“Just wanted to let you know that Mother and Father are anxiously awaiting our arrival, especially now that you’re bringing home not one but two strays.”
Nojan rolled his eyes. He knew his parents weren’t going to be pleased. Although they’d expected the oracle, his father was going to make him regret Sanri’s presence. As if he didn’t already.
“Tattle tale,” Nojan muttered.
Zelup shrugged. “My duty is the protection of our people. The fewer that know about us, the better.”
“Believe me, I didn’t want to pick her up in the first place. That wreckage you found was the ship she was on, and I got her off it right before it blew. In fact, the ship’s explosion is what knocked out my cloak. I was about to drop her off on UM-Beta when Kange showed up.”
“Well now you’re stuck with her. Two Territhians, huh, Nojan? You always did have to one-up Marek.”
Nojan laughed. “The sooner I’m rid of Sanri, the better. She’s trouble.”
Now it was Zelup’s turn to laugh. “Trouble, huh? We could always give her to Calabez. He has a knack for taming difficult women.”
“He has a knack for fucking women. Any women. It’s not a talent. It’s the absence of standards.”
They both laughed, and Nojan felt some of his tension starting to drift away. He was more tired than he’d ever been, even after staying up all night working in the lab. As good as his intentions were, he wasn’t going to be able to stay awake for the entire journey home.
“Zelup, do me a favor?”
“I’m all ears, little brother.”
“Keep an eye on my ship,” Nojan said. “I need some shut eye. Just keep this connection open and make sure nothing happens while I’m asleep.”
“Happy to,” his brother replied. “Anything to get you some rest. You’re gonna need all of your strength in your confrontation with Mom and Dad. I can’t wait to watch.”
Nojan flipped Zelup the bird and rose. He stopped at a storage compartment to pull out a thin blanket and small pillow. Kneeling beside the sleeping Sanri, he covered her with the blanket and put the pillow under her head. The floor couldn’t be that comfortable, but it was all he had. The bed was already full with Mayra and he wouldn’t displace her, no matter how upset he might be.
In the bedroom, he stared down at his sleeping angel. Her face was worried, her head thrashing back and forth. She seemed to be in the midst of some nightmare. It would be cruel to let her remain asleep to face whatever tortures were afflicting her.
Nojan slid in behind her, pulling her back to his front. He smoothed her hair away from her face and whispered into her ear. “Wake up, Mayra.”
Her eyes didn’t open. She began to struggle away, her mouth becoming a wordless O of terror.
“Mayra,” he said with more force. “Wake up!”
Still, she wouldn’t wake. Her entire body was trembling, a cold sweat pouring from her pores.
He began to shake her. “Mayra, you have to wake up. You’re having a nightmare.”
Her head thrashed back and forth, her hands in tight balls, fingers digging into palms. Her legs started to twitch, tears leaking out from beneath closed eyelids.
“Mayra!” Nojan didn’t know what to do, short of slapping her. He could never hurt her willingly, so he wouldn’t hit her, but that left him feeling helpless.Gods, please let her wake, he thought, continuing to shake her and call her name.
All of a sudden, she sat bolt upright, her eyes springing open. “The End!” she screamed, then collapsed backward.
“Mayra,” he shouted, pulling her face around to his. “Calm down. You’re having a nightmare. You’ve got to relax!”
Her blue eyes blinked up at him. “Nojan?” she said after a moment.
He nodded. “Yes, it’s me. You were having some kind of terrible dream.”
“Not a dream,” she murmured. “A vision.”
Chills covered his body. If that was her vision of the future, it must be truly terrifying. “What did you see?” he asked, not knowing if he wanted to hear her answer.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, curling herself into a ball.
