Giving in to the strange compulsion, I move toward her as she finishes her song. But before I reach her, the scent of a familiar Frathik bombards my nostrils. Harl is here.
Spotting him at the entrance, I change course, striding toward him in an attempt to herd him out. Behind me, Lena begins a new song, and he stares over my shoulder at her, seemingly entranced. He carries a large glass container in both hands. It contains the tangle of sticks and leaves, Lena’s necklace dangling in one corner. It’s some kind of enclosure for her disgusting pet.
“Why are you here?” I demand.
“I brought...” He trails off, his leathery face going slack and dreamy as he watches and listens to her song. “Isn’t sheamazing? I knew when I met her that she would do great things for our kind.”
I snort at his obvious infatuation and reach for the glass box. “Give that to me and go.”
He pulls it back. “I’ll give it to her. The ecosystem I set up is very delicate.” All eight of his eyes blink nervously as they scan me for hidden blades.
I take a step toward him. “I don’t need weapons to kill you.”
His back hits the wall, and I trap him by angling my body and planting my palms on either side of him. I grind the points of my teeth in his face, and he whimpers. Maybe Lena was right, and this one is not a soldier. That doesn’t mean he deserves mercy, though.
“Give me the box.”
“No,” he says stubbornly in his deep rasp. “If she trusted you with Elvis, you’d be watching him today, not me. You were not her choice.”
He doesn’t need weapons to injure me, either, it seems. I scoff at him. “Why would I want to babysit a bug?”
“You might as well be asked to guard her young. That’s how much she loves him.” He wraps his arms tighter around the glass box, and I wonder if he worries that he’ll break it. “I saw you with her this morning. The way you treated her. You might be her fated one, but you don’t want her, and it shows.”
“You think if you simper and slave for her, she’ll choose you instead?” I have to laugh. If only the goddess gave us such choices. I wouldpushher toward him if it would free me.
He grunts. “I know she won’t. But if you don’t want her, I beg you, don’t take her. Leave her with me. I will care for her as she deserves.”
I groan. What does the terrakin deserve? What do any of us? Does my mother deserve to be trapped in the fist of a power-mad priest? Do I deserve to play puppet to one despot after another?Does this bug deserve to be boxed up by this lovestruck beast? “Still your tongue before I cut it out, Frathik. I’ve had enough of your chatter. Give me the box and go. Or just go, I don’t care about the bug.”
He drops his head, acquiescing, but it’s too late to be rid of him. Behind me, Lena song ends, and her pleased voice travels across the room. “Harl! What did you bring?”
A pleased noise rasps in his throat as he sidesteps me, ducking under my arm to meet her as she jogs toward us a careful distance from the rows of eggs, all her attention on him.
“Is that what I think it is?” she asked excitedly as she nears. She ducks down to peer inside the glass box in his hands. “Oh my god, it’s beautiful. Where did you get all the stuff?”
“Goddess,” I correct, but they’re both ignoring me.
“Rose donated the plant. It’s not native to Alcor, but it looks nice, doesn’t it? I made the blossom feeder out of recycled ration wrappers,” Harl brags. “Wait until you see him use it. It’s brilliant.”
“You’rebrilliant!” Lena flings her arms around him, and he laughs, holding the box out of the way so she can press her whole body against him. It’s clearly an innocent gesture of thanks, but Harl’s gaze slips momentarily to me, gauging my reaction. Triumph plays over his features at whatever he sees on my face.
Does he really think I desire her embrace? That I wish she was pressed against me instead, her slight, soft frame in my arms as we exchange scents? Does he know my fingers twitch to feel the fine strands of her fur slide between them?
R’Hiza take me. He’s right, I realize. It’s horrifying how much I crave her touch. But I don’twantto want it. Giving in would only pull a string so tight it strangles me. I don’t know how much longer I can stand this.
“Yes, the brilliant scientist who makes flowers out of trash,” I drawl, but my tongue tastes sour. “If you’re done with your infantile screeching, it’s time to work on my ship.”
Chapter 7
Lena
The terrarium is perfect. Harl must’ve been collecting components for weeks, maybe since way back when he gave me the shell. Everything gets recycled around here. There justaren’textra resources, so the fact that he’s put these things aside for Elvis is incredibly touching.
I give him a squeeze of gratitude and let him go because I owe Captain Grumpy Pants about five hours in the hangar. “Do you mind taking Elvis to my room?” I ask Harl.
“Our room,” Lyro corrects. Oh,nowhe wants to share it. Someone’s feeling a little threatened by Harl’s good deed.
“Of course,” Harl says, because that’s how he is. “I’ll get him all set up.”
