.
Beside her, palms clammy with anxiety, I bob my head. “Yes. All right.” The craft is sleek and high tech, and I’m unfamiliar with everything.
There’s a strange pulse, like my whole body is falling behind and catching up, and my heart thuds in my chest.
“The first time you experience it awake, it really shocks a human.” Mirelle doesn’t look at me as her fingers dance over the panel, her eyes focused on the holo displays in front of us.
“We'll be in Larew airspace shortly. Are you ready for this?”
She turns to look at me. Her face is serious. “I can land the craft in a cloaked mode, and they won’t see us, Sia. But if you go into that lab, you might not come out alive.”
I touch the small laser weapon at my waist. We talked about this on the way to the craft; it was my idea. Mirelle could see I was serious, and I think that was one of the reasons she agreed to do this.