“Corzin.” He extends a hand, exposing the pads of his palm and his fingers, as well as the claws now embedded in my memory.
I don’t like that Brynna shakes his hand, not because of their agreement, but because he’s touching her.
“Any friend of my mate’s is safe with my pack.” Corzin releases Brynna and draws Sky against him. He licks a bite at the back of Sky’s neck, which makes her giggle.
“It’s fine, Corzin. I’ve got to go. Our race is starting.”
Brynna rises on her toes and barely manages to kiss my throat before darting off with Sky and leaving me and Corzinstanding together among the crowd of males. It is awkward. I am not ready to be without her. My nerves are on fire with alertness. So much has already happened that I’m just waiting for the next thing.
Corzin crosses his arms and glances at me with one gold eye, one blue. “My hackles have been up since we got here. I thought it was you. Now I know it was one of us. Even though…it wasn’t.”
The starting gun goes off, stealing my attention. Brynna and Sky charge up a ramp and into a hut together, where they disappear. I don’t like it, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I am sorry about you having to run into Luslym,” Corzin continues. “He is from one of our most closed-minded packs that think everyone who is not Mindoran is the enemy. Amphirans are a necessary asset to space travel, since we are not adept in that department. But all others are off the table to them, including Thorians. My pack is the opposite. So if you need something hunted, we will track a scent, even across a stream or on a sterile starship. And if Sky wants Brynna to join her in our den someday, you are welcome to come. I know you saved our females from the Denarso.”
After a relieved sigh, I hear the first chime. A female has found a golden egg. Seconds later, a female swats the bell on the tallest tower. But the race does not end.
Ohni hovers above us on a platform. “One more prize left! Who will uncover it?”
A chime rings out. At a narrow tower toward the back, Sky appears, holding a bright green egg. Brynna high-fives her.
“Skylar has found the final prize!”
Corzin arches backward and howls in celebration beside me.
“She wins a three-night stay on the Starlight CruiserJade.” Ohni holds up a hand and summons to life a graphic with the remaining egg prizes. There is a golden egg in every race, though sometimes it descends for the winner, like in Glitterball. I readthe updated program packet but didn’t memorize everything with my priority set on snagging Brynna. Now that I’ve got her, all of this is just for fun.
The ropes course has three prizes: a gold egg, a jade egg, and 10,000 credits for ringing the bell. Each egg is now associated with a trip prize. Ohni has made a few changes since I last watched the races years ago. And with more prizes to win, I now have motivation to play.
I want to give Brynna something she’ll like.
As the crews reset the game and hide the eggs, a new tower rises from the center of the course, tall, slender, and smooth like a long pole. At the top, it displays a special egg that burns like it was put there for me.
Ohni hovers down in front of us. “This is the tenth month with no winners for the flaming egg.”
Corzin elbows me. “This one is for your skill set.”
“Get the egg, and you get to choose from three prizes.” Ohni rises again.
Around the base of the tall central spire, a bag shaped like a donut inflates.
Brynna smiles as she and Sky squeeze between the other racers toward us.
Corzin hugs Sky. “Nice work.”
“Couldn’t have done it without Brynna.” Sky beams at her. “She deserves half the credit.”
Brynna shrugs. “I don’t need the trip. I’ve seen the stars. You two should enjoy it.”
My fated is giving and self-sacrificing, and that means a lot to me. But I want to give her something special, because she deserves it. And I want her to know I can be a provider, and I am not always broken. I am afraid that the way we met and started this week off has put doubt in her mind.
I have to get the fire egg.
It might not be anything special to choose from, but I want to give Brynnasomethingin return for her putting up with all the hell she’s endured already.
Corzin whispers to me as we get ready behind the line. “You going for it?”
“What would my fated think of me if I didn’t? Wehatch.”
