Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
SLAVIC
Two risings have passed, and she continues to lie there, as still as death. “ Einar , how much longer do you think?”
“ Slavic , she is healing, and that takes time. You should enjoy the peace and quiet while you can because I have no doubt that when she awakens, things are going to get complicated quickly. Especially since Bikar can’t seem to replicate the translators. We are lucky that Kallen can understand them and has talked to the others…otherwise, this would have been a real shet show.”
“ Has she revealed anything yet?”
“ No , and Ruarc won’t let anyone get close enough to her to ask any more questions. He is fighting his bond with her and no matter what I say, he refuses to change his mind on the subject. I could hear them arguing about her talking to the humans, all the way in the dining chamber.”
“ Who would have thought Einar , that our brother’s mate was our Princess and the female we all watched grow up? It is sad all the time they have missed together.”
“ At least now they have a chance at fulfilling that bond. That is, if Ruarc can get his head out of his backside before he ruins it. If we had remained on Viri 9, they would never have interacted with each other. Our status was … his pause is weighted, as if the words pain him before he forces himself to continue, too low. They would not have ever crossed paths, and I think that is even sadder. I think that is why Ruarc is fighting the bond. He feels like he is not good enough for her, which breaks my hearts. So many pray and hunt for their mates, never realizing they may have walked right past them at some point in their lives. Personally , I am glad this is his fate and burden to bear and not mine. I cannot say I would be behaving any differently in his situation.”
“ Ruarc should not doubt the gods. A bond cannot be forced or mimicked. He is not only hurting Kallen , but angering the gods that gave her to him. Complete foolishness.”
The med system pings, and I watch once again as Einar checks the readings. His words flow through my mind as I look down at the little female that should never have been gifted to me. I am not worthy of her either, but I refuse to give her back. If the gods made a mistake, that is on them. The worst part of all of this is realizing the shet she had to go through in order to be here right now. How do I ever prove myself worthy of all she has lost? Einar’s voice yanks me out of my deep thoughts.
“ Good news, Slavic . It appears your mate no longer needs the hydration meds. I will start unhooking her, which means she should wake up in the next half a rising.”
“ You are just trying to get rid of us,” I tease him.
“ Possibly , but I have a feeling my mate will not be as receptive as yours.”
“ Einar , at least yours is no longer multiple colors, and you even managed to get that torture device off her. I can hardly imagine the purpose of something like that unless it was humiliation or a show of ownership. All our lives we prayed for our world’s females to be protected, while others openly abused theirs.”
“ Your words are true Slavic . However , the one thing I have learned as a medic is that the body normally heals quicker than the mind. A good example is Murgul . If you simply glanced at him as you walked by, you would see a male in his prime. No one truly knows the power of our minds until they are crushed from within. Have you decided what you are going to do about the translators?”
“ After much thought, I told Bikar to head to Navale . We should be able to pick up something there. My biggest worry is when the vendor asks why we need them, what do I say? The fact that we have females on board cannot be known. The Zenith has substantial fire power, and she can hold her own easily against most others. But if word gets out once we’re on Navale , she would not survive a direct shot from a destroyer, or a swarm ship. I am going to send Falon out to obtain them while the Zenith refuels. He informed me that he knows of a dealer on the lower level of Navale that won’t ask questions if the credits are enough. We really have no credits to spare, but I gave him what remained, anyway. Bikar and Murgul are going to supervise the sale of the cargo while I oversee the refueling. That leaves you and Ruarc to watch over the females.
There were some feminine products and garments in one of the crates we procured from the Velgriddix . I told Murgul to take the entire thing to the females, but depending on his mood, who knows if he did or not? Once we dock, I have decided to engage the locks on Falon and Murgul’s rooms, so that they must remain inside. The last thing we need is for them to suddenly get brave and exit the ship. We would have to fight every pirate in this sector to get them back. I hate that the other females are scared when there is no reason for them to be. Bikar has been delivering their meals to the rooms, leaving them at the door, then retrieving them later. The others have tried everything to interact with them, but they simply huddle together every time the door is opened. It would help if Kallen could speak to them more.
However , Ruarc won’t let Kallen out of his room, stating that she is too weak, and I blame him not. Frack , I would react the same way, if not, probably worse. Shet , I already am. Even now I am changing things to protect our mates at all costs. This whole experience is new to me and now I am doubting every decision, something I have never done in the past. One of the things rolling through my mind is the fact that the Zenith is not big enough for all of us. If we remain on the same path, we will be forced to start making some serious modifications or possibly need to trade her for something larger. Then the next issue is, how are we going to continue to fund this little adventure if we are all too scared to put our mates at risk?” I can tell that my words have Einar thinking.
“ Has Kallen told Ruarc where she was taken?”
“ No , and he has been such an ass she has withdrawn and is now refusing to speak to him. Even though that is frustrating, it does not really matter in the scheme of things. I am not going to take her back to a planet that has been invaded, just to have her recaptured. Going back to see if we can find any survivors is agreeable, but Kallen will not be returning permanently. We either need to find a home planet to call our own or obtain another ship. Although right now, both of those options seem unattainable.”
“ This is a path new to both of us Slavic . Leave it to the gods and all will be answered in time. Let us go find some sustenance because my innards are rumbling.”
“ You go on Einar , I will stay and watch over them.”
“ No , you are going to come with me. The moment either of them awaken the problems you think you have now are going to be laughable in comparison. Take a tick to quiet your mind, because you are going to need your wits about you sooner rather than later, my brother.”
“ This would be much easier with translators.”
“ Possibly Slavic , but then maybe not. Either way, they will wake terrified and confused. Words alone will simply not make those emotions disappear, only our actions will.”
“ What has made you so wise all of a sudden, brother?”
“ Dealing with Murgul has taught me to look inside a problem. It’s given me insight into with things I never wanted to know.”
I nod my head and glance away from his knowing gaze, fighting the anger that always consumes me when my little brother is mentioned. Following Einar’s massive form, I reluctantly go out the door. It is obvious our brothers’ permanent damage weighs heavily on his wide shoulders. My hearts and mind are once more torn in many directions. Never in all my life have I fought myself like I have these last couple of rotations. Being the oldest, I do not have the luxury of doubting my choices. My life givers and brothers have always depended on me to provide for and protect them. But this situation has broadsided me, making my thoughts chaotic and scrambled. I feel as if I am standing outside myself, looking in with no clue how to fix the issues bombarding me.
Rounding the corner we run into Bikar , who is walking into the dining chamber with his arms full of empty trays. “ I see the females are eating. That is a good sign.”
“ They were more receptive this rising, and I even managed to get a few words from the one with twirly hair. We will be docking this rotation with the Navale and I wanted to make sure that they were fed before we lock the ship down.”
I nod as he continues talking. Grabbing the first thing the replicator spits out; I eat the food without tasting it. The now darkened collar around my neck itches and I rub it absentmindedly, my mind full and blank all at the same time. When my spines start to rattle on my back, I jerk my head up and I am out of my seat before Einar can say a word. My mate is awake and she is in distress. Running down the hall, I feel as if my feet are moving through deep sand. Sliding to a stop in front of the medical center, I slam my hand against the security panel, stepping forward the moment it opens, only to stop dead in my tracks.