Lacey's Warriors (Bondmates #6) - Ann Mayburn Page 0,75

kill her.”

Orushel seemed to appear out of nowhere as he stepped from behind a plant and activated a privacy shield. “Actually, my Lady, you are incorrect. I have interrogated one of the assassins. They belong to a growing anti-Earther movement on Kadothia that views human women as a plague that must be exterminated. They believe it is their sacred duty to kill you, that your kind are like the Hive but more clever because you can hide your evil.”

She threw back her head and screamed as pain and betrayal tore her apart. “Why! Why does everyone hate us? We’ve done nothing wrong! You were the ones that came to our planet and took us. You are the ones who forbid us from ever returning home. You are the ones that have done everything in your power to get the Matriarchs from Earth to Kadothia so we can help save your planet. And, this?” She threw her arms out at the carnage. “This is what we are sacrificing everything we know and love for? These are the people that we gave up everything to help?” She collapsed as she yelled so hard her head hurt. “They killed my husband! He isn’t human, he is Kadothian, and he has spent his entire life trying to do the best for his people, despite being raised by a vile bitch. You want to talk about evil hiding behind a pretty face? Take a hard look at yourselves, people of Kadothia. You’re worried about the snake in the grass when you’ve already got a scorpion in your boot.”

Chel came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms despite her struggles, his cool herbal scent reaching her when nothing else could. “Shhh, my alyah. He is all right. Gwarnon will live.”

She stared up at Chel. “What? But I saw him die.”

“No, my love, you saw his body go into hibernation. It is something Warriors are programed to do if we are gravely injured. He has survived much worse. In a few days, he will be as good as new.”

Breaking down completely, Lacey stumbled over to Gwarnon’s still form and placed a wet kiss on his lips. “I love you. I love you so much. Come back to us.”

Gwarnon’s lids flickered as he mumbled, “Not going anywhere. Chel told me about the Earth honeymoon tradition. Want that.”

Her laughter turned to sobs as he was once again put onto a medical bed and taken to the medical ward to heal.

Scooping her into his arms, Chel carried her inside and into her bed. He curled around her as she fell into an exhausted sleep.

Chapter 13

Gwarnon

Lord Rell sat down next to Gwarnon, his face grim as he studied the bandaged wound on Gwarnon’s torso. Half of his ribs had been ripped away, along with one lung. The weapon the assassin had used was a powerful one, but the wound had been compounded by Lacey’s belt. During the ceremony, moving entirely on instinct, Gwarnon had activated the security feature on the belt and shielded his bride. That shield had saved her from taking any damage from the energy bolt, but it had reflected it back, and Gwarnon had ended up getting shot twice. Once from the would-be assassin, and once from the shot ricocheting off Lacey’s shield.

The damage was extensive, and it would take a while for Gwarnon to get back to full strength. Even with Kadothia’s advanced medicines, it took time for the body to properly regrow a lung. Shifting in the medical chair that was still working on his injured back, Gwarnon turned his head so he could give his old friend a wry smile.

“Sorry you missed the bonding ceremony. It was quite thrilling.”

Lord Rell snorted, some of the darkness leaving his grave expression. “I heard from Chel that when you woke up from your bond with Lady Jelizel breaking, the first thing you wanted to do was get married. Why was that?”

Gwarnon had been anticipating this question, and wished he had a better answer than, “I just had this feeling that I had to get married as soon as possible. That it was important. And I had…this sense that if I waited, something terrible would happen. That same feeling told me I needed to get married in the Lord of Life’s outdoor temple. I know it does not make any sense, and it was probably a result of the shock of the bond breaking—”

“Oh no.” Lord Rell shook his head, his casual sleeveless silver tunic that matched