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My stomach flips when I think about the alien admiral. So much for Mom’s plan to buy Ellie back from her mate. I highly doubt Admiral Tornn, who is the second most powerful Darrvason in the fleet, would consider parting with his mate. Surely that would be a bad look for him, and from what I’ve heard, Darrvasons are a bit more concerned with their precious reputations than humans.
Does Nathan know the identity of Ellie’s mate? I can’t help but speculate. I pass him in the corridors almost every day. He always looks like shit, as though he’s barely sleeping and eating. Poor guy. He must miss her very much. He must be heartbroken.
I sigh with relief once we reach our quarters. My gaze instantly goes to the video comm, but the screen isn’t illuminated to indicate there’s a message or an incoming call. We have about two hours until our first class starts, and Mom and I settle in the sitting room to wait.
We both grab books off the shelf—ancient historical texts from Earth brought aboard theJansonnaby my grandmother. I try to concentrate on an account of the Whiskey Rebellion, but my attention keeps faltering, and I can’t stop glancing at the video comm. The engineers said it’ll beep when there’s an incoming call.
Completely unable to concentrate, but not wanting to distract my mother, I pretend to read, making sure to turn the page every now and then. The longer I sit here, however, the more worried I become. I can’t explain it, but I’m growing cold with a sense of foreboding.
I glance at the info screen that rests on the other end of the sitting room, but there’s no important news scrolling by, just the usual announcements about recreation room activities and a reminder about continued water rationing. There aren’t any emergencies. No warnings about corridors being closed due to protests or random violence. No notices about impending executions. I swallow hard as I recall the last execution that was broadcast on the information screen—I hadn’t meant to watch, but I’d happened to walk by just as the frightened man was led into a depressurization chamber.
I think the Darrvasons are beasts, but what if their ships are more peaceful than theJansonna? Perhaps in some ways they’re more civilized than my people.
Not in all ways, I’m quick to remind myself, because their treatment of women is backward as fuck. I squirm, trying to get into a more comfortable sitting position. My bottom is still tender from the spanking Brute gave me yesterday.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t hear the steady beeping noise at first. My mother gasps, jumps up, and races to the video comm, the illuminated screen flashing between blue and red. She slides into the chair in front of the device and presses a button.
She smiles wide into the screen, and I reach her side and peer at my sweet sister for the first time in what feels like months, though it’s been less than a moon cycle since her departure. I do a quick scan of Ellie’s appearance. She’s smiling and blinking back tears, but I don’t see any bruises on her face, neck, or arms. She’s wearing an elegant, sleeveless blue dress with a modest neckline.
Her arms though… they’re covered in glowing red symbols. Alien symbols. Darrvason, obviously, but I wonder what they signify. I also feel a surge of rage as I wonder if getting them tattooed on her arms hurt terribly, and whether she had a choice in the matter.
“Mom. Jenny.” Ellie blinks faster as her eyes glimmer with more tears.
“Ellie,” my mother says. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, Mom. I’m fine. I promise.” Ellie smiles, and I’m shocked when I realize it’s not a fake smile. I know Ellie better than anyone, and I know when she’s faking it. But how? How could she be genuinely happy?
“Is it true you’re mated to the admiral?” I ask. “Admiral Tornn?”
“Yes, I am.” With an air of confusion, Ellie glances between us. “How did you know?”
“An overly grumpy Darrvason officer named Brute oversaw the installation of our private video comm,” Mom says, elbowing me gently in the ribs. “After being badgered by your sister for a full hour, he finally told us the name of your mate.”
“Oh! Officer Brute,” Ellie says. “He’s Tornn’s cousin.”
“Really?” I ask, then I effect a shudder to disguise my surprise. I can’t believe Brute failed to mention the fact that he was Admiral Tornn’s cousin. “I certainly hope Tornn is nothing like him. He wouldn’t stop glaring and growling. I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone so disagreeable in my life.” My little speech earns me another elbow in the ribs from my mother, though if Ellie notices, she doesn’t say anything.
Ellie looks as though she’s biting back a smile. “My mate is treating me well.”
“Nathan misses you,” I blurt, even though I know Mom will probably elbow me again. Instead, she shoots me a stern look. But I keep going because I want to see how Ellie will react. I want to know if she misses him or if she’s so taken by Tornn that she no longer cares. “I pass him in the corridors at least once a day, and he always looks like a complete wreck. Disheveled and with dark circles around his eyes.”
A strange expression I can’t quite read comes over Ellie. But before she can respond, Mom says, “Nathan is probably tired because he’s been taking extra shifts lately. All the security officers have. Not everyone is happy about the alliance and tensions have been high.”
“What’s happening?” Ellie scoots closer to the screen, her eyes gleaming with worry. “Are you both safe?”
I exchange a look with Mom.
“There have been some protests in common areas, and a few instances of vandalism, and supposedly someone has been sending death threats to Captain Warren and members of the command team,” I say, totally sugarcoating the truth. No way am I going to tell her about the numerous protestors who’ve been shot dead in the corridors. “But a guard escorts us to and from class each day—and under Captain Warren’s orders, if you can believe that.” I don’t reveal that more often than not, Brute shows up and dismisses the guard so he might perform the duty himself.
“That’s good to hear. I mean, the part about the guard, not the protests and the vandalism and the death threats.” Ellie releases a deep sigh.
“Tell us about your arms,” I say with a nod. “Did, um, your mate force you to get those Darrvason tattoos?” I hold my breath as I await her answer, praying she tells the truth, even if she wants to protect us from worrying about her. That would be just like Ellie to fib a little so we don’t fret over her wellbeing.
Ellie brushes a hand along one of her arms. “Oh, these aren’t tattoos at all.” She swallows hard and suddenly appears nervous, only to smile a second later. “They’re Darrvason ancestral markings. All Darrvason males are born with them. Uh, not long after Tornn claimed me as his mate, the markings started to appear on my arms and a… aheartbondformed between us.”
My stomach bottoms out.Heartbond. I’m not sure what that is, but it sounds serious. Maybe even permanent. “A heartbond?” Mom and I utter in unison.
“Yes, and…” Her voice trails off as the screen appears to shake. “Mom? Jenny? Are you feeling—”
