Tiernan pouted, but Taryn smiled even wider as he showed Jullien his arm where he still sported Jullien’s Tavali patch on his sleeve. “You haven’t forgotten, right, Basha Dagger? When I’m growed up, I’m going to be on your crew like kyzu Vasi!”
Jullien barely caught himself before he corrected Taryn’s Andarion. “Kyzu” was the female term for a cousin. Vasili would have a fit over that mistake. “Kyzi” was the word the boy wanted. But if Nyk wasn’t teaching them proper Andarion, then be damned if he would. “Absolutely, Terry.”
Thia tsked at her brothers as she pushed her way past them. “You two need to learn a little restraint.” She leaned forward to kiss Jullien’s cheek. “What brings you here, Basha?”
He frowned at Nykyrian.
“I didn’t tell her I was calling you. Thought you’d want the honor of it, since the final decision about it is entirely yours.”
Jullien hesitated. While that was true, he wasn’t used to this kind of trust or respect from his birth family. It actually scared him. “Your paka said that you wanted to sign on with The Tavali?”
Her jaw went slack an instant before tears welled in her eyes. “Really?”
Nyk’s own eyes moistened. His angst-filled expression probably mirrored the same one Jullien had worn the day he’d decided to let his own son follow him into battle. To this day, he got sick to his stomach every time he glanced over to see Vasili on his ship whenever they came under fire.
“If it’s truly what you want, Thia, I won’t stop you.”
Her joyous shriek made a mockery of her brothers’ and caused Jullien to visibly cringe from it. And like her brothers, she threw herself against him so unexpectedly that he barely caught her before they fell to the floor.
“Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!” she repeated fast and furiously. “Love you, Daddy!” She released Jullien, then jumped up to kiss Nykyrian before she dashed into her room to begin frantically pulling clothes from her closet and throwing them on the bed and floor.
Jullien scowled at her exuberant packing. “Should I tell her now or later that The Tavali have a strict dress code and everything she’s tossing about is futile?”
Nykyrian grimaced as he stroked his light whiskers. “You can try. She never listens to me.”
“Can I go, too, Uncle Basha?”
Smiling at the redundant terms, Jullien picked Taryn up and squeezed him gently. “I’d love to take you, Terry, but I don’t think your paka could handle letting go of two babies at once. Your mum, either.”
Nykyrian pulled Tiernan into his arms while his younger twin protested it. “Definitely not. Still not sure I won’t yet stun Thia and carry her back to her room when she starts to leave.”
“Daddy!” Tiernan fussed. “You’re crushing me!”
“Sorry.”
The tears in Nyk’s eyes made Jullien’s throat tighten.
“I felt the same way when we dropped Vasili off at university. Ushara cried for a week, and hugged the twins so hard that they’re still scarred from it.”
Nyk cupped his son’s head and kissed the dark curls before he set Tiernan down. “How did you deal with it?”
“Talked to him nine times a day—until he threatened to get a new line and not let us have the frequency.… You know I’ll bring her straight back if you need me to.”
Clearing his throat, Nykyrian wiped at his eyes, then took Taryn from Jullien. “Thank you for doing this. I owe you, little brother.”
“Not really.” Jullien winked at him. “Given our gruesome past, taking care of your daughter for you is the least I can do.”
Thia came running up to him. “Got everything packed. When do we leave?”
“As soon as your father can stand to let you go without shooting one of us.”
Nyk ground his teeth, then nodded. “She can go now if she wants.”
Taryn’s gaze shimmered from his tears. “Thia’s leaving?”
That finally shattered her happiness as she knelt down by his side. “I’m only a call away, Terry. Day or night. And I’ll be back every holiday and birthday. Okay?”
Sniffing, he nodded. “You better. I’ll miss you.”
