“I don’t think my knees will ever work again,” he moaned, voice muffled against the floor.
Nova knelt next to him, looking terrified. “Hisum, you need to be able to walk back to the ship. We can’t be seen as weak. They gave a huge honor by leaving first so you guys could have a moment to move and stretch, but they’ll be right back in this room if we have to carry you!”
“You’re so mean,” Hisum said, then rolled over to display a grin. “I’m fine.”
She smacked his chest and stood up. “Leave the drama to the professionals.”
Miran stepped close while Cifon and Nerin helped Hisum to his feet.
“What happened?” he asked. “What was decided?”
“You guys need to take back all the money you’ve paid them,” Nova said.
Miran felt his heart sink. “Does that mean war?”
Nova rolled her eyes. “No! It means you have to pay them in a different way. The Hissa are now the primary contributors to an entirely new facility dedicated to the study ofsumasra.”
Miran didn’t recognize that science. “What’ssumasra?”
“The study of Diniki culture, expansion, government, and superiority,” she said with a grin. “It’s not real. They’ll build a shack with a learning pod, then pocket the rest, but that's how you bribe the Diniki. Doing it this way means everyone gets a cut and no one is guilty.”
Miran couldn’t believe his ears. “Really?”
She shrugged. “I got a better deal than I expected. Having three more husbands who loyally knelt without complaint the entire time put me in a position of strength.” She looked around at all the warriors. “All of you did amazing!”
“So we’re all your husbands now?” Cifon asked with a laugh.
“Well, yes,” she said. “For as long as it takes us to leave this station.”
“Then we leave now,” Miran said.
“I second that,” Hisum said.
“Everyone listen up,” Nova said. “This is our last test. Here is how we have to walk out of here.”
With Nova’s detailed instructions, they made it back to the ships and left the station without incident.
The moment their gunship was far enough away that Miran was sure they were safe, he got up from his chair, grabbed Nova, and refused to let her go.
“Please don’t ever do that again,” he begged.
“I can’t promise that,” she murmured. “Not when you refuse to listen to me.”
“I’ll always listen to you,” he said. Then made the vow he knew she needed to hear if she was going to be happy. “If you ever want to leave again, for a day or for a lifetime, I’ll go with you. I won’t question or try to talk you out of it. I’ll pack, say goodbyeto my friends, then follow you. I don’t even care where we go as long as I can be with you.”
Her eyes went wide. “You mean that? You’d give up everything to be with me?”
“I won’t have to give anything up,” he said, speaking from his heart. “Because you are my everything.”
A single tear trickled down Nova’s face. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He nuzzled the tear away with his cheek. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize who I needed to be to deserve you.”
She let out a sound that was half sob, half happy sound and hugged him tight. They remained like that until the gunship docked on the Ardent. Miran hoped to carry Nova back to their room and spend time worshiping her body.
Section Commander Belor had other ideas.
Chapter 21
