HE WATCHED HER WORK THE COCKPIT WITH COMPETENCE SUPREME,
AND FOUND HIMSELF IMAGINING A VERY DIFFERENT DREAM!”
Through my fingers, I can see Lady Valorian frozen mid-sip, wine glass halfway to her lips. Her expression suggests she’s reconsidering every life choice that has led to this moment.
Both bots together now, building:
“THEY DANCED AROUND THE TENSION, PRETENDING NOT TO SEE,
THAT EVERY ‘ACCIDENTAL’ TOUCH WAS DESTINY!
HE BURNED HOTTER THAN HIS BIO-FLARE, SHE SPARKED LIKE PLASMA FIRE,
THE WHOLE SHIP NEEDED COOLING FROM THE HEAT OF THEIR DESIRE!”
“I’m going to kill them,” I say into my hands. “I’m going to disassemble them into their component parts and scatter them across the sector.”
Rynn is making a sound next to me. When I look up, I realize he’slaughing. Silently, shoulders shaking, face flushed.
They mentioned my stiffness, he sends through the bond.
They mentioned SEVERAL of your stiffnesses.
I’m never recovering from this.
Rusty, gleeful now:
“SHE CALLED HIM LORD OF CHAOS, HE CALLED HER CAPTAIN TROUBLE,
BUT WHEN THE DANGER FOUND THEM, THEY WERE STRENGTH DOUBLED!
HE MARKED HER WITH HIS CLAIMING BITE—SHE QUITE ENJOYED THE PAIN—
AND NOW THEY’RE BOUND FOREVER: BODY, SOUL, AND BRAIN!”
I risk a glance around the room.
Ayla is cackling, any pretense at decorum completely abandoned. “Ilovethem. Can I have one?”
Henrok has started thumping the table in approval, grinning broadly. “GOOD SONG. TRUE SONG.”
Suki has her face buried in his shoulder, crying with laughter.
Lord Valorian is... stoic. But his lip twitches. Just once.
Mother drains her entire glass of wine in one go.
Zip, building to the climax:
“SO RAISE YOUR GLASSES, EVERYONE, TO THE COURIER AND HER LORD,
WHO FOUND LOVE BETWEEN THE LASER FIRE AND NEARLY GETTING GORED!
MAY THEIR NIGHTS BE FULL OF ‘DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS,’
AND THEIR BOND PRODUCE ABUNDANT FUTURE GENERATIONS!”
I’m going to die. I’m going to actually die of embarrassment at my own wedding.
