“Wow,”Lauren murmured. “So all those ‘I was probed by an alien stories’…”
“Arelikely true,” Far said. “At least in some cases. But their seed is the onlypart of a male they consider in any way necessary or useful. For a Daughter ofZetta Prime to allow herself to love a male is barely a step above bestialityin their estimation.”
Livgave a long, low whistle.
“Whew—notso good. No wonder this Trin girl’s mother was so upset!”
“Shewasn’t just upset—she told Trin it would’ve been better if she died rather thanletting herself be with Thrace,”Charlie said.
“Wow,doll.” Kat shook her head. “That’s some private soap opera you and Stavros havegoing on in your heads. I’m kind of jealous.”
“Donot be,” Stavros said heavily. “Parts of it have been very difficult to watch.”
“Butthat’s the point—we’re done watching now,” Charlie stood up from the low stoolwhere she’d been seated and looked around. “The Goddess has asked forvolunteers to go with us. I’m going, obviously—I’ve been watching Trin so longI feel like I know her. But we need some other girls too, to pretend to bepriestesses so we can get to her.”
Beccawas talking softly to her two mates and now she looked up.
“I’llgo,” she said, nodding at Charlie. “It sounds like the poor girl is dealingwith a boatload of guilt. Being a former almost-nun, I know a little aboutthat.”
Truth,her Dark Twin mate snorted. “Just a little?”
“Okay,a lot,” Becca admitted with a wrylaugh. “Anyway, it sounds like my input might be useful.”
“Perfect.”Charlie nodded. “Welcome aboard. Anyone else?”
“Iwould…” Mei-Li hesitated. “But,well…I don’t know if I should risk folding space right now.” She blushed brightpink and Six, her mate, looked at her with surprise.
“Mei-Li?”he rumbled, sounding shocked. “Are you…?”
“Idon’t know yet.” Mei-Li blushed even harder. “But, well, I might be and I’m just not sure—”
“It’sall right,” Charlie said quickly. “The Goddess said we should only take womenwho have no children and who definitely aren’t expecting.”
“Well,I guess that rules us out,” Kat remarked, looked at Liv and Sophie and Lauren.
Livsighed. “Too bad—I wouldn’t mind a little adventure right about now.”
“Goingto Zetta Prime is no lighthearted adventure,” Far said grimly. “The Zettitesare deadly serious about their religion. If they thought anyone was profaningtheir rituals or disrespecting their deity in any way…it could be bad. Verybad.”
Charlielooked at Becca.
“Stillwant to come?”
“Absolutely,”Becca said firmly. “Let’s do it.”
“AndTruth and I will come with Charlotte and Stavros to offer support in any way wecan,” Far said.
“Andalso because we’re not letting our female go into danger alone,” Truth growled.
“Thenit’s settled.” Sylvan clapped his hands together. “We’ll outfit a large shuttlefor you and prepare to fold space. And, as the Goddess has commanded you to dothis, I will commend you into her care. Go but be careful. We hope to see youback here with both Trin and Thracesafely in hand before too long.”
Charlienodded her agreement and murmured thanks but she couldn’t help wonderingexactly what they were getting themselves into. And even after risking everythingto sneak down onto Zetta Prime, would they be able to convince Trin to leaveher guilt behind and come with them?
I hope so, shethought grimly. Or we’re going to begoing a hell of a long way for nothing.
** * * *
Thrace staredin frustration at the star charts displayed on the viewscreen of his littlelife pod. The nearest stable wormhole was almost a light year away—not far witha hydrogen scoop propulsion system like the one on The Alacrity or on his own ship, The Empress—but over a standard cycle’s travel in the short rangepod. And a cycle was too damn long to wait to get back to Trin. He kept seeingthe cold anger in her mother’s eyes and thinking about the purification ritualshe was so determined to undergo.
Painful and disfiguring…what the hell doesthat mean? What are they going to do to her? Damn it, Trin—why did you have togo and leave me here where I can’t protect you?
Hisheart ached with the thought of her being abused or hurt in any way. He wishedhe could reach out to her and he had tried to—tried reaching her numerous timesthrough their bond. But Trin had put up some kind of block against him—one hecouldn’t get through. Or at least, that was what it felt like before she left.Now he was pretty sure she was out of range. Or maybe she had just found abetter way to block him?
“Whothe hell knows?” Thracesighed and ran a hand through his hair. And who could blame her if she wasblocking him? Now that she knew what had happened—what his old Master had done—shemight not want anything to do with him. Maybe that was the real reason she hadchosen to leave him behind.
Ifthat was true, Thracetold himself, he would set her free and not bother her any more. After all, hecouldn’t blame her if she felt disgusted now that she knew his past. But beforehe could do that—before he could cut ties with her completely—he had to becertain she was safe.
Whichbrought him back to his original problem. In order to know beyond the shadow ofa doubt that Trin was secure and unharmed, he had to get to her—but how?
Hesupposed he could go back down to Yonnie Six and steal a ship—maybe even takethe one that belonged to Lord X while he was busy dealing with Two. But hemight get caught. It would also take time and it had already been a day and anight since he cleared orbit around Yonnie Six. Since then he’d been studyingthe charts ceaselessly, looking for the fastest way to get to her—and notfinding anything.
“Therehas to be a way,” he muttered, scrolling through the star charts again. “There has to be!”
“Thereis a way,” a warm, feminine voice said behind him.
“What?What the hell?” Thracejumped and looked all around the confines of the small life pod. “Who saidthat? Or am I just hearing things?” He saw no one but he felt something…apresence that seemed to fill the ship. Or maybe he was just imagining it. Maybehis stress over Trin was driving him crazy…
“Yoursanity is unimpaired,” the voice said. “I am the Goddess you choose notto believe in.”
“TheGoddess? You mean the Mother of all Life—the one the Kindred worship?”
“Thesame.”
“NowI know I’m going crazy!” Thracelooked around wildly. “Why can’t I see you?”
“Amortal cannot withstand exposure to my glory,” thevoice explained. “Only once was a male strong enough to do so and even then I had toveil myself so as not to destroy him.”
“Allright, well…what do you want?” Thracelooked around at the seemingly empty air.
“Youhave left something unfinished on the planet below you. A dangerous foe to mychildren, of which I count you as one, still lives because you did not finishhim.”
“Youmean Two? I left him poisoned and in mortal agony—which was what he deserved. Aquick, clean death is too good for a bastard like him,” Thrace snarled.
“Nonetheless,you have left a danger untended and I fear there will be much to pay in thefuture for what you have left undone.”
“Isthat what you came to tell me?” Thracedemanded. “After everything that’s happened in my life, you show up now just tolet me know I should have killed that bastard, Two after all?”
“No,that is not the only reason. I know you have not had the easiest life, my son.”The voice was soft and compassionate. “You have been tried in the firebut you have not been found wanting. Despite your past you were willing andable to give yourself to Trin and to love her.”
“Ofcourse I love her,” he said roughly. “And I’m bonded to her but she’s blockingme. I can’t feel her anywhere. All I know is she’s gone home to undergo somekind of barbaric cleansing ritual.”