“It matters little. I would resolve this quickly.”
“I have a way of making people talk,” Yina said as she followed S’samph out of the clinic.
With S’samph and Yina gone, Eleri leaned back on her stack of pillows. Her mouth was dry again as she reached for the bucket of hydropods.
“Let me help.” S’kasia lifted it up to her level so she could lie back against the thin pillows. “We were all worried for your safety.” S’kasia’stone was serious. “You will be my mate sister soon through our traditions after all. But I consider you my sister already.”
“Thank you for coming with S’samph to rescue me.”
S’kasia’s frill rippled. “I must be the one thanking you. After all, you gave my clutch brother another chance despite his terrible behavior when you first arrived. But now you understand why I chose you for him.”
“S’samph is better than I deserve.” Eleri found herself acutely aware of his solid presence. She’d never been one to be overly attached in relationships, but her heart yearned for him in a way that was both unfamiliar and terrifying. “I suppose I can look past our first few meetings.”
“You are kind. Your heart would bring joy to the bright goddess.” S’kasia reached into a bag on her hip and produced a small box. “These were our dam’s mating bands. When you and S’samph join at your fire ceremony, you will wear these as a symbol of your bond. I will keep them safe for you until then and stand up for you as your sister in flame.” She set the box down on the cot beside Eleri’s knee.
Eleri reached for the box and ran her fingers over the solid stellite bands dotted with unfamiliar yellow-green stones. The corners of her eyes were wet. “They’re beautiful.”
“They will suit you well.” S’kasia placed an uncertain hand on Eleri’s shoulder. “You should get some sleep.”
“I think I will,” Eleri rubbed at her head, mindful of the sharp headache that worsened the longer she kept her eyes open.
“There is one more thing I must discuss with you before I let you sleep,” S’kasia said.
“What is it?”
“After your fire ceremony, after the flooding, I will go to Abwele to reunite with my sister in flame T’salya.”
“You’re leaving?” Eleri frowned.
“Not forever,” S’kasia’s frill rippled in amusement. “But I have spent too long in the dust here, and I must remind myself of who I am beyond my surly clutch-brother and my eggs.”
“I’m happy for you,” Eleri said.
“Before I leave, I want to have a proper memorial for my eggs. If you would be willing to stand with me, I would be grateful.”
“Of course. Whatever you need,” Eleri triedher best to squelch an ill-timed yawn.
“Sleep, Eleri. I will go find my troublesome clutch-brother and send him back to you.” S’kasia rose and left the room after patting Eleri’s foot through the thin blankets.
Eleri’s eyes were heavy as she tried to fight sleep long enough for S’samph to return to her bedside. Everything she wanted was here. A mate who loved her. A job she loved. Her chest swelled with a feeling of contentment she hadn’t felt in her adult life. Her whole body ached, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face.
CHAPTER 29
S’SAMPH
“Iappreciate you and your patrols cooperating with us.” The IA human Yina stood across from his desk typing something into her datapad as she spoke. S’samph sat with his tail coiled beneath him as he shifted uncomfortably in the office chair. He’d never actually considered himself in a leadership position, but it was not disagreeable now that he was here. K’kaen, Dzo, and a few new patrols from Indras were closing in on Myla and Minio’s location. They had sent word ahead to Abwele to search for any vessels departing for Brasnia Prime.
“Will you be in Laurus much longer?” he asked.
“Only until our two prisoners are secured. Well, I suppose it’s rude to call them prisoners until they’ve been sentenced. I guess I mean fugitives.”
“I anticipate their capture by this afternoon.”
“Fantastic. No offense, but I definitely don’t want to be trapped here for your rainy season. We’ve already stayed longer than I was hoping." Yina collapsed her datapad, a much newer model than what he owned, and then placed a palm flat on his worktable. “You should get moving. I can’t imagine healer in training Eleri would be thrilled if you got trapped in your office by the flooding. Go enjoy your time off. I’m going to confirm the details with my agent in Abwele and then pack their asses off to our penal colony on Brasnia’s Moon 6 until we can get them a trial slot.”
S'samph’s tail swished with amusement as he stood to see her out of his office. This human talked too much and had an odd sense of humor, but he appreciated her efforts in capturing those who had done harm to his mate. It had only been standard five days since Eleri returned from the raviks’ settlement, but so many things had changed in such a short time. Far too many things for him to feel comfortable with all the sudden upheaval.
K’kaen was keeping an eye on Eleri back at their newly shared nest. S’samph had convinced her of the urgency of joining him sooner rather than waiting until Aglao’s awakening. S’kasia was planning to leaveLaurus after the rains and have T’salya help her conduct a memorial for her eggs. And now he was here, as head of security, the job he’d signed on for but avoided most of his time here. No small part of him was grateful for the excuse to stop growing vela beans, but the abrupt upheaval still gave him a sense of disquiet.
