Lacey's Warriors (Bondmates #6) - Ann Mayburn Page 0,49
bonded to two fine Kadothian Warriors, and together they rule a large and profitable Territory in the Cliffs of Goeth Region.” His firm lips quirked, and a dimple appeared in his cheek. “Though, do not tell her that. She does not like being referred to as a ruler. She insists she was born with a tin spoon, not a silver one, in her mouth.”
Choking on her laughter through her tears, Lacey nodded. “Yep, that sounds like my mom.”
Hesitantly moving a little closer, Wythe gave her a weary look before he said, “If I release you, do you promise not to attack me? Lady Tara said you would attempt to pummel my buttocks into next week.”
An edge of hysteria colored her giggles as she said, “I think you mean ‘kick your ass into next week’.”
“Yes, that is it. Will you promise not to attack me?”
“Prove to me that my mom sent you.”
He smiled, his sharp jawline becoming even more defined. “Of course. She left a message for you.”
Wythe gestured to the far wall and Lacey began to cry as her mother, looking like a woman who was barely thirty instead of forty-four, and dressed like some lavish sci-fi Queen, assured Lacey that she was okay. Tara went on to explain that, before Lacey was abducted, Phin and Karwin, two Kadothian Warriors, had begun to court Tara back on Earth. She didn’t go into a lot of detail, but Lacey let out a heartbroken sob as Jillian joined her grandmother on the big screen, her normally bouncy curls dyed a soft baby pink that set off her sparkling brown eyes. She wore a lovely yellow and orange dress and had some kind of furry white and blue animal that resembled a squirrel and a rabbit held in her arms.
“Mommy!” Jillian shouted, holding her pet toward the camera. “I got a mellopper, and his name is Daniel, and he’s six months old. He’s tiny now, but like me, he’s gonna get big. Someday he’ll be big enough that I can ride him like a horse!”
For the next five minutes Jillian talked in a non-stop stream, filling Lacey in on all the things she’d missed. While being away from her baby sucked, Jillian would always leave her video messages in her email telling her mom about every aspect of her day. When Lacey was deployed, she’d lived for those messages from her daughter, and Lacey loved to record them. She was a bit of a ham, and very talkative.
Tara gave the camera a wry smile before she kissed the top of Jillian’s head and cut off her stream of chatter by saying, “Why don’t you take Daniel back to his Mommy, sweetheart? I bet he’s getting hungry.”
“Okay,” Jillian chirped before turning the full power of her adorable smile on the camera. “I miss you, Mommy. Please come home soon, okay?”
As Jillian scampered off screen, Tara watched her go with a fond smile before turning back to the screen. “There is much I cannot tell you right now, my love, but you can trust Wythe. We need to get you home to Kadothia as quickly as possible. Please don’t fight him, even if he can be a bit of a know-it-all and Mr. Bossy Britches. Reminds me of old man Evans down at the mechanic’s shop. He’s a pain in the ass, but I wouldn’t take my car anywhere else.” Her mom’s now unlined and bright eyes began to fill with tears. “I have been so worried about you, Lacey. I love you so, so much, baby. I’ll see you soon.”
Lacey’s breath came out in hitching sobs as she wrapped her arms around herself, realizing she was free of whatever had kept her restricted. Leaning forward, she startled for a moment as Wythe rubbed her hunched over her back. His touch was comforting, but her heart ached as she wished Gwarnon and Chel were there, even as she rejoiced that her mom and daughter were safe.
“One moment, my Lady,” Wythe said as he removed his hand, then a moment later handed her an absorbent hanky of bright teal cloth. “Here. Dry your tears. We are almost to Kadothia and Jillian would…what is the term Lady Tara uses? Jillian would freak out if she sees you crying. She is a sensitive and empathetic little girl. In fact, she has a drop of your gift, though like most human women, she uses it intuitively rather than consciously.”
“My gift?” Lacey scrubbed her face then stood, stretching out her