Page 31 of Bound By the Vori

“But this is also a habit that could be utilized for other purposes,” Vadal murmured, and Rykaal dipped his head in acknowledgment as the male sighed. “And the plant?”

“Brought in by a palace guard. Again, you should be able to access the reports directly. I did not witness anything abnormal or anything within the princess’s behavior that suggested that she had orchestrated anything. If anything, it seemed that she was in shock when Kim collapsed. It was considered that it was perhaps an accident, and that the female did not intend for her gift to have that effect, but Kim is convinced that Zana did not do it. The Elite Guard on shift before mine admitted to carrying the box in when it was delivered by one of the palace guards. The male was located and questioned, but he barely recalled the package since there are so many that he must deliver. He only recalled it at all because it was rare for Zana to have a delivery. According to him, it was delivered by one of the local couriers, but he cannot remember which, nor has the investigation been able to discover which courier is responsible since most of the couriers in Evath operate throughout the day and night cycles.”

Vadal grimaced. “And yet it all lines up. The plant itself is a normal decorative one that is favored by many Vori and likely passes through many shops dealing in plants. A simple order by comm could bring one into the palace. And the princess had every opportunity to cause the problem at the vorubal. Any of which can be explained by the madness creeping in and destroying the rationality of the female. At this point, if it is Zana, that can be the only answer. I have questioned the princess at length during my examination. Everything indicates that she absolutely believes that she had nothing to do with either of these events.”

Rykaal glanced over at the machine analyzing the samples, the metal cylinder operated with only the faintest of hums that still managed to make his scales itch. “How long until you have the results?”

The doctor followed his gaze. “Just a few more hours. There was one other thing I wished to discuss with you before your return to duty.” His expression turned thoughtful as his eyes slid back to Rykaal. “I understand of all the guards who were selected that you are the first to have a breeding mate. It would be pertinent to my studies if I were allowed to examine your mate and return after their arrival to take some samples from your nestlings—it would all be quite quick and painless, I assure you,” he added quickly when Rykaal’s tail began to vibrate and rattle. “It is nothing that I have not done to my nestlings. My mate, Reggie, accompanied me. She insisted,” he added wryly. “She forgets that she is no longer the only human who has birthed nestlings from whom your mate can receive advice, but she was so pleased with the prospect, a rare one for her as isolated as our clan is, that I could deny her nothing.”

“I cannot speak for Kim,” Rykaal replied warily, “but I will pass your message along and schedule an appointment with you if she agrees. She may enjoy gaining the perspective of a human female with experience on Vora and with Vori nestlings.”

Vadal gave him a pleased and confident smile. “Excellent. I will be here for another day before I return to Norveth. I will transfer to you my personal comm details.”

With a click from the doctor’s comm, Rykaal felt the proximity request chime on his own and immediately accepted the connection.

“Received,” he informed the doctor.

“Good. That will be all for now. You may return to your post. And thank you for your time, Rykaal. As for Kim, just give me your answer as soon as possible at your convenience.”

“You will have your answer tonight,” Rykaal promised.

There was no doubt of it. Kim was nothing if not decisive.

Twenty-Six

The first sign of their visitors was the male standing on guard in the front of the medical unit. Although smaller compared to the palace guards, and boasting a vivid orange color, the male had a grim appearance to him made even more pronounced by the scars lacerating his body. He stiffened as they approached, his crown coils rising around him warily. Her first thought was concern that this was the doctor—if so she was highly considering turning back around and returning to her nest—but she reconsidered and sent up a private prayer of thanks when he made no move to stop them or to greet them at their approach. Instead, he nodded politely and shifted aside so that they entered, but Kim felt a cold shiver overtake her as his eyes followed them inside before the door finally slid closed and provided a barrier between them.

“Nest sentinel,” Sijhord supplied in a low voice as if that said everything.

Kim puzzled over it for a moment and then the light clicked. Oh! He was Reggie’s Sijhord. Just a hell of a lot scarier. He looked like he would snack on humans as a vocation, not be mated to and protecting one.

“Oh, I hope Shaagra didn’t scare you,” a curvy blonde said, drawing Kim’s startled attention directly to her. The broad, friendly smile with which the woman greeted her was both unexpected and a relief compared to the dour male guarding the door. “He’s not terribly social, but he insisted to be the one to accompany me while Walooth remained home with our nestlings.”

“That is Walooth’s purpose as a breeder mate, Reggie, to care for the female and nestlings,” a dark blue male replied as he rose and greeted Kim with a polite smile. “Kim. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He glanced over at her mates. “Rykaal, it is a pleasure to see you again. And to meet you as well, Sijhord,” he added, dipping his head toward her other mate.

Entirely professional and polite, Dr. Vadal es’EtaliAgor somehow matched up to exactly what Kim expected and hoped for. Serene, with a cool temperament and only a little gruff, he was the epitome of how she imagined an alien doctor to be. He was polite, thorough, and detached through the entire examination under Rykaal and Sijhord’s watchful eyes. Reggie, however, was something else. How the hell did a relationship work between that male and such a bubbly female? She couldn’t even imagine the match between them being made.

Kim stared at her as the woman practically bounced in place at her side while Vadal ran a scanner over her belly, trying to work it out but she was coming up with nothing. “I don’t get it,” she finally said, unable to keep it in a moment longer. “How exactly are you two mated?”

Reggie’s eyes widened, and for a moment Kim wondered if she had hurt her feelings with her blunt observation but relaxed when the other woman suddenly laughed. “Oh, I know we don’t quite look like we fit together, but I promise we fit together even if we didn’t match the way other humans on Vora have.” She gave her mate a doting look. “He just stepped in and rescued me, and I guess it was just love at first sight—more or less.”

The male in question glanced up at them, his expression softening at his mate’s words. The scanner chimed, drawing his gaze back to it, and his smile widened, cracking the male’s stoic expression. “And there they are. Looks like you will be carrying live offspring like some of the mountain and deep jungle Vori do, Kim. This is good. It should be a little less traumatizing in that you know what to expect since this is something natural to your species as well.”

“About as un-traumatizing as actual birth is,” Reggie input wryly, drawing a chuckle from Kim. “But no, seriously, the eggs may seem easy on paper, but I was terrified every moment with mine, and then the anxiety of waiting for them to hatch. Gods, no. Much better to just go this way if you can.”

“It is surprising. Genetic signatures determine offspring by both Vadal and Sijhord,” he said, glancing over at Sijhord. “I would not have expected to see this trait when the male comes from this part of the Western Continent, but then, given your appearance, it is likely you have a sire whose bloodline comes from those regions if not your mother. It seldom naturally appears from lines that isolated along the coasts. They are all healthy. One of them is a few days older than the others, but still within healthy parameters for gestation for all three fetuses. Do you wish to know the paternity of the offspring?”

Kim glanced curiously at her mates. She was leaving this up to them. As curious as she was, she understood how important the shared-fathering concept was, at least in this part of Vora, and didn’t want to force them into something that would make them uncomfortable.

To her pleasure both males shook their heads, their tails lifting to wind around her ankles.

“It does not matter to us,” Rykaal murmured as he gave an affectionate look to his nestmate. “They will be reared together with knowing no difference in paternity just as I was raised.”

“And how I wished I was raised,” Sijhord added with a grimace. “I have seen firsthand how favoritism, even unintended, can play among males when they know a nestling is theirs. It can be logged into their medical and hereditary data, but otherwise we are happy to not know and not have any undue influence in our relationship with our nestlings.”

Vadal glanced over at Kim for affirmation, and she nodded. She didn’t need to know either. Another smile creased his face, and he nodded as he made a note of it.

“Are you ready to see your offspring then?” he asked, his eyes suddenly brightening. The dour doctor act couldn’t quite hide the fact that this was obviously his favorite part.

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