Series: Zandian Brides Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“Such as?” His voice doesn’t change.
“Um, I think I was tied down. I do remember pain.” I squeeze my eyes shut because these memories are true and they are hideous. “I think they may have wanted to enhance my, you know, muscles and stuff.” I gesture at my body. “See if they could make me stronger.”
“They have done that before,” the doctor says to Bayla.
She nods, face sympathetic. “I know this is hard, Sia, and you’re doing so well. Just a few more questions this planet rotation.”
As she starts to talk, the strange buzzing happens in my head, the thing that’s happened a few times already. I touch my temple and wince.
“Sia, about Project Alpha. How did they plan to enhance you? I feel like you may know more than you think you do. Try to concentrate.”
The buzzing turns into clicks and roars in my ears. Then it stops.
“I really can’t say.” I shrug, hoping I look concerned but empty of information. “I hope to remember more soon.” I add, “I really do want to help,” and this part I mean completely.
There’s a tap at the door, and the doctor turns. “Excuse me. I need to address him.” He touches Bayla’s shoulder, at once reassuring and dominant, and I yearn for that kind of connection with Daven.
“Doctor, we’ve received intel that the Karran are going to be doing close runs through the area, ostensibly on route guide and map creation missions. We’re concerned that they’re really spying for the Ocretions with the intention to get air to surface high res pictures of our planet and assess our capabilities. We need to discuss any masking or cloaking techniques with you and the experts and whether we can dissuade them from the forays.”
“Not here, S-”
The buzz is back, and this time it’s accompanied by a series of zaps. They’re painless, but each time it happens, my vision resets, and dizziness flickers through my body.
I shudder and shake my head. Then I remember–there’s a chip in my head. A chip that can be used to fry me from the inside out. I can’t seem to remember what its purpose is, but something makes me believe the chip activated to record these words. Mother Earth, if there was only a way to make it stop.
When the door opens again, It’s Daven. He nods to me, then he and the doctor confer for a few minutes. The doctor takes my wrist device and checks the readings, then shakes his head while he and Daven continue to speak in voices too low for me to overhear.
Daven
Sia appears pale and anxious after her session with Dr. Daneth.
Part of me wants to snatch her up, tell the doctor to leave her the veck alone and carry her back to my domicile where I can protect her from every being.
But, then again, she might be stressed because she’s hiding something. Dr. Daneth seems to think she knows more than she’s saying and is afraid to talk, but he said her inability to give us clear information could also relate to her head trauma and memory loss.
I’m not sure what to think.
As we’re walking out, Axe emerges from another lab room, his large hand clamped around the nape of Flora, the human with the punishment tattoos and shorn head.
She holds her head high, and there’s a stubborn angle to her chin, as if she intends to resist Axe, if not bodily then with her mind. Her emotions.
“Flora!” Sia cries when she sees her friend. She throws her arms around the pale-skinned female, and Flora murmurs something in her ear that I can’t make out.
“She can’t speak to you now,” Axe growls, pulling Flora away and sending Sia a dark look that makes my right hand curl into a fist.
But that’s foolish. Axe isn’t threatening my female.
At least, he’d better-vecking-not be.
“Where are you taking her?” Sia’s voice is shrill with fear.
“She’s all right, little human,” I assure her. “You all are safe here on Zandia. Axe won’t hurt her.”
Axe straightens his shoulders, and a muscle in his jaw jumps. “Of course, I won’t,” he says stiffly. “We just need answers.” He sends another glower Sia’s way. “From all of you humans.”
“We’ll get answers.” I sound more positive than I feel, but I don’t like the unease dripping from Axe. I don’t want it spilling over into my relationship with Sia.
I’m already growing attached to having her in my domicile. To being her master.
“If they wish to remain on Zandia, they will have to divulge everything. We’re not harboring agents of Ocretia.”
I scoff. Now Axe is being ridiculous. “No human is an agent of Ocretia. They were slaves. They had to scrape and cower just to stay alive. Remember that when you’re questioning your female.”
For the first time, Flora turns her haughty gaze, which had been pointedly directed away from Axe, up to his face. She searches for something there.