Page 130 of Tempting Fate

After he and Daiytak left, Imani crossed to the hot drinks machine on the counter. “Tea?”

“Please.” I’d pictured her in my tiny cottage on Orith more than a few times, living there with me. Today, I pictured a new construction on the lake, Imani’s bag slung next to the sofa, her cosmetics in the bathroom, her sketches on the walls alongside my paintings. Imani in our bed—or even the shaa nest she favoured. We would get whichever she preferred. Which reminded me, I needed to comm Shohari and ask her to find a scarf in ydouiri silk; it would serve much better than the one she currently had.

I came up behind Imani at the kitchen counter, wrapping my arms around her shoulders and chest, pulling her close. Her soft warmth felt so right, so good, the sensation went right to my bones.

I shivered. The bond was near, it had to be.

Shohari had been terrified of this?

I breathed my moonlight in. Perhaps the gods worked in strange ways. Perhaps I’d always meant to come here, and so had she. Perhaps we’d been led together, and who was I to disagree with the whims of gods or fate? “Will you help me choose a new home?” Our new home.

Imani relaxed against me, her fingers linking with mine. “I’d like that, kitten.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Best Laid Plans

Imani

AT THIS TIME in the afternoon, the planet took up half the sky, but today it glowed more pink than orange.

I led Airida to my room, where Fenn was packing up the last of their things.

They glanced at our joined hands. “You’re staying here?”

Though I was still nervous, the idea wasn’t as scary as it had been, and I slid an arm around Airida’s waist. “I am.”

Fenn gave a broad smile. “Thank goodness for that. It feels wrong to leave without you, though.”

“Don’t be daft, you’ll be safer in town.” Tears welled in my eyes. I’d wanted more of us humans to live together, not split up even further. “I’ll come visit as soon as this is over.”

“You better had.” Fenn hoisted a bag onto their shoulder. “Come see me off?”

I nodded and turned to Airida. “Make yourself at home, I’ll be right back.”

Fenn and I wandered over to the village gates, beyond which a speeder waited. I couldn’t see the pilot, but a striking cyborg woman I assumed was Xeefral waited by the open door.

Her species wasn’t one I recognised, but she was curvaceous and tall, and she held herself with an easy confidence I only wished I possessed. Yeah, I could see why Fenn was into her.

Fenn pulled me into a hug and squeezed tight. “I’m proud of you, babe. Be safe.”

“I will. You too. And she’s gorgeous. Don’t be shy.”

“Yeah, right. I’ll comm you when I get there.”

We let each other go, stepping away until only our fingertips touched. The armed guards unlocked the gate, the ever-present blue shimmer winked out, and Fenn stepped outside Zyamzh’s boundary.

A new start. For both of us.

As the transport sped away, I hurried back to my—our—room.

My pulse picked up at the sight of Airida sitting in my nest like he’d always belonged there. I ducked into his embrace. “Are you sure about this? There’s still time for you to leave with the others.”

“As sure as anything,” he said. “I belong here with you. And I am so sick of staying in the village that a cave will be a welcome change. We should pack.”

We should. The rescue mission was leaving in two days, and during that commotion, Kira and Reskavi would cover us as we headed to the cave. I couldn’t believe Tokki and Daiytak had agreed to our plan. I’d go on my own first, and Airida would hide in a supply crate brought in and out by Reskavi’s crew. We had it all worked out. “I’d better go to your old hut, see who they’re moving in there. I’ll bring some of your things back here.”

“As long as all you do with that male is talk,” he growled.