Perhaps I should be horrified to be spoken of like that – as property – but I feel a surge of hope well up inside of me, realizing that Gallus continues to be protective of me even after I betrayed his triad so shamefully.
“Deemak law won’t let you go completely free,” Gallus continues speaking, “but I have enough influence to have you judged before an Aurelian court.”
“That’s even worse!”
“No,” Gallus promises. “Not with me testifying on your behalf. You’ll go to prison, Darr – that much is inevitable – but not to a sandy jail cell, deep underground, on punishment rations. I’ll build a fucking prison for you if I have to – a private prison, with good food, good drink, and even women. You won’t be able to leave for a decade, but you won’t rot. That’s the best offer I can give you, Darr, but you have to drop the knife to take it.”
Darr’s breath is harsh and ragged. His entire arm is trembling.
Then, suddenly, the knife falls, like it’s in slow motion.
I hear it clatter on the cobblestones, and Darr finally takes a step back. He holds his empty hands up, and Royal Guards rush in to grab him.
My legs give out. I stumble, and it’s Gallus who catches me in his massive arms.
His Orb-Blade is now deactivated. He’s no longer the brutal warrior I witnessed moments earlier. Now, Gallus is the nurturing, protective man I’d fallen so deeply for.
He cradles me in his arms.
“You’re okay, Mia. You’re safe now.”
He holds me against his strong, powerful chest, and I feel his heart beating like a drum. All this time he’d stood there, cool and impassive – but beneath that stern expression he was just as terrified as me.
He’d merely kept calm, to avoid spooking Darr into doing something terrible.
From behind me, I suddenly feel the huge presence of Varian and Cyrus approach. They too wrap me up in their arms, holding me powerfully tight. I’m surrounded by my three protectors, and nothing can possibly hurt me now.
I hear the light hum as a shadow passes overhead. It’s the Aurelians’ ship – that sleek, black shuttle. It touches down in the ground in a courtyard in front of us, and the door along the side slides open with a hiss.
16
Gallus
Mia’s still scared, and I can’t blame her.
She’s trembling like a leaf, but it’s not weakness. She just had a man put a knife to her throat. Any other woman might have screamed, or pissed herself, or fainted and sunk her own throat across that wickedly-sharp blade.
Instead, Mia was as brave as any of the Aurelian warriors I served with during my hundred years of service to the Empire. She was magnificent.
I want to rip Darr’s throat out as punishment for what he did, but I made a deal – and my deal is my word. Cyrus spoke with the Captain of the Royal Guard to ensure that Darr will not be mistreated, and the private prison I’d promised him will be constructed. It’s more than Darr deserves, but my word is my bond - and with his DNA on the Aurelian registry and his features engraved in our records, he will never run a thief team again. Even with reconstructive surgery he’ll never be able to change his blood.
Now, we’re back in our shuttle. Mia is sitting across from me at the table. The autopilot lifts us far above the city, and the tension fades – as if it’s left below, at the scene of the conflict.
Cyrus sits to Mia’s right, and Varian is to her left, sandwiching Mia between them. None of us want to get far away from her – not ever again.
I lean forward, and softly ask:
“Why did you leave, Mia? I know that man Darr made you steal… But why didn’t you just talk to us? We’d have helped you.”
Mia looks down. I realize it’s too soon after her ordeal for this. I’m just so happy she’s alive – so happy she’s safe.
I never want to lose her again.
After taking a deep breath, Mia looks up, her bright eyes staring into mine.
“It’s not just because I’m a thief, Gallus.”
“Then, tell us.”
She shudders.
“I… I just don’t want to be merely another woman in your harem. Just another… toy.”
I shake my head. “Mia, you’re far more than that.”
She winces. I see the pain in her eyes. They’re wet – wet with grief, and her tears are mixed with relief too. She weeps in gratitude that she’s alive, and I’m so grateful I’d be tempted to join her. I know Mia’s got a thousand emotions rushing through her mind because I do, too.
She takes a deep breath
“You say that, Gallus – but how do you know? How do you know I’m not like everyone else? I know your species. You need the Bond. Without that, I’m nothing to you once you claim my virginity.”
Cyrus clenches his fist. I sense through the Bond that he’s about to slam it down on the table, and the force of his hand will probably take that fist right through the table itself, splintering it.
I give him a harsh, warning glance. We don’t want to scare Mia more after her ordeal.
Cyrus nods, and he unclenches his fist.
“Fuck the Bond.”
He states the words plainly.
“Fuck the Bond,” I repeat, testing them on my own tongue. Those words go against everything I’ve ever been taught, since a young age. We’re indoctrinated to find our Fated Mate. I still believe Mia is her…
…but if she isn’t?
“Fuck the Bond,” says Varian, and a rare grin comes to his stern face. “I don’t care, Mia. If you’re Bonded or not, I still want you.”
He pauses, and then leans closer to her.
“I never told you this before, but I loved another once – hundreds of years ago. Her name was Lalana. She was a human woman, just like you, and we weren’t Bonded with her… But I still loved her, truly and deeply.”
Mia’s eyes widen as she
