Page 81

I’ll be missing you every moment, Jace told him.

But Khoth watched as Jace was embraced by both of his parents before being hugged by all of his crew. Jace even gave Amana a hug, which caused her cheeks to blue and her to dip her head almost coquettishly. Jace was already in the bosom of people who loved him or who were primed to do so. Even General Intoshkin messed Jace’s hair and got a hug in return. Typhon was the only one not to physically approach Jace in any way. He was staring at Khoth out of narrowed eyes.

He knows we’re mated, Khoth realized.

Of all the people there to know, it would be Typhon. He had not lied to Jace that there was no romantic love remaining–nor had there truly ever been–in his eromen relationship with Typhon. But Typhon was always so on top of every nuance of people’s Xi and Xas. He knew Khoth’s done to the core.

Khoth inclined his head to Typhon as if to simply greet him. Typhon inclined his head in return after what seemed a slight too long time. Was he upset that Khoth was mated? Or that Jace was?

Khoth met his father’s eyes and then his mother’s before he indicated that they should split off from the group and join him. His former family met by the elevator as the others were still laughing and talking about the battle out under the moon.

Now that he was faced with picking a floor for them to go to. He didn’t want to take them back to his and Jace’s rooms. He wanted a neutral spot where they could talk. His father seemed to intuit his discomfort.

“There is a nice quiet sitting room on floor five,” his father suggested and pressed the button so that Khoth did not have to dislodge Chili.

The elevator doors whispered shut and the four of them rode down in silence for a moment. His mother kept looking down at Chili in his arms out of the corner of her eye.

“What kind of animal is that, Khoth?” she finally asked.

“A potbelly pig,” he answered as he petted Chili’s sproingy tail.

“A pig?” His mother’s voice grew interested. “Don’t humans eat pigs? They make bacon, ham, pork and other–”

“Hush,” Khoth said, covering Chili’s ears. “Humans eat other types of pigs, yes. Chili is too small to be used for food.”

And it would be a fool who tried to hurt her. Khoth would kill them in a second.

“Pigs are quite intelligent, are they not?” his mother asked.

“They are.” Which was why he didn’t want Chili hearing about bacon.

“So humans slaughter some of these intelligent creatures for food while keeping the others as pets?” She clarified.

“Some do, yes,” Khoth agreed, tempted to cover Chili’s ears again.

“That’s so very… human,” his mother laughed a little bitterly. “I wonder if the only reason they don’t try and slaughter us is because we look more like them. What will they do when they come across other species that don’t resemble them at all?”

“They will likely befriend them,” his father answered just as the doors to the elevator opened. “While we have denigrated and ignored them.”

His father left the elevator first. There was a beat before Khoth and his mother followed after. His father led them to a small sitting room that was tucked into a corner of the compound overlooking the inner courtyard. There was a warming fire crystal pit in the center of the room with two long, deep couches on either side of it. His father turned on the pit and blue flames immediately flowed from the crystals that turned a deep red then orange then yellow then back to red again.

Chili seemed to relish the extra warmth so Khoth made sure to sit nearest the fire. She laid her head on his left wrist and fell completely asleep, oinking every so softly in her dreams.

“The Pilot seems quite content in both Xi and Xa,” his father said gently as he smoothed his hands over the tops of his thighs. “That is a very good thing though his delight in seeing our city did cause a bit of consternation.”

His father had sat down opposite him with the fire between them. His mother continued to stand, pacing the room. Khoth saw his father glance towards her, but then slightly press his lips together. There would have been a time not so long ago when he would have called her name in that way of his and urged her to sit down and stop her relentless pacing. But he did not. And she continued to circle the room like a predator endlessly searching for prey.

“I’m sure that Typhon worried he’d lost control of the Pilot. Did the guard attempt to intercept you?” Nova asked.

Khoth made a slight inclination of his head. His mother let out a breathy laugh.

“Well, well, well. I wonder if that was High Councillor Esik Bhilkairs’ doing or if Ulgax already went behind his back,” she mused.

“The Pilot was in no danger from them,” Khoth answered.

“You would have fought them to the death,” she said.

“I would, but that would not have been necessary. Jace controls all the tech here on Haseon and beyond,” Khoth answered. “You saw what he is capable of. And that was when he was cut off from the Osiris and unwell. He is quite recovered now.”