I’mold enough that two months seems like the blink of an eye, normally. But with my mate out of my reach and unavailable to take my calls, it felt like a year. I spent the weeks working my ass of to prepare for her arrival. My home was spotless, which… it normally was. I was rarely there. But I had the staff deep clean everything anyway. I thought about updating some of the furniture. I didn’t know what was in style, but it had been at least ten or fifteen years since I’d had a stylist come in and tell me what to buy. I put it off, though. Better to wait until Cora could weigh in.
Her security team was selected and approved by Zacal. They were shadowing Della’s security team while Nerus trained their replacements. I only picked soldiers I trusted, of course, but that left some two big holes in our ranks. It took a lot of work to recover from the transition, but I was satisfied with our progress by the time I was ready to leave for Muria.
My cruiser sparkled in the first-moonlight, freshly cleaned inside and out. I had even gone so far as to have Nerus bring his little sister over to inspect the interior. Thisa was in her last year of school, but I thought that was still old enough to know if a female would be disgusted by my cruiser or not.
“It’s a little dark in here,” she said, looking around. “Are all the ports open all the way?”
“Yes,” I said. “These older models didn’t have the wall-to-wall ports they make now.”
“Hmm.” She wandered a little further in, surveying the living quarters skeptically. “You’re going to keep her holed up in here for how long?”
“Just the trip from Muria back home. It’s about three days.”
Thisa sniffed. “She’ll survive, I guess. I mean it’s kind of retro in here, but you could probably pass it off as a stylistic choice.”
“Itisa—” I stopped myself, sighing. I wasn’t going to defend my age to a child, but I wasnotas old as my cruiser. “Is it clean enough? It doesn’t smell bad or anything, does it?”
“Oh, good,” Thisa said, a look of relief taking over her young features. “You already know about the smell. I was afraid telling you was going to be awkward.”
Nerus chortled from his position by the door.
“Right,” I said, dryly. “What does it smell like to you?”
Thisa made a face. “Male.”
“Being male, I don’t know what you mean,” I said. “Like… sweat?”
She shook her head slowly, thinking. “No. That would besogross. This is more like… sea water and your cologne.”
“And that’s bad?”
“If she’s going to be your mate, she’s going to have to get used to it eventually,” Thisa shrugged. “And it’s tidy in here. No clothing on the floor, all you’re tech is put away.” She stopped by the bed, eyeing it like it was offensive. “You only have one bed?”
“I’ll take the couch if she wants,” I said.
Thisa nodded, but pursed her lips in obvious disapproval.
“What is it?” I asked, growing impatient with her less-than-helpful assessment of the cruiser. So far, she hadn’t given anyadvice, just made me insecure. Me. Yiri Ahlon, the most feared man in Eissoi. Such is the power of a teenage girl.
“You’ve had other females in this bed, I’m assuming,” she said.
“That’s not something I’m discussing with you.”
Thisa rolled her eyes. “Okay, well, ten credits says you have. If I were you, I’d at least replace the sheets, if not the whole bed. If sheisyourAneah, she might be able to tell. I don’t know how this stuff works for Earth females, but I think you should treat her like she’s daernir when it comes to things like that.”
My brows knitted together. She was probably right, and I should have thought of it myself. A daernir female’s instincts would tell her that bed wasn’thers,the way I was supposed to be.
“I’ll get a new bed,” I agreed. “Thank you, Thisa. Anything else?”
She sighed, giving the cruiser one last look. “Not unless you’re willing to get a new vessel.”
“I’d rather not,” I said, “but if she doesn’t like it, she can pick out a new one when we get home.”
Thisa nodded, satisfied. “When do I get to meet her?”
“Della’s throwing her a party,” Nerus told her. “We’re invited.”
“When? Why didn’t you tell me? I have to find something to wear!”
