As I scraped the last of my second helping from the bottom of my bowl, I knew one thing I had to do. And I had to do it tonight.
After I said all the thank-yous and goodbyes, and had accepted a fresh sack of bread rolls from Braija’s partner, Viltra, I stepped out into the dark village and walked the short way to the stone building where Maive lived. She’d be home this time of night, and for the first time, I wasn’t looking forward to seeing her.
I knocked on the wooden door, perhaps too loud. It may have sounded more like a pounding than a knocking. Either way, she opened it.
She looked at me for one single breath. “What’s wrong?”
I held her gaze. “May I come in?” I saw no point in saying “nothing,” butfleck, I was not looking forward to this conversation.
She stepped aside and gestured for me to enter, which I did. The door closed behind me, blocking out the Podnos-9 sky doing its trick of skipping from streaky purple-colored clouds to dark blue with very little warning.
“Has something happened?” She crossed her arms.
“Yes,” I said, sounding as old as I currently felt.
She looked at me. Green-gold, steady eyes. “What?”
I thought about the answer. Not about whether to give one—I was going to give one—but about which one was accurate. “I have received word of a party with great interest in the healing syrup you manufacture,” I said. “And that they are planning a visit.”
A pause. I saw her mull over the wordspartyandvisit. She went briefly still, processing my words.
She swallowed hard. “Are my people in danger?”
“Yes.”
She looked up, as if she could see the sky through the floors and roof of her home. Outside, the stars were appearing. This was my favorite part of the evening. On another night, we were lifting of to look at the stars from inside my shuttle. This was a very different kind of night.
She wanted more information. I knew that. She had the same look I’d seen when she was dealing with a supply problem, or a dispute between the fishermen, or anything else that she’d deemed within her purview of responsibility. Which was most things.
“I want to know everything.”
I rubbed my forehead and sighed. “I know. I wish I had more to offer you.”On every flecking level.
Her lips had lost their color. The bottom one trembled before she clamped her teeth over it. “I need to know what to tell them.”
“Tell them nothing right now,” I said. “I need to ask some questions. As soon as I learn more, I will tell you.”
Her eyes were wide and locked on mine. “Promise me, Gilrox.”
I took both of her hands in mine and drew them up to my chest. “I promise. I will do everything in my power to keep you, and everyone here, safe.” Then, I lifted her hands higher and kissed the palm of one of them. Her fingers curled around my hands and held on.
The moment crackled. I didn’t know how else to describe it, but that. It felt like a power cell was discharging its energy in the space between us, showering my skin with prickles of electricity. She appeared to be experiencing a similar phenomenon because she held my gaze with riveted attention. Color returned to her cheeks, her lips.
I couldn’t say who moved forward first, but one moment I was locked in her gaze and the next, she was up against me. My arms came around her. Her body pressed to mine and her arms looped around my neck. She was shorter than me, so I lowered just a little, and she raised up to tiptoes. And as I held her close, I lifted her up enough for our mouths to fit together.
And,sweet stars, did they fit. Everything about her body felt like it was made for mine. The soft curves melted against me with warmth and strength and some cosmic power that made my entire body light up with intense,immediatearousal. In other words, I had never gotten so hard, so fast, in my life, even when Iwasin my prime.
“Gilrox,” she said softly, leaning back. “I don’t know what to do with this.”
I knew what the “this” was she was referring to, and I didn’t know what to do with it either. I drew one hand up and caressed her face. My thumb traced the fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Lines that had been etched from smiles and stayed for wisdom. They matched lines on my own face. “I am still trying to understand why you want me.” The arm wrapped around her waist tightened. “I’m an old, scarred mercenary. Grumpy, too. We’d argue all the time.”
Her lips curved into a trembling smile. “I know. It makes no sense.”
“And you’re beautiful,” I added. “Fierce and strong and loved by your people. You don’t need a man like me. You don’t needanyman.”
She nodded silently. “No, I don’t. But I want a man like you. Specifically, you, Gilrox.”
Her words amazed me. “Would your people even accept me?”
