Page 68 of Hope Forged
She blinked. “A what?”
“That was before the Nevid.”
“Then how did I come to exist?” she asked. None of this was making sense.
“Your parents are xenologists, Ziamee. They had all the necessary equipment at hand. Must I explain this further?”
She squeezed her eyes shut, searching for her sanity. “It isn’t how animals do it, right?”
“Indeed. I suspect the Durns have long lost the ability to give birth naturally.”
She stumbled back, hit the wall housing the safety pods, and slid to the floor. “I can never have…faelin?” No wonder Padya hadn’t wanted her to know. Her heart cracked, not sure she could break this news to Illan. Not that they were anywhere ready to have this discussion.
“That isn’t true. On one hand, everything about you was chosen. With natural, random selection comes into play. You cannot control what defects your faelin might have.”
“How can I worry about that when I don’t have a pseudo-womb?” She smacked her knee, wishing she could hit him instead. “I’m starting to regret letting Brac take you.”
“No take backsies.”
Her brow furrowed so hard, a headache pinged. “What doesthatmean?”
“I have access to so many more species than Durn. Which means I can compare the Durn mating rituals across this knowledge base. Etterians have soulmates, and they ‘do the deed’ like humans do. If you follow the same path, you will conceive in your actual womb, Ziamee. Yes, you have one as part of your physiology.”
The shocks kept coming. “I do?” she gasped. “And how do I do this deed?”
“His male appendage spits into your…cavity.” He whirred, like he was clearing his throat. “If you are fertile, his seed will pollinate yours.”
She shivered. Heat uncoiled in her core. His appendage? She’d had images— “Oz, when our palms touch, I see things.”
“Oh, boy, you could be dhutyas.”
“What?” she snapped, pinching the bridge of her nose as she fought for calm.
“The Durn version of truemates.”
Tingles shot down her spine, and her breath caught. “We are?” Bright, blinding joy consumed her, sending out ripples of warmth.
“Durns evolved their mating rituals to something more telepathic than physical. Which means the synthesis you experience is mind-fusion without the trigger.”
Trigger?
She’d heard enough. “Thanks, Oz, for explaining.” She didn’t mean it. He’d gone and confused the hell out of her. “Wait, how do I know if I’m fertile?”
“When you have your female cycle.”
The headache shifted to behind her eye. “Do you have access to my O.D.I.?” she whispered, massaging her temple. “Send me the images.”
She shouldn’t have suggested it. Too much information slammed into her skull. The pain was so excruciating, she cried out, gripped her head, and tipped over. When the influx eased, she chanced a peek, opening one eye then the other.
And in an instant, she understood all of what Oz had tried to teach her. “Oh, kuck,” she muttered. “I’m not fertile.”
“For now. Your circumstances have affected your body. You need to eat better to bring on your cycle.”
She pursed her lips. “Like pizza?”
“For a start. The med-E.D. did inject nutrients into your deficient body, but only regular dosages will restore you to optimal health.”
She pursed her lips. At least she now knew what awaited her…sort of. “How do humans and Etterians mate?”
