Page 62 of Tempting Fate

Kri’s gentle hands, how had I lost control like that? Kri’ith were always controlled in public. Gods, of all the people I wanted to think well of me, Imani was the last person I wanted to have seen me like that.

Hot tears pricked at my eyes.

“Hey. No. You have nothing to apologise for.” Though she was stern, her voice held infinite gentleness. “It can be a normal reaction, okay? Are you ready to head home?”

“Yes.” The need for a familiar environment shook me, churned me up, threatened to upturn my newly found equilibrium.

Imani slid from my lap, hugging me tight before she let go. “I’ll put some music on for the ride back.”

“Please.”

I closed my eyes, feeling the motion of the speeder, zoning out to the steady beat of the wordless music.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Tourmaline

Imani

THE SPEEDER ENGINES shut down with a whirr, leaving quiet in their wake. I hopped out and held a hand to Airida. “You okay? Come on, you need a drink and bed.”

“No arguments from me.” He took my hand and stepped to the ground, then gave a laboured sigh. “Kalidi soon. I could do without it.”

“Go to sleep, and I’ll deal with it while you rest, then,” I joked, keeping my tone soft.

“Oh yes, I’ll sleep and you can just, what, watch this”—he grabbed his junk—“until it’s ready?”

I chuckled along with him as we walked towards his hut. “I was joking, but if it would help…”

He gave me a gentle squeeze.

“Seriously, having a—” He doesn’t need to hear it called a meltdown. Probably won’t even translate. “Getting overwhelmed like that can be exhausting. Sleep is what you need.”

“But why did it happen?”

I helped him into bed and couldn’t resist a stroke of his headspines, which rippled at the contact. “You know how I don’t like light touch? It sets my nerves on edge. Well, in the same way, sometimes town feels overwhelming to me, especially if it’s busy.”

“It was very busy. And loud.”

“It was. And for some people, sometimes all of that can get too much. Sometimes it gets to me so bad I can’t think straight.” And for someone who’d never been in a town before and was still learning how to be around people, well, it would have been a sensory overload.

A rising tide of compassion welled up, stealing my breath. I wouldn’t wish a meltdown on my worst enemy, and certainly not for Airida. He’d been through so much, had been so brave in going into town. He didn’t need this on top of everything.

But I’d been there for him. I was glad it had been me.

He’d already closed his eyes, his face looking more at peace already, the lines of tension easing with each steady breath. Orbit fluttered over and landed in his headspines, curling her little feet around one and nestling against another.

I sank into the cosy chair by the window. Going into a town for the first time had been such a big deal for him. And he’d done it. And done well, all things considered. How strong was he, to have been through everything he had, and still be pushing himself like this? He didn’t let any of it break him. Didn’t let it subdue his determination. Didn’t let it stop him trying to improve, even when he knew he’d mess up along the way.

His headspines twitched as he slept. Kinda cute, really.

I picked up my comm, swiping away a strange pop-up—if it hadn’t translated out of Galactic script, it clearly wasn’t worth reading—and checked my messages.

Kira (The Jewelled Tusk)

We’re coming to see you next! Gonna hang out at Aurora5 for a bit longer, then we have a job. Be with you in two weeks or so?

I bit my lip to contain my squeal of excitement. Despite the journey here, the various drop-offs along the way, I couldn’t shake the beliefs of a lifetime, that interstellar travel could be that simple. Back home, even interplanetary travel had been the province of the rich, and yet my friend had travelled all the way here from Tathar Refuge to find us.