Stolen

by Presley Hall

  Malav and I both go down on one knee in front of him.

  “My prince,” Malav says in a deep, rumbling voice. “I come to you with news of the warriors of Alpha Force, and with other news as well, which you may be glad to hear.”

  The prince stands, and when I glance furtively up, I realize that he’s not as lean as he appeared at first glance. His shoulders are broad, and despite not being as muscular as some of the warriors, he is a physically imposing man, taller than any of the other Kalixians I’ve met.

  “Rise, Malav,” he says. “Welcome home.”

  I see Malav’s face relax a little as the prince settles back into his throne. Khrelan’s eyes flick to me, and I can’t help but shiver a little at the way they sweep over me, calculating. My fate rests in the hands of this Kalixian I’ve never met, and I want desperately to reach for Malav’s hand.

  But I don’t, squaring my shoulders as I stand up with Malav.

  “Tell me this news,” Prince Khrelan says, steepling his fingers under his chin. “What of the Orkun? Where are the other men now? What could have caused you to come back without them?”

  His voice is carefully neutral, and it unnerves me. He could be thinking anything right now, and I would have no idea until his mind was made up.

  “We fought hard against the Orkun,” Malav says, lifting his chin. “But we were captured. They cannot beat us with brawn, but their technology is still beyond what we have attained. They took us prisoner, intending to use us as sport. They have made a deal with Terra, taking many women from them in exchange for not destroying the Terran people as they did to our race and so many others. They intended to give the women to their warlords as brides, and pit us against each other in a gladiator fight meant to raise the blood of the warlords before their breeding ceremony with the women.”

  I see the prince’s brow furrow, his eyes filling with disgust, and I’m glad for that reaction. It’s clear that he couldn’t mask it, and it fills me with hope. If he finds the actions of the Orkun that appalling, surely he’ll be kind to me and the other women.

  “I see that their intended sport did not come to pass,” the prince says dryly. “How did you escape?” He frowns, looking concerned. “Or are you all that is left?”

  “No, my prince,” Malav says quickly. “Tordax led us in a revolt against the Orkun. We lost a few of our brothers, it is true. But the majority of Alpha Force survived. And many of the Orkun were killed in the battle, although we were not able to destroy them all.”

  “That is good news.” The prince rubs one hand over his mouth. “What else? Where are the other men, then?”

  “On Wauru,” Malav tells him. “We rescued the Terran women, and set a course to refuel before heading back home to Kalix…”

  I listen as he describes the events that transpired after the Kalixian rebellion against the Orkun, and it takes effort to keep a neutral expression as Malav speaks. Sometimes it’s hard to believe all of this has happened to me and the motley band of women who were stolen from earth. It feels more like a story that happened to someone else.

  How can all of this possibly be real?

  But we were thrown off course, and crash-landed on Wauru,” Malav continues. “Since then, we have been in Monri, fighting to earn money to purchase a new ship and return home.” He pauses, and I can see the wheels in his head turning.

  “Harper, the woman who is with me, wanted to return home to Terra. She procured a ship for that purpose, but I could not let her go alone. The ship malfunctioned, but we were able to take control of it and reach Kalix so that I could bring you news of Tordax and the others. It is my hope that you will allow me to send a ship back to Wauru to collect them and the other women and bring them back home. They have fought hard and well, and it is long past time for them to see their home planet again.”

  Prince Khrelan looks at him sharply. “You say you were not able to leave this woman to travel alone. Why is that?”

  Malav swallows hard, his shoulders tensing. This is the moment, I realize. He will tell the prince about the bond, and Khrelan will accept it or not.

  “The mate bond has returned to our people, my prince,” Malav says quietly. “It first appeared with Tordax and one of the Terran women called Rose. It is unmistakable. And now… it has awakened in me as well.”

  The prince’s lips twitch, and I see him press them together tightly. “You’re telling me that this Terran woman next to you is your Irisa? And that Tordax has a human Irisa as well?”

  “Yes, my prince,” Malav says firmly. “It is so.”

  Khrelan laughs. “Are you sure that you have not simply mistaken lust for the bond?” His blue gaze sweeps over me, and I shrink back a little. “She’s very beautiful. I’m sure the others are as well. But humans are weak and fragile. I’m surprised that one of them could survive the mating lust of our warriors, much less bond with you. And I find it hard to believe that such a mismatched pair could produce offspring for our race, which is the purpose of such a bond.”

  “Harper is not weak.” Malav takes a step forward, as if to shield me from Khrelan’s sharp gaze. “She procured a ship on her own on a strange planet. When the ship’s technology turned against us, she helped me fight it and discovered how to manually override it, enabling us to safely reach Kalix. She learned how to pilot the ship at my side, having never done such a thing, in order to help me reach that goal. She has been at my side for weeks now, and I have never met a braver, stronger woman. She may not be a warrior in battle, but she is intelligent, and an iqha in her own right. She is my Irisa, my prince. My soul has recognized hers. There can be no doubt. And Tordax will tell you the same when he returns to you with his Irisa.”

  Watching him stand up to the prince, his chin high and shoulders squared, his entire being focused on defending me, I feel my heart swell with love for Malav. He truly is a warrior, every inch of him an alpha male set on defending me, even to his own prince.

  He would do anything for me.

  And I would do the same for him.

  “Hmm.” Prince Khrelan frowns, looking at Malav and then back at me. “But no pregnancy has resulted from this yet?”

  I flush red, but Malav simply shakes his head. “Not that I am aware of, my prince. But it is early yet.”

  “And you say it is undeniable? That Tordax’s bond is the same?”

  “There can be no doubt.”

  “What of the other men? Have they found mates among these Terran women, or others?”

  “Not that I am aware of, not yet. But they know of the possibility. They are open to recognizing the bond if it should appear.”

  The prince sighs. “I am skeptical of this, Malav,” he says flatly. “Aside from the obvious reasons, the people may not like this. We have only ever mated among our own people. They may not like the idea of mixing with Terrans—or any other alien race.”

  “Our species will die unless we change.” Malav’s voice is firm. “This is a chance, my lord. A chance for us to thrive again. We have lived for years believing that there is no future for our race. That the only choice is to fight until we are extinct. But now there is a chance. There is a future… one where the Kalixians continue and perhaps even thrive. Our planet, our species… we need not die.”

  “There are some who will say extinction is better than mingling with Terrans, and you know it.”

  “You are our prince, our ruler. They will listen to you.”

  “We will see. It has been a long time since you have been home, Malav.” The prince looks suddenly very tired, and older than before. “I will send a ship to Wauru to collect Tordax and the men. The Terran women may come too, if they wish. We will see what comes of it.”

  “Thank you, my lord.” Malav bows deeply, and the prince leans back in his throne.

  “I’ll see to it that the ship leaves tomorrow,” he says. “You may go.”

  I turn to leave, but Malav surprises me by speaking out, causing me to stop in my tracks. “My prince, there is one
more thing.”

  I turn slowly, seeing Khrelan grimace slightly. “Yes?” he says.

  “My prince, I have something to confess.” Malav speaks slowly, and my heart tightens in my chest. For a moment, I almost can’t breathe.

  He’s going to tell him the truth, I realize. He’s going to choose to live.

  The words fall from Malav’s lips with effort, and I can tell how hard this is for him as he grinds them out.

  “Some time ago, I was poisoned by a Gronak in battle, my lord. The poison has been infecting me slowly since then, held at bay by an antidote. Which Harper helped me to administer after the gladiator fights in Monri,” he adds, warmth gleaming in his eyes as he glances at me. “I owe my life to her many times over.” He pauses, then shifts his focus back to Khrelan. “I… I must request that I be allowed treatment for it, my prince. Without it, I will die.”

  The prince gazes at him for a moment, brows drawing together. “I know this causes you great pain,” he says slowly. “Both in your body, and because of how you have devoted your life to serving in the Alpha Force. It would be a great loss to our people to lose you. You have been one of our finest warriors.”

  I feel Malav tense next to me.

  “I cannot allow you to go on serving as you have been, if you wish to receive this treatment. You know the rules, and I cannot change them.”

  The bond between us lets me feel every emotion that sweeps through Malav. His shoulders sag, his body seeming to curve in on itself at the weight of Prince Khrelan’s words.

  “But,” the prince continues, and Malav looks up sharply. “I am in need of a new military advisor. Vralen, who served me faithfully for many years and my father before me, has succumbed to age and illness. If you would be willing to step into that role, it would be a great boon to me to have you at my side. You have always been one of the fiercest and most intelligent fighters in Alpha Force. I would be honored if you would accept.”

  Malav stares at him for the briefest of moments, and I can see the pain in his eyes. No matter how generous the prince’s offer, or how much of an honor it might be, Malav’s place has always been at Tordax’s side. I know that he always envisioned himself living out his life there, on the battlefield.

  But he has more than just that now. I reach for his hand, sliding my fingers through his and squeezing gently, trying to reassure him. I can see the pride in his expression too, the acknowledgement of what Prince Khrelan is offering him—the validation of his years of work and sacrifice.

  He squeezes my hand in return as he looks up at his prince with his chin held high.

  “I accept your offer with pride, my prince. It will be my life’s honor to serve at your side.”

  Relief washes over me, making my knees a little weak.

  Malav will still have the ability to serve his people, to help Kalix thrive. And now I won’t have to fear losing him. The treatment will heal him. He won’t die. We can make a life here, in the home he never thought he would live in.

  We can both start anew.

  25

  Harper

  Malav and I go to the docking bay the next morning to see the ship to Wauru off. Our ship has been brought back to Jocia for repairs as well, and I feel a slight wave of nostalgia as I see it sitting in one of the hangars.

  Of all the things that I once thought I might do with my life, piloting a spaceship was never one of them.

  A lot of terrible and frightening things happened on that ship—but some wonderful things as well. All in all, there are more good memories than bad. And some of them send a delicious shiver down my spine, which Malav doesn’t fail to notice.

  “It’ll be manually operable now,” Malav says as we pause in front of the ship. “The artificial intelligence has been taken out altogether. It wasn’t well integrated with the vessel to begin with, as we experienced. But as a manual ship, this one ought to do well.”

  I press my lips together as a small wave of sadness washes over me. I had a small hope that Molly—the artificial intelligence I made friends with—might still be in the ship somehow, or that I might get to speak to her again. It feels odd to be sad because I lost a computer program, but it doesn’t feel as if that’s all she was.

  Malav glances over at me as we leave the hangar, standing in the Jocian sunlight as the ship headed to Wauru begins to take off, vibrating the ground we’re standing on. It lifts my spirits a little, knowing that in a couple of weeks, Rose and the others will be here. I love Malav dearly, but I actually miss Rose and several of the other women too. I’ve never been one to have girlfriends, but it seems that my love life isn’t the only thing that’s changing.

  I like the new person that I’m becoming, I realize.

  “Why do you look sad?” Malav asks curiously as we begin to walk back to the transport pod that will take us home. “The ship will bring back the others soon. I start treatment tomorrow. It’s a good day.”

  “I know. There’s a lot to be happy about.” I shake my head, chastising myself inwardly. “It’s silly.”

  He frowns at me. “If you feel it, it is not silly, my Irisa. What is it?”

  “It’s the AI—Molly,” I admit hesitantly. “I know it’s stupid, but it kind of feels like I lost a friend. Like we bonded, on the ship. I’ve never made friends easily. So it makes me sad that I’ll never get to speak to her again. Even though I know she wasn’t really… real. I don’t know.”

  I shrug, looking away. I feel more than a little foolish.

  But when I glance back, Malav is smiling slyly, as if he has some kind of secret.

  The sound of metallic footsteps on the platform behind me startle me, and I turn to see a distinctly female robot walking toward us. She’s about six inches shorter than I am, with a very feminine face and shape, painted in teal and white, with metallic caps on either side of her head that mimic the way hair might lie against her face. I stare at her for a moment, then look back at Malav, who’s grinning with something almost like glee.

  And then it dawns on me.

  “Molly?” I exclaim, staring at the robot with wide eyes. “How… are you… what is this?”

  “Your mate transferred my programming to this metal shell so that I could experience existence alongside you,” Molly says, with just a touch of humor to her voice. “He has invited me to come to Jocia, where there will be numerous opportunities for me to utilize my programming to serve the greater good.”

  “You… oh my god!” I take a step closer to her. “I never thought I’d see you again!”

  “My programming tells me that the human response to this is to… hug. Would you like a hug?” Molly looks up at me, and I can’t help but grin.

  “Yes, I would,” I tell her as I reach out, the strangeness of embracing a robot completely lost on me. All I can think about is how happy I am to have my friend back with me.

  “And you’ll come live in Jocia with us? Is that what you want?”

  “Of course. I would like to be near my friend. Perhaps we can get to know the city together.” Molly smiles at me, and I stare at her in disbelief for another long moment.

  “We have so much to catch up on!” I tell her, and she smiles.

  “Soon,” she promises. “We can talk all we want later. But first… “She flickers one eyelid in a very close approximation of a wink. “I’ll leave the two of you alone for a while. I can tell your mate is restless.”

  My eyebrows shoot up, and a laugh bursts out of me. Now that she’s no longer glitching, I can see how fast she’s picking up on the intricacies of relationships and human behavior. I can practically feel Malav’s happiness and desire radiating from him where he stands behind me.

  “I can see why you like her, Harper.” His low voice holds a touch of humor as he steps up behind me. He inclines his head to Molly. “Welcome to Kalix.”

  “Thank you.” She smiles, then looks at me again. “I believe we do have a lot to catch up. You told him, didn’t you?”

  Tears prick at the corn
ers of my eyes as I nod. She’s asking if I told Malav I love him. “Yeah. I did.”

  “Then, shoo!” She waves a hand at me. “I have to run through a few more tests and protocols before I take the transport to Jocia. Don’t wait for me. Go celebrate together, and I’ll see you later.”

  “Okay.” I grin at her, then turn back to my mate.

  I’ve been watching Malav send heated glances my way all morning, and I’m as eager as he is to get back to the house. Having our own bed, in our own home, is something new and wonderful. There’s no worry about the ship malfunctioning, the gravity shutting off, or anything bursting out to try to kill us. It’s just the two of us, and I can’t get enough of him.

  The moment the transport pod gets back, I practically drag him into the house. As the door closes behind us, I rise up on my tiptoes, my hands sliding into his hair as I kiss him fiercely.

  He rouses to my touch immediately. It took all of one day for him to go back to wearing the loincloth that he prefers—especially since at court and while serving Khrelan, he’ll have to dress in the way that they all do—and I can feel him beneath it, rock hard against my thigh.

  I slide my hand down his side, tugging loose the cord that holds it together and wrapping my fingers around his thick shaft, teasing them along the length of it as he gasps against my mouth.

  “So eager,” he murmurs, his hips thrusting into my hand.

  “I can’t wait to show you just how much,” I return.

  Then I sink to my knees right there in the entry room, looking up at him as I guide him to my lips. I always hated being asked to do this before. If felt a little degrading to kneel in front of someone.

  But it doesn’t feel that way with Malav at all.