“Yup.He only stayed as long as he did because I am landlocked for now.”
He nodded.
“So, enjoying domestic life?”
He grinned, and that is all he talked about until they pulled off the ferry and onto Daycross Island.
They stopped at the manor house and got out of the car.The girls shrieked as Lii darted out to meet them, and the air was filled with high-speed chatter.
A huge wolf-man came out of the house, wearing a button-down shirt and slacks, accompanied by a dark-haired woman and a baby.The man spoke.“Hey, Salat, glad you came.Who is this?”
Hemma stepped forward and said, “Hey, Lord Daycross.”
He looked at her and blinked.“Hemma?”
“Yup.Free refugee in Aksalla.I have no interest in anyone’s secrets.”
Salat broke the staring match.“Hemma, this is Vallu, Lady Daycross.She’s holding the next Lord Daycross.”
Hemma bowed.“Good morning.”
Vallu looked at her.“Who was your hostage?”
“Brother.He’s grown now.Waiting to head to Hyreno to start his grand researching career.”She smiled.“Top of his class.”
Etgar paused.“So, you did all that...”
“Because someone I loved would be tortured and destroyed if I didn’t.Same as a lot of Uraddan women.”She shrugged.“How is your mother?”
“She might not be happy you are here.”
“Still using eyebeams?”
Vallu grinned.“Oh, so youhavebeen here before.”
“Yes.Now I merely work for Salat’s business partner and co-founder of the BDC.”
Etgar blinked.“It isn’t all Zera?”
Salat chuckled.“No.It is a consortium with only one male on the founding roster.Everything about it is designed to protect the escort, so who do you think designed the protocols that allow the escorts to do whatever they need to, with the patron having to practice a lot of restraint?”
Etgar paused.“Well, hell.”
Hemma smiled.“The ladies are extremely intelligent and goal-focused, but my boss was the one who took the theory to the field.And then they made adjustments, and that is when neutralizing the effectiveness of a patron came in.Fool them once.”
Etgar paused and then laughed.
Vallu looked at the baby in her arms.“And sometimes it works out the other way.”
Etgar smiled down at his wife and son.“That was averygood day.”
Vallu chuckled.“Here.You and Salat can exchange diapering tips.Baola has the girls for now, and maybe Hemma can help me with lunch.”
Etgar gladly took his son and huffed.“Chef takes care of lunch.”
“Then, she can help me set the table.”
Hemma smiled.“The only thing I am paying attention to is Kessie.She’s the sum and total of my focus.I don’t give a fuck how many times you and your wife have gone at it on the dining room table.I know you have excellent cleaning staff.”
