I smooth on some lotion over the freshly exposed skin. One thing these Irrans have going for them are their moisturizers. They take skincare seriously.
While Tamira cleans up from the haircut, I dress in loose, open-sided trousers and the simple wrap garments they callsvelis, finishing the look with one of their traditionalheadscarves that matches my sash. Their fashion is pretty great, comfortable and just the right amount of sexy. And they have some good food, smoky barbecued meat and a lot of jello flavors for dessert. Comfort food. It wouldn’t be terrible to stay in this star system permanently.
But I want to see some other places first. I’m getting my world tour, damn it.
Turning my back so that Tamira doesn’t see, I take out the necklace that Lyro, the alien brother all the kings hate, gave me. He’s not a bad guy—at least not worse than any of the others. But he was the closest to their father, the former Emperor, and now he lives with the awful priests who keep trying to murder us humans, so I guess they’re not wrong to mistrust him.
I slip the leather cord over my head, tucking it underneath my clothes to hide it. The red, glass pendant is heavy and makes a lump under the fabric, but it’s not too noticeable. It feels weird to keep anything from my best friend, but Lyro gave it to me instead of his brothers for a reason, even though I don’t know what it is. He said the necklace would help me with my search for Lena, so I don’t want to chance that they’ll take it away from me.
“I’m gonna miss you,” Tamira says, her big, brown, puppydog eyes welling with tears. “I feel like we didn’t get enough time together.”
My throat tightens. I don’t want to be all up in my feelings right before I have to get on the ship with Nik. This is a time to be putting on armor, not poking at sore spots. “Whose fault is that?” I tease lightly, hoping to shift the mood.
My joke just makes her cry. Her lip wobbles, and fat tears spill down her cheeks as she pulls me toward her, enveloping me in a hug that’s all soft and sniffly except for her firm pregnant belly.
“My fault,” she croaks. “I’m sorry I hid from you.”
“You should be,” I said sternly, mostly to get my shit together so I don’t start crying, too. “You know you can’t hide from your problems. Not even in the darkest hole in the ground. Your problems just hide with you, and eventually they start gnawing on your ass.”
Speaking of problems. Mine walks in the open door, looking like an angry, bald Superman in a dark blue sveli and a sweeping red cloak. All seven feet, hero inches of him are straight out of a comic book, right down to the popping biceps and square chin. He’d be stupidly beautiful without the long, jagged scar slicing across his eye and the long, jagged grimace slicing across his face. Seems like he’s looking forward to this little group project about as much as I am.
“Good morning,” I chirp to annoy him, since he’s clearly not having one. He doesn’t say anything, just clenches his jaw and stares at me for longer than is comfortable. My upper arms prickle with goosebumps. Why is he being so weird? I make a face at Tamira, and she shrugs.
“Do you need something?” she asks in her best hairdresser-customer-service voice. Maybe that’s the voice you use with new in-laws.
“Her,” he grunts, nodding at me like I’m a suitcase. I would think he’s pissed at me for something, but his skin is the smooth, tan color of the wickerwork walls. If he was angry, it’d be pitch black. Irrans show their emotions on their skin. Even their best warriors have a hard time maintaining camouflage when they’re mad. Nik doesn’t hate me. He just doesn’t care.
“Guess it’s time for me to go,” I say to Tamira.
“Oh, wait.” She grabs a roll of parchment from a side table. “Fen wrote a letter to his son. Do you mind delivering it?”
“Of course not.” I take it from her and tuck it into my luggage, knowing how precious it is. Many years ago, Fen lost touch with his stepson, Aqen, believing him to be dead. He only recentlylearned that the young Irran is alive and well, training to be a warrior on Usuri, and he is eager for them to reunite.
“Thank you so much.” Tamira smothers me in another hug, smashing her wet cheek against mine. “Last chance to bail,” she whispers in my ear. “I’ll make an excuse.”
“I’m good,” I tell her. “I want to do this.”
Chapter 2
Nik
This was a mistake. I should have left her on Olethia. Or put her on the supply transport instead of taking her in my personal bird. The ship is too small to escape her scent, too small to escape the brush of her sveli against my leg. Layers of fabric between us, and she still sears my skin.
“Get away from the controls,” I bark at her.Get away from me.
She doesn’t. If anything, she takes a sidestep closer. “I thought we could talk about our search strategy on the way. What you’re going to work on, what I’m going to work on...” She trails off, like it’s a question. I can’t breathe, she’s so close.
I step away, turn my back to her. Pretend to look out at the black expanse of space. “I will find her. There’s nothing for you to do.”
“You don’t even know where to look.”
“Neither do you, terrakin.” Philadelphia. Delphie.Alara.I can’t say her name or I’ll crack.
“Lyro told me she’s on R’Hiza.”
Shebelievesthat foolish brother of mine? I turn on her, and her eyes—deep brown irises surrounded by white—widen beneath her jewel-blue headscarf. Her skin is the same rich brown color as her eyes. She is not Irran, so I know herskin pigment doesn’t reflect her feelings, but she looks like contentment. I want to swallow her to have a taste of it.
Frix. Why did I bring her? Why did I think it would be easier if she was within my sight? “Useless information. R’Hiza is a big planet. We’ll have a better chance listening to the Frathik comms than blindly searching every sector.”
