All of their expressions were grim when they met his gaze again, but Dravka kept the credits, curling his fist around the card. He nodded.
“Evelyn has a contact in the United Worlds,” Khiva told them quietly. “We will meet him once we are settled on Dumera. We will tell him everything that she has done and see if an investigation can be opened.”
Tavak shook his head. “You think you can end this?”
“We will try. Wemusttry,” Khiva said quietly.
He looked at all of them and raised his wrist to place it over his chest, a Keriv’i gesture, a respectful goodbye.
Dravka returned the gesture. “We will see one another again,” his friend said, inclining his head.
Khiva nodded because he felt the truth of it. “We will. Far from here.”
He nodded at Tavak and Ravu, which they returned, and then Khiva turned, striding from the room with a heavy chest. He took nothing with him.
He wanted nothing from this place.
He only wanted to be free.
* * *
“You can come with us, Valerie,”Eve said softly. “All of you could. You know that, right?”
The blonde shook her head. “It would raise suspicions at the Port Control,” she replied. “One Keriv’i might be able to leave. But certainly not four, with two human women.”
“We can try,” Eve insisted, though she knew that Valerie was right.
Valerie shook her head again. “No. She would find out. She would stop us all.”
“And what about Dravka?” Eve asked quietly. “What will happen when he’s been whipped as badly as Khiva was?”
The fear in Valerie’s eyes was so evident that Eve was almost sorry she’d brought it up. But she wanted the woman to see reason.
“She leaves him alone for the most part,” Valerie said softly. “Because I asked her to.”
Eve sighed and took Valerie’s hands. “I can’t make you come with us. And I know you’re afraid. But…if you ever decide that you need help, we will help you.”
“You’ll be so far away,” Valerie said.
Eve shook her head. “Remember these numbers. 45341.”
“45341,” Valerie whispered.
“It’s a patch number for a friend of mine. His name is Gorkan. He lives on the colony Dumera. 45341. Will you remember this?”
“I will.”
“Contact him if you ever need help and he will get the message to us. I can send a vessel or credits, whatever you need.”
And because it finally felt right, she reached into the pocket of her coat, her fingers curling around the gold metal. She pulled out a key.
Eve said, “This is a key to my townhome. Keep it.”
“I can’t,” Valerie said immediately, drawing her hand away. “She’ll find out.”
“You don’t have to live there,” Eve said. “I won’t put your name on any contracts. She won’t know. Just take the key, in case you ever need it. If you need credits, you can sell what you like.”
“I would never sell your possessions,” Valerie said quietly.
