“Look,” Lainey said, blowing out a breath. “I’m fine. I’m safe. Kirov did nothing wrong. At least not in my eyes.”
Vaxa’an looked at Kirov. Looked back at Lani.
“Tev, fine,” Vaxa’an said, his voice gruff. “I will not come retrieve you then, since it is obvious to me you wish to be there.”
“Yes, I do,” Lani said softly. “Will you do something for me?”
Vaxa’an’s brow furrowed. “Rebax?”
“Will you tell Crystal—the, um, female I was living with—that…” Lani cleared her throat. “Tell her I’m good. That I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.”
Vaxa’an frowned but repeated, “You are good.”
“Yes.”
“Very well,” Vaxa’an said. “Though Kirov can patch you through to her with the Coms, you know.”
“Really?” Lani asked, looking at Kirov.
Kirov inclined his head. “I will later. You may tell her yourself.”
Lani smiled and nodded.
Vaxa’an switched to Luxirian and said to him, “Does she know about your sire?”
Kirov swallowed. “Nix.”
Vaxa’an studied him. Finally he said, “I will leave you now. I am sure you have much to prepare for the lunar celebration and you wish to spend time with your mate.”
Before he signed off, Kirov said, “Vaxa’an.”
His friend looked at him, his eyes harder than they’d been before that span.
Kirov exhaled. “You know I wish there was a different way without having to lie to you. But can you understand why I did it?”
Vaxa’an gaze went to Lani and he jerked his head in a nod. “Yes, I can.”
“I truly am sorry, my brother.”
“I know, Kirov.”
And with that, Vaxa’an severed the Com feed and the screen returned to the live stream of Troxva’s lake.
“Was he upset?” Lani asked him softly, turning to face him.
Kirov ran a hand over his horn. “Tev, but we will…move past it. Eventually,” he said, to try and reassure her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, reaching up to place her hands around the back of his neck. Her touch helped relax him, calm the turmoil in his chest. “I know he’s your friend.”
Kirov placed his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. They stayed like that for a little while, simply being with one another, not talking.
Eventually, Kirov pulled away.
“Luxiva,” Kirov said, his chest feeling heavy, for a myriad of reasons, “I have somewhere I need to go. I will not be long.”
“Now?” she asked, frowning. “But we just got here.”
“Tev,” he said. Soon, he would tell her about his sire, but not right then. “Would you like me to patch you a Com line to your friend before I leave?”
