by Marie Dry
The doctor brought her a blanket made of jinz izwe. Any doubts she had about it being soft enough for her baby fled when she felt it. Softer than a woollen blanket, it clung snugly to her daughter when she wrapped it around her.
“We haven’t decided on a name for her,” she said to Zaar. “And it better not have a Z in it,” she warned. Intense black eyes stared up at her, as if she understood Sarah’s every word.
“Her name is Honor Zarah,” he said.
She narrowed her eyes, but she loved the names. A commotion broke out outside the infirmary. The doctor went to the door, but came back almost immediately. “The scars demand to see the small…the small human.”
Sarah smiled up at Zaar. “Please let them in, just for a moment.” They’d earned the right to be the first Zyrgins to meet Honor. She was tired and she just wanted to sleep, but she didn’t want to slight her scars.
They came in and stopped a respectable distance from her. They saluted in unison.
They looked at Honor, froze and then their knees hit the floor. “Parena, we pledge to you that no one will harm our small human.”
“Thank you.” She looked at Zaar for an explanation. “In the olden times, weak babies were killed to allow the healthy one to survive,” he said.
Her hands tightened on her baby. “If it was done in olden times, why are they so concerned?”
“Some still kill small Zyrgins who are born weak. It is not allowed anymore, but in rural areas it does happen sometimes.” He closed his arm around her and Honor. “No one will harm you or our small human.”
30
A year later, she and Zaar stood on the edge of the mountain outside their quarters. He stood behind her, his warm body keeping her and Honor secure in his arms wrapped around then both. Sarah’s toes curled back on themselves at the drop at their feet. “Back,” she squeaked. Honor showed no fear—instead she looked at the view with her father’s intense gaze. She’d developed faster than a human child, could walk and talk already, but not by much. All indications were that she’d grow up like a human child.
“I will not let you fall.”
“I know, but please step back.” She pressed back against him to get them away from the big drop in front of them.
He stepped back and then sat down on a boulder with her between his legs and his arms under hers, helping her support their daughter. They sat like that for a long time.
Honor sat quietly on her lap, which she was grateful for. Her daughter had her father’s energy and rarely slept more than four hours. The rest of the time she was moving and exploring everything with two scar warriors at her back. Even now Sarah knew they were out of sight, but close enough to step in if they should need help. She was still determined to make sure they got wives who could look past their scars and see the warriors who lived with honor beneath. She’d decided to wait for them to heal emotionally before she started that project.
“Any word from the unknown galaxies?” It still boggled her mind that she was stepmother to eleven warriors. Though none of them had shown any desire to interact with her. They’d lost contact with them shortly after they entered the unknown galaxies. On the positive side, none of those evil plants had shown up again. She prayed that meant the warriors who volunteered to go were successful in their mission. And safe.
“No, there are atmospheric anomalies that make communication difficult.” The very emotionless way he said it, told her much.
“I hope they’re okay.” She touched Honor’s cheek and then smiled up at Zaar. “It’s hard to believe I’ve been here almost two years.” She laughed softly. “I was so scared that first day.”
“You acted brave,” he said in a consoling voice.
Sarah smiled down at Honor who was twisting her hair with a small, determined fist. “A year ago I thought hiding in the corner of our room, hiding from life, was what I wanted.” She smiled up at Zaar. “Remember, when you came to Earth and you asked me who Destiny was?”
“Yes.”
“Destiny is not a person. It’s some unseen force that drives people’s lives. I always thought it was trying to ensure I lead a life of misery. But now I think Destiny had steered me toward this moment.” She smiled up at him. “It was worth it—all the pain and hardship was worth it for this perfect moment. For the life we are building together. If it meant going through the camps to get to this moment with you, I’d endure it again.” She meant it with every fiber of her being.
“I would endure a thousand upside-down first knowing’s to be here with you,” he said seriously.
Sarah threw back her head and laughed with the sheer joy of being alive and with the alien she loved. Their beautiful daughter mimicked her actions, laughing deep out of her little belly.
About the Author
Ever since she can remember, Marie Dry wanted to travel. She has lived in Zambia, Morocco and Spain and did short stints in Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Rome, Brazil, Portugal, Botswana and Mozambique. Through all the travelling, reading romance has been a constant.
She read romances since she was nine, and was fairly young when she decided she would write a story that had all the elements she looked for in a romance. Her first book was published in 2014.
There are several wonderful moments in her life that she would never trade for anything. One of them was meeting President Nelson Mandela and the second was being published.
Also by Marie Dry
Zyrgin Warriors Series
Alien Mine
Alien Under Cover
Alien Betrayed
Alien Resistance
Alien Captured
Alien Redeemed
Other Books
Sabrina and the Gargoyle
Dawn of the Cyborg
Alien Redeemed
1st Edition © 2019 by Marie Dry
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
