by Kate Rudolph
The clouds were full in the sky as he walked down the gravel path and over the hill to the main estate. The hill was artificial, built to improve the privacy of Solan’s house by some ancestor a few generations ago. Though Aorsa had become the sole home of the Synnrs only a few decades before, many Synnr families had been living there for more than a century, his included.
His calves burned and he cursed that unknown ancestor. A hedge would have provided just as much privacy as a hill, and he wouldn’t have started to sweat by the time he was at the top. He let his wings unfurl and beat them, propelling himself forward with great gusts of wind.
He couldn’t fly, Zulir wings didn’t work that way, but he had his own tricks.
By the time he made it to the main house, most of the sweat was gone, and he hid his wings away. He didn’t like to leave them on display.
His mother did.
It could be seen as a sign of aggression to flash wings out at a random stranger, but leaving them unfurled was a different matter. And Lureyne Zadra had beautiful wings.
They were the first thing anyone noticed about her. At first they looked pure white, something so rare that Solan had only seen it one other time. But they were actually full of pastel strands in lavenders and blues and pinks that gave off a pearlescent glow.
She wore a bright white dress to make the wings look even brighter, and her dark hair provided a stark contrast. His mother believed strongly in the power of appearance, and from the way her eyes flicked up and down when he entered the room, she found his less than ideal.
He wore dark pants, a black top, and a stylish long jacket. It was nothing special, but no one could complain about the appropriateness. No one except his mother.
She said nothing, though, letting her silent judgement sit there. Solan had long ago learned how to ignore that, so he did.
They sat in the small dining room and a servant brought in trays of food and a bottle of sparkling juice. The meal began with pleasantries, as if he hadn’t seen his mother nearly every day for the past month. And, as always, it soon turned to family events.
“Were you able to file your brother’s marriage papers?” she asked.
Solan sipped his soup before replying. “Of course. All will be ready in plenty of time.”
“And your sister’s Match papers? The announcement?”
“Yes, mother.” She had to have known he’d done it; he’d forwarded the electronic confirmations to her. But she liked to remind him of who was really in control.
Would he be playing these games with his heir in thirty years? He hoped not.
“I say we should file the marriage paperwork for your sister. With the way things are going, they’ll want to wed before the year is out.” His mother wore a satisfied smile. Micia was the first Zadra in his generation to find her Match, but she insisted that there was nothing beyond friendship between herself and her partner, Keni, a young woman from another aristocratic family.
The Match was so perfect that Solan almost didn’t believe it. Keni’s family perfectly complemented the Zadras, though they weren’t quite as socially powerful. Even better, Keni was directly related to the Queen, though her place in the line of succession guaranteed she’d never sit on the throne. There was no question of divided loyalty between Synnrs and Apsyns, as sometimes happened among the nobility, and she seemed like a genuinely decent person.
Solan agreed his sister would fall for her Match in no time, but he wasn’t about to force things.
“Ortid’s wedding is more than enough excitement,” he said. Normally a bonding ceremony and a wedding wouldn’t happen in a single family in one season, but with war on the way, his mother wanted these things settled.
“We still have time for three weddings this year.” She looked at him over the rim of her glass, a small smile on her lips.
This was the part of his daily meals he hated most. The war could not start soon enough. “I agreed to submit my data to the Matching database, mother. I can’t help that they’ve found no one in the twelve years they’ve been looking. There’s no reason to start marriage proceedings.”
“One does not have anything to do with the other.” She set her glass down with a clink and glanced away.
It was a point scored, but Solan didn’t feel good about it. Not all Matched units got married. Most marriages weren’t between Matches. But things got messy when one spouse found a Match after the vows were read.
But Solan wasn’t going to talk about his father right now.
Or ever.
“I do wish you’d let me monitor potential Matches, at least,” his mother rallied. Neither of them mentioned Solan’s real issue.
“I’m sure I’ll be contacted if something comes up. No need to monitor.” At least, that’s how he thought it worked. There had been a lot of paperwork to sign and he couldn’t remember exactly what he’d agreed to. It had been a long time ago.
“But these things must be checked for their appropriateness. I heard that soldier friend of yours Matched to a human.” She leaned in close to say it quietly, as if they weren’t alone and guaranteed complete privacy.
“Emily is a lovely girl,” Solan said, refusing to stoop to his mother’s implication. “I’m sure you’ll meet her at her Matching ceremony. I’ve invited them to use our estate.”
She pursed her lips, but quickly recovered to a smile. “Of course. How kind of you.”
It was an open secret that the Synnr aristocracy were little better than Apsyns when it came to interactions with non-Zulir. They’d insist that they wouldn’t stoop to the Apsyns’ outright hatred, and they’d never kidnap humans to use for medical experiments. And, of course, they wouldn’t allow them to be traded as slaves.
But Match with one?
Perhaps it was better to remain unmatched.
Not that Solan agreed. Not really. A Match was a Match. The humans he’d met were all perfectly acceptable. More than acceptable. He thought of Lena, her dark hair, her protective nature, the way she was born to fight. If she were Zulir she’d be one amazing Match.
But he couldn’t imagine inflicting his world on her... or any human. They’d have to fight for acceptance every step of the way. They’d be snubbed by the more conservative families. And it would spill over onto his siblings. She’d grow to hate him eventually.
That was why he couldn’t have a human.
Not that he was looking for one.
And why had he thought of Lena?
“If I’m ever Matched, the only compatibility that matters would be between me and my Match. But there’s no way to force it, so why dwell?” Given the gleam in his mother’s eye, she would have forced it if she could. Solan was thankful they’d managed to destroy all the Apsyn research about Matches. Someone could have done a lot of damage with it.
The rest of their lunch was uneventful and Solan was thankful to be dismissed. He found Micia in the entryway looking down at her communicator with a smile on her face.
“Message from Keni?” he asked with a grin.
His sister’s gaze snapped up to meet his, eyes wide and crackling with her spark. “What? Why?” She shoved her communicator into her pocket quickly, as if she was afraid Solan would snatch it from her and read the message.
Oh yeah, they’d be married soon enough. There was no stopping it now.
He gave his sister a hug and headed for the door.
“Wait!” she called after him. “There was someone at the gatehouse waiting for you. Some human. Um... Leda?”
“Lena?” He whipped around and felt his spark flare to life.
His sister shrugged. “Maybe. How many humans do you know?”
“More than you, brat.” He pulled out his own communicator and let the gatehouse know Lena was welcome at his quarters.
But why would she come here?
He couldn’t wait to find out.
CHAPTER FOUR
SOLAN WAS LOADED.
Lena looked beyond the gatehouse and caught sight of a ma
nsion even bigger than the one Crowze lived in.
Freaking loaded.
She reached into her pocket and traced her finger over the paper she’d brought with her. Maybe this was a bad idea. He wasn’t going to want anything to do with her.
No.
She stiffened her spine and stood up as straight as she could. She wasn’t going to run away before she’d even started. The paper in her pocket told her she had a right to be there, and she wasn’t going to give up on Solan before giving him a chance.
Not that she was exactly sure what she was trying to get them into. Oz and Emily were living in their own little world, and Lena didn’t need that. But Emily had been drafted to work for the Synnr military because of the powers given to her through her bond with Oz. That was what Lena wanted.
And apparently this whole Matching thing was a big deal. It didn’t matter that she was a penniless human. Solan would see her value.
She hoped.
The guard waved her through and gave her directions to Solan’s house. Because, just like with Crowze, there was more than one house on this estate.
Rich people.
It was the same wherever she was. How many houses did a single family need?
But she’d be glad to have this conversation without an audience. She didn’t notice she was walking up a hill until her calves started to burn, and she was covered in sweat by the time she made it to the mini-mansion that was apparently Solan’s house. Great. Just how she wanted to make an impression.
Whatever. She wasn’t here to seduce the guy.
She knocked on the door and expected a butler to answer, but Solan was there, looking nice in dark pants and a black top. He smiled when he saw her, but there was caution in it. Probably because of the way she’d scowled at him the last time they’d met.
Good. It meant he paid attention to others. That was a must for any partner. She didn’t need some oblivious rich guy.
“Good afternoon,” he said. “Would you like to come in?”
She wanted to get this over with, but the niceties had to be observed. She followed Solan inside, and they ended up in an atrium full of lush plants and colorful flowers. It was warm and humid, but the smell was pleasant enough for Lena not to mind. He pointed her toward a small bench and took a seat opposite. “I hope this is fine.”
“It’s beautiful.” She reached out and stroked her fingers over a blue-green leaf. It was softer than she expected and the leaf curled away as soon as she lifted her hand.
“My grandmother was a cultivator,” Solan said, watching her with a strange look in his eyes. “This place used to be bursting with flowers. I’m not nearly as talented.”
“I could barely keep a cactus alive,” Lena had to admit. “Apparently you’re not supposed to leave them in a box and forget about them when you move.”
He gave a vague smile, but Lena got the feeling the words didn’t make much sense to him. Maybe they didn’t have cacti on Aorsa. Or maybe he’d never had to move.
“Right,” Lena said brightly. Time to get to the point. “Apparently your dead captain entered my information into the Match testing database.”
Solan leaned closer and a strip of sunlight highlighted his face. Lena was struck by the strong line of his jaw and the way his skin glimmered in the sunlight. It was slightly iridescent, a faint sheen that made him look inhuman.
Well, he was.
She had to keep that in mind.
And she had no place getting caught up in how handsome he was. No. There would be none of that.
“I’m sorry,” he replied. “You should have had the choice of whether or not you wanted that information known.” He sounded sincere. And Lena remembered he’d been the one to ensure the rest of the humans who’d been rescued from Kilrym hadn’t been tested.
“It’s done now.” And Lena didn’t really care that the choice had been taken from her. There were much worse things that could have happened. This was a minor blip. And an opportunity. “I received my results.”
Solan’s eyes narrowed. “You have a probable Match?”
She nodded and pulled the paper out of her pocket. She should have brought Emily’s glasses with her, but she had memorized what it said. “I do.”
He didn’t have any reaction and just remained sitting with a polite expression on his face. “I’m sure the Matching Bureau would be willing to help put you in contact with your Match. Or did you want to find out more information about the process? Or about—”
“It’s you.” She spit it out before he could make any more offers. She shoved the papers towards him forcefully enough that he had no choice but to grab them or let them fall to the floor. “According to the test, we’re a probable Match.” All of the paperwork stressed that word. Probable. There was no way to be sure without physically testing the Match, and that was done between the suspected couple. Or throuple. Or however many-ouple made up the unit. But as far as Lena knew, the Bureau didn’t make many mistakes. At least, no one seemed eager to mention it if they did.
Solan was still looking at the papers, so Lena kept talking, in case there was any doubt. “I want to see if it’s real. And I want to bond.”
SHOCK MADE SOLAN MUTE. He looked down at the crumpled papers he held in his hands, but the words blurred and made no sense. For an insane moment he wondered if his mother had known this was coming, her remarks about Matching still fresh in his mind from their lunch. But no. She would have said something. It wasn’t in her nature to win by surprise.
Not that she’d consider this a win.
Why hadn’t the Bureau informed him? He’d have to follow up to make sure he was the Solan Zadra that Lena had Matched with, but when his eyes finally agreed to focus, everything he could see made sense.
“You want to bond?” It came out more harshly than intended, and Lena flinched. Solan immediately regretted his tone, but the sentiment was still true. “We don’t even know one another.” The ten minutes of this conversation was the longest they’d ever been alone together and possibly the only conversation they’d ever had. “You can’t possibly want to bond with me.”
Lena made a frustrated noise and stood up. The plant behind her was trembling. It was a rare breed, one his grandmother had been particularly proud of. It could somehow sense the emotions of the people and animals around it and reacted to them. And from the way it was reacting, it was scared of what Lena might do next.
Solan wasn’t scared, but he was curious.
“I’m not talking about what Oz and Emily have.” She crossed her arms and paced in front of the plant, shoulders stiff. “I’m sure you’re nice and all, and you—” she cleared her throat, then kept talking. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I’m looking for a job.”
His curiosity shifted to intrigue. “There are lots of jobs in Osais.” He studied Lena, watching the tic in her jaw and her narrowing eyes. She didn’t like the sound of that for some reason. Why?
“Show me a place that wants to hire a displaced human who’s been here for a month.” Her eyes got big, eyebrows going up and face challenging him. “I can’t read your language, I can only speak it because of this thing behind my ear,” she gestured to her head. “And half the days I wake up and forget that I’m not in Kansas anymore!” She cleared her throat. “Well, Oklahoma, if we’re being technical.”
Comforting words were on the tip of his tongue, but he was almost certain Lena would smack him if he said them. And the thought of her ire made his cock twitch. That was something interesting to find out. Interesting and completely useless.
What would his mother think of Lena?
Ah, there. Desire completely gone.
“A Match isn’t something I can just jump into without thought,” he said. “We’re talking about a lifelong connection.”
“And a career in your military,” she added. “Emily might be new to the concept, but I was in Kuwait. I’ve served.”
He didn’t know the difference between Oklahoma, Kansas, and Kuwait, bu
t clearly they meant something to her. He didn’t know how to process this information. That his first inclination was to deny her because she was human made him a little sick. He wasn’t an Apsyn. He wasn’t like his former captain, who saw the Zulir as superior to other species. But he could also imagine what his mother and their family friends might say.
It wasn’t kind.
But he was a soldier, by Brazon’s bowels, and he couldn’t avoid something because of that.
It didn’t mean he was ready to bond with a stranger. “I can’t commit my life to someone I don’t know.” And he refused to consider whether he’d have the same resistance if Lena was from Aorsa.
She knew. He could see that she suspected his reasoning. Her eyes narrowed as she asked, “What are the odds of you finding another Match?”
He’d known the exact percentages when he was a boy, but he’d forgotten them. Now he knew the basics. “Not very good. And if there was another Match, it would be the three of us Matched together, most likely. Assuming the Matching Bureau is right about this.” One Match was bad enough. He didn’t want to think of the stress that two would bring. Maybe he should have lied to get her to go away, but he wouldn’t be a coward.
She made a frustrated sound from deep in her throat, and the emotion behind it caused something to stir within him. From what he’d seen of her, she didn’t let her emotions show, didn’t like to give anything away. Was she showing him her reactions because she felt safe? Or did he bring them out for another reason?
Her fingers curled around the edge of her seat, as if she was holding tight to keep from pressing up and pacing. “I’m not proposing marriage,” she insisted. “I want to do something, and fighting, protecting people is what I’m good at. If we’re Matched, I can do that.” Her deep brown eyes implored him to see her side of this. And Solan could. He sympathized. It must have been difficult to end up so far from home, with few friends, and nothing to do. But he wasn’t going to be some rash decision she regretted because she was desperate.
