Gateway to HeVan (10 page)

“As soon as the doc clears you
, I’m bringing you a plate of lasagna,” Jennifer added.

“Cool.  I’m not really hungry, just thirsty.  Zephyr said I needed to push the fluids.”

Soon, she was settled back in the bed, sweating a little from the pain.  Moving so much had been a bit of an ordeal but she hadn’t wanted her friends to call in any of the warriors to lift her.  She was lying back and taking shallow breaths when Kylan returned. He held another drink.

“Here, Delpha says you can have some broth.  He said he would send
Catherine in to check your wounds a little later,” he said, handing her the cup.  “Are you ready to tell us what happened?” he asked.  He noted the signs which showed she had overdone it a little. 

“Excuse me
, Natalie; your health is more important than hearing the story right now.  Drink your beverage.  I’m going to see if you can be given a pain reliever.  I can see you are quite uncomfortable.”

“Thanks
, Kylan—I did push it a little.  I don’t want anything too strong, but I won’t say no for something to take the edge off the pain a little,” she answered.

Kylan
stepped out of the room to find one of the medicals.  The ship was in one piece; his mate was safe.  He could wait a little longer for the answers he needed.  He felt ashamed of himself for pushing her.  His worry over his own mate had nearly caused him to harm another’s.  Seeing Catherine at the end of the corridor coming to help Natalie, he strode over to meet her.

Thirty minutes later, Natalie had an injection to keep ahead of the pain
.  She’d had two cups of water and a coffee-flavored protein shake.  She was thinking more clearly and was ready to tell the story of what happened.  When Kylan returned, he had King Ben KowLer with him.

Natalie told them everything she remembered from the time she first met the duke in the docking station.  She took sips of the warm and soothing broth as she spoke.  She told them about
BianCa activating her personal communicator to let her know what was happening. 

“I don’t think she expected me to come to her rescue.  I think she expected to die.  She just wanted to make sure I called security so they would know what her husband was plotting and to save Addie and Grace.”

“Thank you, Natalie.  I had faith in my sister’s innocence in this plot, but it is good to have her innocence proven by another.  We are in your debt.  If there is anything you desire and the KowLer people can provide, please, just ask and it is yours,” he said.

“Well, I am getting married in a couple of days.  I could use a nice dress,” she said, blushing.

“Then you shall have the dress of your dreams,” Ben said with a smile. 

A dress was a small price to pay for his family’s honor and peace amongst his people. 

“If you will excuse me, I’d like to return to my sister’s room.”  He turned to Kylan.  “With your permission, I’ll use your communication equipment to contact my second in command with the information about what has happened.  We will need to make sure there is no backlash against the duke’s clan.  We need to preserve peace instead of having a war the duke wished for,” he said, bowing his way out.

Kylan had a few more questions and then he left. 

Catherine came in a few minutes later to check on how she was healing.

“Do I have to stay here?  Can’t I go back to my quarters if all I’m going to do is lie around for two days?” Natalie asked.

“We’re still testing Nephilim healing on humans.  I need to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction to the healing patch.  How do you feel about being a guinea pig?” she asked with a smile.

“Well, it’s better than the alternative,” Natalie told her
, as Catherine lowered the sheet and checked to see how her wound was healing. 

“You’re doing well.  Now, if you’re tired, you can sleep.  Or if you’d like some company, I’ll agree to a short excursion.”

“If you mean I can get out of this bed, I’m all for that!” said Natalie.

Catherine
grinned and called out.  Two large warriors came in with a chair. 

“This is Jenner and Evoxan; they came to your rescue.  So they have earned the privilege of helping you,”
Catherine explained.

“Hi, guys,” Natalie said.

They both got a little red in the face and bowed.  They didn’t have a wheelchair on board so they brought in an armchair.  The warrior named Jenner came around and lifted her off the bed and put her in the armchair.  Another warrior came in with two long sticks, which they placed under the arms of the chair, through two loops attached on either side. 

I feel like a maharajah or something,
Natalie thought.

They carried her out of the room.  After a few minutes, she wondered where they were taking her.  They passed through the waiting room and by the dining hall.  She was surprised when they headed to the largest docking bay.  She got the shock of her life when they carried her inside.  Nearly every man and woman on the ship was there.

She started to cry when all the warriors in the room knelt and pledged to do her bidding and see to her safety.  When they saw her tears, they all went quiet and looked confused. 

Grace, who was sitting in a chair at the front
, spoke, “Rule number one, women cry when they are sad, but they also cry when they are happy or moved emotionally.  Her tears mean she is touched and feels she doesn’t deserve your tribute.”

Natalie nodded to let them know Grace was telling the truth.  The men relaxed again.  Those
standing with their pregnant mates, laughed.  Soon, many were laughing.  The queen was alive as were all of them; it was a reason to celebrate―and celebrate they did.  Natalie even got a chance to taste a couple of bites of lasagna.  She was still healing, though, and it wasn’t long before she was beginning to feel tired.  She asked Jenner and Evoxan to return her to medical so she could rest.

The only ones missing were her
Ankida
; she missed them a lot and wished they were there.  She was settling down, trying to find a comfortable position, when Grace came in with her
Ankida
.

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you
earlier.  Addie has declared that you and your
Ankida
will be given a suite of rooms in the palace, which will be designated as yours throughout your lifetime.  According to her research, it’s the highest honor to be given a Nephilim, as they strongly believe in family and living in close family communities,” said Grace.

“I feel a little
bit as if I really don’t deserve it,” Natalie said quietly.  “I didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t have done if given the chance.”

Justyn
bent over her bed, took her hand in his and said, “What’s important is you did it.  You didn’t hesitate, though your own life was at risk.  Please allow us to honor you.”

“I’ll accept the honor.  I don’t want to embarrass all these guys or act
snotty.  I guess I’m still having trouble getting a handle on my emotions.  Tomorrow, I’d like to find out how that asshole got weapons on board the ship.  Right now, I need Peet and Reeko, but they have to stay in stasis until I’m all the way healed,” she said, turning pink.

“Don’t worry―in a couple of days, you’ll have your very own private celebration,” said Grace with a grin.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Natalie grinned back.

Since she was still bedridden, Addie watched on a monitor as Natalie was honored by her warriors.  She was happy for her friend.  This way, even though she was
joining
and moving to the Azure House lands, Natalie would be sure to visit HeVanth.

She turned to Kylan and Cassandra, who were sitting on the couch side by side.  “Please don’t feel bad
that you couldn’t warn Natalie in time.”

“I feel so helpless.  Maybe if I understood how this
Seer thing works, I could have saved BianCa.  They say she might die,” said Cassandra.

“Cassandra, the hardest part of your gift is
the knowing and accepting you won’t always be able to act on your visions.  Remember when you thought they were dreams?  You can only do what you can do.  You’ll go insane if you take responsibility for all the things you can’t change.”

“I’ll try, Addie.  I think I’ll do better after we reach HeVan.  I think my gift is meant to help our people.  It’s possible I didn’t get a read soon enough because either the plans were new or because the duke’s plans were only peripheral to us.  His main objective was taking over the throne of his own people,” Cassandra said.

“You may be right,” said Kylan.

“I noticed they carried Natalie in on a chair; where did they get the idea to do that?” asked Addie.

“Oh, that was Glynnis; she got it from an old Elizabeth Taylor movie.  Cleopatra is the one she mentioned,” said Kylan.  “Glynnis said she wanted Natalie to arrive in style—well, as good a style as possible and still keep the surprise.”

“Actually, that chair is giving me ideas.  Cassandra, I don’t want you to worry anymore; we’re all fine now.  Why don’t you go and check on your mom?  I understand she’s still feeling a little under the weather,” said Addie.

“Okay, I’ll do that,” she said with a giggle. “She keeps teasing me that it was much easier to have me,” she said, thinking of her adoption. 

But she
knew her mother didn’t mind having morning sickness because it was another reminder she was actually pregnant after nearly twenty years of infertility.

“I’ll see you
all later, okay?” she said, as she got up to go.

“Okay
, sweetie, give your mom a hug from me, too,” Addie said before she left.

After Cassandra
was gone, Kylan turned to Addie.  “I know that look in your eyes, Addie; you have a plan.”

“Yes, I do.  I know Arjun and Rune are dealing with the king and making sure there are no more possible threats.  So would you go and ask Granny
Mac and her
Ankida
to come by after Natalie’s celebration?”

“I will go after I have someone else here to be with you.  You know you can’t be alone,” he scolded.

“Oh, please, you have so many guards watching me now I can barely go to the bathroom alone.  In fact, I can’t go to the bathroom alone.  Send one of the warriors on the door to come in and sit with me.  You should probably go to the celebration anyway, as my representative,” she said.

“Grace and Glynnis are your representatives.  I’m staying here.  It’s not much of a delay,” he said, placating her.  “Why don’t we watch
the movie about the archeologist?  We only watched the first three.  Grace told me there was a fourth,” Kylan said.

“Okay, but I want some popcorn if we’re going to see a movie and some other snacks, too.  The girls are hungry again,” she said, pouting a little.

“As long as you agree I’m not leaving our quarters, I’ll make you anything you like,” he said, getting up.

“
You’ll make anything?  I heard a rumor about lasagna.”

****

“My personal physician says there is nothing he can do that you have not already done.  I can only pray she will survive.  I was against her marriage to the duke, but our father overruled me.  He wanted to find a way to
join
our two clans as did the duke’s father, the previous duke.  He never accepted her.  It was always
his
clan and
his
people.  She tried very hard but when he showed his people how indifferent he was to her, they followed suit.  She never complained,” King Ben KowLer said to Arjun in a low voice as he sat by his sister’s bed.

“What does it mean for BianCa’s future?  Will she go back to your clan or does she remain in her husband’s?” asked Arjun, as he leaned against the wall.
 

He wanted Ben to be thinking of BianCa recovering and not dying.  BianCa had been injured protecting his people.  The Nephilim would do whatever it took to make this right for her.

“It is her choice, of course, but I won’t force her the way our father did.  It would be best if she could marry again.  Someone strong enough to lead the clan while at the same time be a force for peace.  The problem is the clans are constantly jostling for power.  With the duke’s attempt to overthrow my clan, I need the LucenTio clan to come in line and fast.  The duke didn’t succeed in killing your queen but he did succeed in turning almost every other clan on KowLer against his,” explained the king.

“Would your people allow BianCa to rule the clan?” Arjun asked.

“No, our world is not like yours.  As there is no heir, either her new husband becomes heir or she can abdicate and return to my House.  Then the clan would be fought over by the surrounding clan leaders.  The people would be absorbed into whichever clan or clans took the land.  Clan LucenTio would cease to exist,” explained Ben.

“If I may make a suggestion?” asked Arjun.

“I will be happy to hear your point of view.  I understand you’ve had difficulties of your own to overcome,” said the king, as he stood and then bent over to give his sister a kiss on her forehead. 

He stepped out of the room and gestured Arjun to follow.
  He needed to stretch his legs.  If he looked at her still, pale form for a moment longer, he knew he would lose his composure.  Now was not the time for grieving; she lived and he would do all in his power to keep her living.  Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to think of other things.

“How is
the pilot doing?  The one who was injured coming through the Gate?” asked the king, as they walked down the hall. 

Arjun pointed to a room where they could have some privacy.  They walked in and Arjun
walked over to the work station in the corner.  He remembered Rapha kept a bottle of Seraphian brandy in the back of a cupboard.  To his knowledge, the king hadn’t eaten since his sister was injured.  This was a lounge for the medicals to rest in; there was bound to be something in the replicator.  Looking at the menu of ingredients, he programmed something hearty.  As he completed these mundane tasks, it gave Ben a chance to pull himself together.  Arjun had seen the tears in Ben’s eyes.  It also allowed Arjun the time to think of how to present his idea to Ben.  Bringing the plates to a round table in the corner, he spoke.

“You need a strong ally and you also would like to keep the KowLer people and the Nephilim on
the good terms we have forged together over the last two weeks.  BianCa’s selfless acts have cemented this relationship for as long as Aditya remains queen.  I may have an idea which would help us both.  I would suggest, if BianCa is willing, that she
join
with a Nephilim.  I have someone in mind.  The highest ranking Nephilim, who is not
joined
, is Lord Commander Thors.  He is currently commanding the Venger.  My understanding is that his three elder brothers were
joined
and he was the last child born to his parents many years later.  The chances of him finding a Nephilim
join
are very low because he is one and we are currently still forced to have many males to one female.  This would help your people and also help a very loyal, trustworthy, and brave warrior.  In the time she has visited here, I have seen an intelligent woman held back by circumstance.  Taking a Nephilim as a mate would mean she would have a measure of independence.  She would rule with her husband while, at the same time, he would die to protect her,” Arjun explained quietly.

“I won’t force BianCa into another marriage.  She must be in agreement to any plan.  However, I’m willing to meet with this Lord Thors and take his measure.  She had no love in her last marriage and
it is the sort of thing many women want.  I would like her to have love in her second mating.  And remember, she may not wish to wed,” said Ben, as he distractedly began eating the food in front of him. 

Arjun noticed and began to talk
again to keep him eating.

“Addie is not only the
Goddess of Fertility; she can also influence, to a certain extent, the relationships of those who wish to
join
.  A Nephilim male is born with wings.  They don’t appear until he meets the one perfect soul to tie to his own.  If a Nephilim falls in love, the queen has the ability to tie their souls together.  This causes the mating wings to erupt.  The wings lie under a membrane of skin and are covered with a mating pheromone which releases when they break through the skin.  This pheromone is so strong—both mates feel an incredible pull toward each other.  Of course, with Addie in the vicinity, a baby will follow in due course.  Once a Nephilim takes his mate, he lives only for her and would protect her with his life.  I think BianCa deserves that, don’t you?” he asked.

Once the king started eating, his appetite caught up with him and he quickly cleaned the plate Arjun had put in front of him while he listened.  Having finished eating before Arjun had finished talking, he leaned back in his chair while he listened
, sipping the drink he’d been given.  He soon realized it held quite a kick.

“I still want to meet this Lord Thors,” he said.

“I thought you might.  I’ve had him shuttled over from the Venger.  But I haven’t mentioned to him anything regarding what we’ve talked about.  In fact, I propose we don’t say anything to either Lord Thors or BianCa.  Let’s have Lord Thors become her personal guard, and see what happens.  While we need to continue our voyage to HeVan, I know Addie will want to make sure BianCa is well before we leave.  Between the two of us, I would be happier if Addie could be safely delivered of her babies before we arrived home.  She could enter labor at any time but for the children to be fully developed, she should wait another six weeks.  Shall we go and greet Lord Thors and take him to see BianCa?” he asked.

“Alright, I agree with you that neither of them will be told of this plan.  We shall see what fate has in store for them both,” the
king said before leaning back in his chair and sipping his brandy.

They both
remained there, in companionable silence.  They kept any further thoughts to themselves as they finished their Seraphian brandy. 

“By the way, what was
the food you gave me?” Ben asked.  “I found it to be quite tasty,” he said as they left.

“I understand the kitchens were able to make it from the stores you provided. 
Aditya
says it’s called lasagna,” answered Arjun.

They made their way to the lounge where the king was shocked when he saw Lord Thors.  He’d become accustomed to being surrounded by these large men.  All of the warriors he’d met so far spanned from his own height of six feet tall to close to seven. 

This Lord Thors was at least seven and a half feet tall.  His immense shoulders were as wide as his own sword was long.  He wore his black hair long, intricately woven at the temples and pulled back.  Piercing eyes saw and evaluated all around him at a glance—a true warrior’s thousand-yard stare.  The color of his eyes was also startling.  They were a blue so light it was like looking into blue ice, with the rim a darker blue.  He had a broad forehead and sharply defined features. His form-fitting Nephilim uniform was different from the ones worn by the warriors he had met so far and similar to the clothing worn by the
Ankida
of Lady Glynnis.  Then he remembered this warrior was from the new ship and there was over two hundred years difference in styles.  This new uniform showed every muscle and looked as if it allowed for greater freedom of movement during hand-to-hand battle.

“Lord Thors, thank you for coming.  I’d like to introduce King Ben KowLer,” said Arjun.  He waited just long enough for the two men to nod to each other before continuing.

“Walk with us, please,” he said, turning back into the medical complex.  “I’m sure you’ve heard of the heroic acts of Lady Natalie and Princess BianCa in defeating the treachery of Duke LucenTio.”

“I know of Lady Natalie’s actions.  I was not apprised about
Princess BianCa.  What part did she play in her husband’s plot?” Thors asked in a deep gravelly voice.

“My sister’s mating was not her choice,” interrupted the king. 

He went on to relate his sister’s story about honoring her father’s decision.  He told of her unhappiness in her mating and the abuse she suffered from her husband, to stepping in front of the shot, which would have killed Natalie.  Instead, it had given Natalie the time to save them all. 

“The Nephilim queen owes her life just as much to my sister as to Lady Natalie.  Unfortunately, there are many who see her as an enemy or a betrayer,”
Ben concluded.