Tamira swears a long string of curses almost as colorful as her hair. “Fen!” she calls over her shoulder. “Come in here, would you? I need you.”
He lopes into the room, gives her an inquisitive look that roams all over her voluptuous body that’s barely covered by a cropped sveli and gauzy, open-sided pants. Damn, I miss that planet and its pink skies and warm ocean. “Anything for my Tama.”
“Your brother has Delphie locked up, with nothing to do and nobody to talk to.”
“I’m sure it’s only temporary,” he says quickly.
Tamira’s jaw drops. “Maybe it’s not a big deal for Irrans to be alone, but solitary confinement is considered the worst punishment a person can have on our planet. It makes humans literally go insane. Look at her! She’s a disaster. Sorry, Delph, you are.”
Fen leans closer to the comm screen, taking in my tear-stained, puffy face, and his mouth tugs into an uncharacteristic frown. “He asked me how to please her, and I told him to occupy her mind.”
“He needs to let her out!”
He nods. “I will comm him from downstairs, but I can’t promise he will listen to me.”
“Thanks, Fen,” I say, still sniffling. He leaves, and I use one of the extra tunic sleeves to dry my face. “Sorry for interrupting your honeymoon. I hope this doesn’t mess things up for you guys.”
“If Nik the dick doesn’t let you out, I’m sending a transport to get you,” Tamira says stubbornly. “I’ll fucking come myself.”
“No, don’t do that. The air here is toxic half the time. It’ll be bad for the baby.” I try to pull myself together. Fen’s right. This is temporary. Nik probably just forgot about me in all the chaos of the tunnel repairs and negotiations with the Eye, but those won’t last forever. I’ve been extra emotional because of shark week, but it’s pretty much over now.
“At least let me send you some art supplies so you have something to do,” she begs.
“That would be great.” I offer her a halfhearted smile. “Honestly, just talking to you is helping.”
“Comm every day if you need it.”
I nod, even though I won’t do that unless it’s an emergency. Goddamn, it’s good to have a friend. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
After we end the comm, I feel a little better. I take a long shower, singing loud the whole time, and then take my time moisturizing everything, giving every part of myself some love. Then I wrap up in the furs to trap my shower heat and stay cozy. Temporary. This is all temporary.
To my shock, Nik shows up late in the evening. Fen’s conversation with him must have made an impression.
“I’m mad at you,” I say when he comes in, even though I’m glad to see him. I hate that I feel that way, so I tell myself I’d be glad to see anyone at this point.
“I know.” He hands me a ratty ball of fur with two eyes and a tail. It’s an...alien teddy bear? It looks old and worn, and it smells a little funny, but I hug it to my chest anyway.
It feels great.
Chapter 13
Nik
When Fen comms, I know what it is about before I answer. He wants me to send Delphie back. I hold up my hand so he won’t speak.
“You can’t have her. She’s mine.” The words are out before I can stop them, and though I didn’t intend to reveal so much, from the look on his face, I have revealed everything.
“She’s your—?”
“Yes,” I interrupt before he says it aloud. I listen to enough Frathik communication channels that I’m aware someone may be spying on this one as well.
Fen flushes several colors, showing his surprise, confusion, anger, and joy at the news. “I congratulate you, brother. But if you want her to love you back, you have to tend her with more care.”
“I don’t care if she loves me. I’m more interested in her safety.”
“You say that now, but when the danger has passed, you still have to live with her. She will hate you, Nik. She may already.”
