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“How long would you need to be gone?” Elrin asked, reading his hesitation.

“Three days. Perhaps four.” Thraxar’s gaze drifted back to the garden. “I will need to travel far enough away that the pod’s destruction cannot be easily investigated.”

“I’ll watch over them,” Elrin promised. “My home has excellent security systems. They’ll be safe here.”

He nodded, decision made. “I will prepare my ship.”

The sunset paintedthe horizon in shades of amber and violet as he made his final preparations. He’d spent the afternoon going over the plan with Kara, who had immediately understood the necessity despite her obvious concern. Now he stood in the garden, reluctant to leave.

Rory approached, carrying something in his cupped hands. The boy stopped before him and held out his offering—a small, intricate arrangement of colored stones and metal pieces he’d collected.

“For me?” he asked softly.

Rory nodded once, his serious eyes fixed on Thraxar’s face.

He accepted the gift carefully, recognizing it as more than just stones. It was trust. Communication. Perhaps even love, expressed in the only way Rory knew how.

“Thank you,” he said, tucking the arrangement securely in a pouch at his belt. “I will keep it with me.”

Rory hummed softly, then reached out to trace the pattern on his forearm before turning away to rejoin his sister.

His sister.He had already begun thinking of them that way—brother and sister, both his children now.

Talia approached next, her translucent ears shifting from purple to a muted blue. “Kara says you’re going to make the bad people think I’m gone forever.”

“Yes.” He crouched to her level, his tail curling protectively behind her without touching. “It’s the only way to keep you safe.”

Her big black eyes studied him. “Will you come back?”

The question pierced him with its simplicity and the fear behind it. How many people had left this child and never returned?

“Always,” he promised. “Nothing in this universe could keep me from returning to you.”

Her ears flushed purple again as she suddenly launched herself against his chest. He enfolded her in his arms, still marveling at how natural it felt to hold these children who were nothing like him biologically, yet somehow belonged with him completely.

“Be careful with my tracker,” she whispered. “It’s the last thing I have from home.”

The statement caught him off guard. “You remember your home?”

She nodded against his chest. “A little. It was high up, with big windows. Mother said we could see the whole city, but we couldn’t go outside much.” Her voice dropped lower. “She cried a lot after Father went away.”

Thraxar held her tighter, understanding more than ever why this deception was necessary. Talia deserved peace, not a lifetime of looking over her shoulder.

“When I come back,” he said, “we’ll make a new home. One where you can go outside whenever you want.”

She pulled back to look at him, her expression solemn. “With a garden? And rooms for everyone?”

“Yes. All of that and more.”

Satisfied, she stepped away, her small hand lingering on his arm for a moment before she joined Rory.

Kara approached last, her eyes reflecting the fading sunlight. Without a word, she stepped into his arms.

“Three days,” she murmured against his chest. “Not a minute longer.”

His tail curled around her waist, drawing her closer. “I’ll return as quickly as possible.”

“You’d better.” She looked up at him, her expression fierce despite the moisture gathering in her eyes. “We’ve only just found each other. I’m not ready to let you go for good.”