Stolen - Nhys Glover Page 0,100

thing,” Maica declared, striding up to join us and wrapping his arms around Bronwyn from behind.

“My guys thought so,” I said, looking at my three branded Danans.

They’d finished their trial a month after the war ended. The argument had been that once the babies were born they’d have no time for it. And even though I’d railed at the insanity of it—hadn’t they already proven themselves worthy by fighting hundreds of Vargeez? Why did they have to spoil their perfectly beautiful faces with those cruel brands?—they did it anyway.

Of course, I couldn’t help getting a thrill when I saw them with their perfectly burned marks. They looked older and more dangerous, I realized. And I found I liked it.

Rian had regretted not being able to undergo the trial, as well, but his Theran body wasn’t up to the rigors of a trial designed to test the worth of a Danan body. I pointed out to him that he’d proven his worth over and over again during my rescue and the subsequent war. And his face would not have suited the brands. I liked having one pretty husband.

“Is that Wraith?” Bronwyn asked, standing on tiptoes, trying to see over heads.

Maica lifted her up onto his red shoulders. Her initial shriek of surprise immediately morphed into a laugh. I could tell by her red cheeks that she didn’t like attracting attention, but she wasn’t about to keep her husband from his play.

“Yes, it is Wraith. He looks so proud. Piety looks amazing. Life on their farm definitely suits her,” Bronwyn told us from her perch.

She began to wave, and Piety shyly waved back. I saw it through Rian’s eyes.

In the next instant, Piety was hoisted onto Yatis’ emerald shoulders. After letting out a yelp, Piety clung to her podmate’s braid and pleaded to be put down.

“She’s just found out she’s pregnant,” Savannah told us. “I guess they have more to celebrate than just Wraith’s brands.”

“Oh, I’m happy for her. If ever there was a born mother it’s Piety. Her podmates lost family in the war, didn’t they?” Bronwyn said, still content to remain on her perch.

“Yes. They’re seeing this as a rebirth for their familial pod,” Maica said.

“That war,” Bronwyn grumbled. “It should never have happened. The Confederacy should have done something about those monsters years ago. We don’t have a large enough population to absorb the kind of losses we sustained. It will be years before the economy is back on track.”

“You can blame a lot of that on the Darkness and his rogue storm,” Raesus said, accompanying Marissa to our side.

“No sign of any witches?” I asked him. I still had nightmares of those awful creatures.

“No. The Confederacy did something right and destroyed them all. No sign of them in Fourth Density, either,” Raesus answered.

“So the Darkness won’t return. That’s reassuring,” Marissa said. “How are you settling in to your new body, Rian?”

“Hardly new. I’ve now been in this one a fifth of my life,” Rian answered with amusement.

“Someone is good at Math,” Bronwyn said with pride.

Rian rolled his eyes. “I’m not a kid anymore, Mother. Simple Math is nothing to be proud of. I’m an adult and behave like one. You don’t see me sitting around on anyone’s shoulders, do you?”

“You were a more respectful son in your original body,” Rhain grumbled.

Maica patted Bronwyn’s thigh, which was covered by a gown the color of a Vargan sunset. “He has an old body, so he thinks he has an old head to match.”

“Rian was born old. Like Charsus,” Meida said, coming to wrap me in his arms.

I loved how affectionate Danans were with their podmates. Except for Savannah, who was alone at the moment, all the podmates in sight were wrapped in loving arms. Or sitting on loving shoulders.

Music started up and filled the warehouse in moments. It was great that it was Gaian music and an old favorite of mine: Ed Sheeran’s Perfect.

“Yah! Dancing!” Savannah declared with a shriek of excitement.

She looked around for one of her podmates and her scarred mate caught her attention.

She ran off and began dragging Zevran onto the designated dance floor. The magenta colored Danan looked like he wanted to be anywhere other than where he was, but he stoically wrapped his podmate in his arms and began moving his body in time with the slow music.

More Danans and their podmates began to filter onto the dance floor. I wanted to be out there too, but I wasn’t about to drag any of my