Jaiya nodded. “I understand.”
Ushyaz’s eyes softened. “Believe me. I wished things were different, but I can’t keep a member of our enemy here, no matter what good deed you have done. We are in the middle of war.”
Jaiya didn’t fault her for that logic. She would have done the same in her shoes. There was no use arguing.
“How long was I unconscious?” Jaiya asked softly, wanting to get all the facts she would soon need. She was here only a week when the CTA representatives arrived. There was no telling how long she was out healing the serious wounds she had.
“It took a couple of days before you were fully stabilized. Idris tended your wounds until he wasn’t needed.” She glanced down at her wristband. ”It’s been a little over a week in by your standards since you saved him.”
She has been here for over two weeks and spent half of it dead to the world.
“What should I do about your brother?”
“Give him space and let him come to you.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
Sadness filled Ushyaz’s face. “Then it would be his mistake. Just know that I am honored to meet the woman who saved my brother’s life by risking hers.”
* * *
Jaiya packed her remaining belongings into her travel cases, preparing for the trip back to her moon base.
She knew when she wasn’t wanted around any longer.
Soon after Ushyaz left, Qatszo came in and examined her. Other than letting her know her new scales will itch as she healed, she was free to go as long as she took it easy.
Prince Idris refused to speak with her, and Erlyn remained beside him, faithfully fulfilling his role as a prince’s assistant. The only remaining male who stayed by her side was Raizxl, and she believed it was more out of duty than because he wanted to.
The only person who openly spoke to her was Princess Ushyaz, but she was busy defending her starbase, so her time was limited.
Jaiya placed the chunk of long hair she’d saved onto her sand bed with a note addressed to Idris.
Maybe they could be friends in another lifetime, but obviously, her being ahumanwas too big an obstacle for him.
Raizxl carried her travel cases for her and helped her load them into her fighter, telling her ruefully it was the most he could do.
“Stay out of trouble, little assassin.”
Jaiya raised an eyebrow at the nickname but didn’t comment. She didn’t know if it was a joke or if he was calling her that because she had killed three of the five representatives. She hoped it was the former.
They would likely never meet again. Jaiya reached for his face and touched her forehead with his.
“Protect them for me, okay?”
He nodded without a word as sadness filled his eyes.
This was it. She was leaving, and the only farewell party she had was the private guard who had been assigned to her.
Jaiya sighed and climbed the ladder to her fighter’s cockpit, jumping in. She opened the personal security box and grabbed her ID and mission holodisk, placing them into their rightful places as she prepared to take off.
Combing her hair back, she grabbed her helmet off the steering wheel and put it on. She took one last look at the hangar, hoping someone might try to catch her, to say goodbye before she left. Sadly, only Raizxl remained, valiant as ever, nodding as her gaze landed on him.
She pushed her ID all the way into its slot, hearing it click as the fighter’s engines turned on. The sounds of the ladder collapsing into the fighter disappeared as the dome sealed.
The instruments and displays lit up, welcoming her one last time.
Jaiya checked the energy cells, making sure the Daextru grounds crew had done their job and smiled when they read full. Her weapons were recharged and restocked. All systems were green—ready to go.
She turned on the holodisk reader and entered the moon base coordinates, mapping them out as she drove her fighter to the launch strip.
Flicking all her communications systems on, Jaiya turned toward the hangar’s Control Room, knowinghewas watching her.
“It is my turn to see just how much of a male you really are.”
