Crystal nodded, “Yeah, I’m sure we will.” Beks hesitated, seemingly on the verge of saying something, but then second guessing herself. “Just spit it out. You’re not one to watch your words,” Crystal teased.
“You don’t just want to give it a chance with him?” Beks asked. “Just for a few days even, to see what it’s like?”
Crystal’s smile died and she looked back out the window. They were sitting in what Crystal liked to call the living room of Luxirian houses, the center of which was a giant, sunken in fire pit surrounded by a plethora of colorful cushions and furs.
“It’s just I think about what I have with my mate. I think about what Kate has with Vaxa’an, what Cecelia has with Rixavox, what Taylor has with Vikan, and now Lainey and Kirov…” Beks said quietly. “I know I have no right to butt into your life or question your decisions. And I know you have your reasons…but I can’t help but think that these Fates, as crazy as it is, know what they’re doing. How else do you explain it?”
“I don’t know,” Crystal said softly, looking into Beks’ eyes. “I don’t know how you explain it.”
“I just…I would hate for you to regret anything, that’s all,” Beks said. “And I know it’s intrusive and not my business, but you’re my friend, Crystal. And if you knew that a friend could find happiness, wouldn’t you say something too?”
Beks blew out a long breath when Crystal didn’t reply.
“Just promise me you’ll think about it,” Beks said. “You never know how long it’ll take to get that crystal back from theMevirax. You might be here a little while longer. And if you give it a chance and it doesn’t work out, then at least you’ll know for sure.”
Ihavebeen thinking about it,she wanted to say. More than she wanted to admit.
“You sound like my sister,” Crystal accused softly, trying to lighten the mood. “Lauren’s been trying to get me to date for a while.”
“Ugh,” Beks said, thankfully steering the conversation away from Cruxan. “One thing I will not miss is dating. Thank God I never have to do it again.”
Crystal smiled, her eyes straying to the tablet next to her, her belly going a little warm at the sight of it.
Cruxan must’ve told Lihvan about Crystal wanting one again, because Beks’ mate gave her one shortly after he told them the news about the tracker. After everything, Cruxan had remembered it.
The last two nights, she’d sat up in her bed and drew. Her nights always started with Krane and Jron, little doodles of them, or little scribblings about whatever adventure they were on that she wanted to expand into a book.
But her nights always ended with her drawing strong lines and honed muscles and jutting horns and dark eyes. He was always on her mind, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that she drew Cruxan when her thoughts wandered. They were just sketches, nowhere near the real thing, but she stared at her drawings before going to bed…and then she dreamed of him.
“Kate worked in publishing, you know,” Beks told her, catching her gaze on her tablet, “back on Earth.”
Crystal had told Beks about the book she wanted to create when the brunette had caught sight of her sketches.
“I think she mentioned it once,” Crystal told her softly.
“There’s a very decided lack of children’s books on Luxiria, don’t you agree?” Beks asked, her tone sly. Crystal’s brow furrowed in confusion. “There will be children again soon. And I, for one, would like to read to my child. Maybe you and Kate could create one…if you decide to stay, that is. My child will never know Earth, but maybe books can bring some of our home planet here.”
Crystal looked at her in surprise.
“We don’t have to give up everything, you know,” Beks said softly. “We just have to adapt.”
Lihvan entered the dwelling then, his eyes going immediately to his mate before dropping down to her belly, where their child grew.
His gaze warmed and Crystal’s lips parted, seeing that love and awe in his eyes for Beks.
“You’re home early,” Beks noted, rising, going to her mate.
Lihvan’s gaze shifted to Crystal and he told her, “Cruxan returned just now.”
Her heart stopped before tripling in beat and she stood. “Is he okay?”
“Tev, of course,” Lihvan said, frowning. “But unfortunately, the trail went cold, heading east like we thought. We’ve alerted the other outposts in that direction and they will send scouts out every span, but until there is a sighting of them, there is not much else we can do.”
Crystal nodded though her shoulders sagged. She knew it was a long shot. Cruxan had said it was difficult, almost impossible, to track hovercrafts. The only way he’d found them originally had been because ofherscent and the little scraps of her tunic she’d left along the way.
“Thanks for letting us know,” Crystal said, biting her lip. Her gaze went to Beks before returning to Lihvan. “What happens now?”
“You can stay inKrorataxas long as you wish,” Lihvan said. “But if you prefer to journey back to the Golden City, I can have an escort prepared for you.”
