Page 15 of Radakk's Mate
A vengeful, wounded part of me thinks it would serve my father right. I got caught spying because my stomach emitted a loud growl. If he hadn’t withheld my daily food rations as punishment, I wouldn’t have gotten caught in the first place.
There’s also the fact that he’s forced me to spy for him since I was a little girl. Just five years old. Five years old and still mourning the disappearance of my mother. I was never given a choice, and he forced me to risk my life again and again.
As for my uncles and cousins, the latter of whom are all grown men, they aren’t much better than my father. They’re fully aware of his cruel tendencies and have never spoken out on my behalf. They’ve never defended me or slipped me any food when I was starving.
Four days. When I was fifteen and failed to gather some very specific information my father wanted, he withheld my food rations for four days, allowing me nothing but water. And my uncles and cousins? They laughed when I became so lightheaded that I stumbled and fell. Bastards.
Tears burn in my eyes, but I’m quick to blink them away. I glance at the bio monitors on my wrists and try to calm my emotions. The last thing I want is Emperor Radakk storming onto the ship in search of me.
Deep breaths. In and out. Everything is okay.
My father can’t hurt me right now. Even if he knows my location, he can’t reach me. Maybe he’s dead. Maybe my uncles and cousins are imprisoned or dead.
If I’m being honest, I’m not heartbroken at the prospect.
Does that make me a shitty person? I don’t know. All I know is that they treated me terribly and the thought of never seeing them again fills me with relief.
Even if the alternative is spending my life as the mate of a Darrvason royal who wants to breed me.
A noise in the entryway has me jumping to my feet. Confused, I stare at the front door as it zips open and two women walk inside, their steps rapid. They’re holding several bags and gowns between them. Just before the door closes, I catch a glimpse of a guard lingering in the corridor.
“Who are you? What’s going on?” I ask as the women approach. I don’t recognize them, but that’s nothing unusual. Over fifty thousand people call theJansonnahome.
“I’m Mandy Benton,” the youngest of the two says, “and this is my mother, Adrianna. We’re here to get you ready.”
“Ready for what?” A sinking feeling comes over me.
Adrianna gives me a soothing, maternal look that makes me wonder how my life would’ve turned out if my mother hadn’t disappeared. Maybe she would’ve talked my father out of his mad plans, or if all else failed, taken me away from his influence.
“Humankind has secured an alliance with the Darrvasons, and the first wave of women are being given to the aliens this morning,” Adrianna says. “We were told that you were already informed you’d be in this first group. Anyway, the handoff occurs in one hour, and as soon as the women are aboard theHaxxal, the Darrvasons will send over a repair team to help our troubled worldship. The captain announced the alliance with the Darrvasons about three weeks ago, but he postponed the handoff for a while so the first wave of randomly selected women could be given more time with their families.”
Randomly selected? Huh. Guess I’m the only woman who was handpicked to be among the first wave of mates for the aliens. Lucky me. Chosen by the Darrvason emperor himself.
“How many women will be handed over in total?” My mouth goes dry as I remember the number Emperor Radakk demanded. A minimum of two thousand. It still seems unreal.
“Two thousand one hundred and thirty,” Mandy says, her face going pale. “Thirty during the first wave, followed by one hundred—uh, those women will be handed over after the Darrvasons complete repairs on theJansonna—and finally, two thousand women in the final wave. The last wave, however, won’t be surrendered until the aliens guide us to a habitable planet.”
I shake my head, feeling sorry for all the women who will be selected. The women who won’t have a choice. Over two thousand. That’s a lot of families that’ll be ripped apart.
Adrianna gives me a sympathetic smile, then ruffles one of the gowns that’s strewn over her arm. “My daughter and I have been tasked with getting you ready. All the women are expected to wear beautiful dresses, and we brought a few selections for you to try on. We’ll fix your hair too. And, um, we’re also supposed to permanently remove your underarm, leg, and nether hair. We have a device that’ll make it quick and painless.”
“Please cooperate with us,” Mandy says in a soft, beseeching tone. “If we don’t get you ready in time, the captain won’t be pleased. My sister is sick and the extra rations we’ll receive for our services today will pay for a trip to the medical bay.”
“I’ll cooperate,” I’m quick to assure her. “I’m sorry about your sister, and I hope she’ll be okay.”
They exchange a relieved glance, then start arranging their supplies on a nearby table.
“Did you bathe recently?” Adrianna asks, eyeing my hair.
“Yes, I showered and washed my hair just this morning.”
“Perfect. Let’s get started.”
Chapter8
THALIA
Seated at a vanity,I stare at my reflection as Adrianna and Mandy work on my hair, styling my frizzy blonde locks into sleek wavy curls. I’m wearing a light pink dress constructed of shimmering fabric. The neckline is more low cut than I prefer, but it’s the most modest of the selections they’d brought, and it covers the bio monitors on my chest.
