bondmate and had unintentionally opened a link between Rell’s mind and the mysterious woman’s dreams. For over a thousand years Trenzent had been Rell’s blood brother, a psychic and emotional relationship that was as close to filling the role of a bondmate as a male Kadothian could get without a Matriarch in the mix. In a perfect world Tren would be contacting him right now, telling him to come to the Reaping ship, that he’d found their Matriarch, their heart, their future wife. Now, because of an irrational argument, he hadn’t spoken to Tren in thirty years. He’d tried, but his blood brother hated him, and Rell couldn’t stand the feeling of that loathing pouring through the bond. Deep down he knew the madness was nipping at Tren’s mind, and that the mental illness was the reason Tren acted so irrationally about their relationship, but it still hurt.
He could only hope by not agitating Tren, by abiding by his rules of no contact, that Rell was helping his blood brother hold on as long as he could in hopes of finding their bondmate.
Maybe that miracle had finally happened.
Too bad it was almost too late for him as well.
Trying to think past his sorrow, he said, “How do you know this?”
“You really have been out of touch,” Minerva muttered while shifting in her seat, the fragrant perfume she wore wafting over him. “While you were off saving the Universe, do not frown at me, for you know it is true, Commander Trenzent has been the object of much speculation and gossip. He went to the Reaping ship and right away began his search for his bride, narrowing down her location with a few weeks. Right now he is at a command post on Earth and sources have said he is very close to where his future bondmate is. There are betting pools across the Bel’Tan galaxy set up on who she will be, when they will be bonded, and even bets on when they will have their first child and who the second husband will be. Such foolishness.”
“I wish him…” Rell struggled against emotions so strong he could barely breathe. “I wish him the blessings of the Lord of Life.”
“Rell.” Minerva scooted closer to him then laid her large hand on his shoulder before whispering, “You will find your bondmate.”
Knowing she misinterpreted his distress, he closed his eyes. “If it is meant to be, it will happen.”
“You are a good man, you deserve a family, you deserve a good woman at your side. I prayed for you to the Lord of Life, prayed that you will find your bondmate, and I refuse to believe he would ignore my prayers.” She gave his shoulder a squeeze then leaned back.
With his eyes still closed, Rell listened to the music and tried to figure out how he was supposed to get a man who irrationally hated him to consider becoming husbands to the same Matriarch.
Earth
Trenzent al’Doun, Supreme Commander of the Kadothian Empire
Stepping out of the transport pad and into the warmth of an early summer morning on Earth was a surprisingly pleasurable experience, made all the more so by the knowledge that somewhere nearby his bondmate waited for him.
“Commander.” Cormac, one of his Admirals who’d been on Earth for the past four weeks trying to find his bondmate, snapped to attention.
He was dressed in an Earth disguise similar to Tren’s, with the blue material called jeans for his leggings and a soft black shirt with the image of a pyramid with a rainbow coming out of it on it, while Tren’s shirt was plain black.
“At ease, Admiral.” Tren moved further into the yard and out of the big red barn where they stored most of their equipment and the transport pad.
To the untrained eye this place would appear to be a normal Earth home, large enough to house the Warriors who were searching for their bondmates in the area, but small enough to fit in. At least on the surface. They’d burrowed underground beneath the property to set up their real quarters, away from the prying eyes of humans. One of the rules
Katherine Alice Applegate