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He exhaled, watching her hips sway, giving her space, sensing she needed time out.

This instant family dynamic was proving to be a challenge to navigate.

He knew what she’d been through was heart-wrenching, and her protectiveness of Killen was warranted. He had to step with care. To win her trust and help her learn that the burden wasn’t all on her shoulders.

He also had a gifted, deity-like son, and he needed to respect and guide him with wisdom if he let him.

Though he dreamed of their reunion for years, he hadn’t factored in what provocation and testing they’d encounter once they were together.

‘Fokkme.’ He muttered the curse as he marched back into his woman’s home. ‘The path to eternal love is paved with fire that either warms your soul or burns you with flames of wonder and ash.’

19

On Silver Sands

RIV

With Élisa’s permission, the group began packing and closing her house.

She changed into a fresh jumpsuit, and she and Killen passed all their essentials to Riv, who packed them into Glimmer.

Élisa’s coolness toward Riv lingered, keeping to herself as she focused on stowing away her belongings.

A wall had come up between them.

He caught fleeting glimpses of fear in her eyes and posture as they prepped to leave her home. Her gaze often followed Killen, clouded with concern.

Riv tried comforting her by pulling her close into an embrace, but she shook her head and pulled away.

She’d walked this road alone for so long that he wondered if it was too late for her to let him in after so many years of doing it tough on her own.

He reminded himself she needed space, so Riv stepped back, waiting until she made peace with the situation and him.

The Riders secured the property, adding Sable tech shields around it. ‘No one will get through those,’ Riv assured his woman, who shot him a nervous glance.

Glimmer took a quick trip to offload the dzo livestock to a monastery, a short hop away.

On return, Mirage’s bots went to town, cleaning the now smelly hold before the Riders packed Killen and his mother’s bags inside the sleek gunship.

They were ready for lift-off within hours, the entire party traveling on Glimmer to rendezvous with the Phantasm.

Once beside the behemoth battle cruiser, Noab Hakim, who was recovering well, was transferred from Glimmer to Phantasm’s medbay, where the Sable Riders’ team of medics took over his treatment.

Meanwhile, inside Riv’s ship, the Rider ushered Killen and Élisa into its bridge, exchanging an amused glance with his woman. ‘Care to revisit your brief captain-ship of my boat?’

She rolled her eyes at him but gave him a faint touch on his arm, which he took as a sign of her thawing. She settled into the XO’s seat with a smile while she strapped in behind him.

Glimmer parted ways with the Sable Group’s mega cruiser in minutes and flew due south of Devansi.

Zane announced from the helm. ‘People, we’re headed to the nebula’s touch point on Devansi. The Phantasm will remain cloaked in orbit to give us cover. Once we arrive, the landing team will descend to the surface and assess the situation up close. Are we all clear?’

‘Clear,’ the crew intoned.

When the secure seat sign went off, Killen rose, wandering the bridge, his shrouded eyes somehow taking in his new environment. He roamed the consoles, touching screens and surfaces, feeling his way around the gunship.

Zane leaned over to Riv, his eyes on the young man exploring the Phantasm.He’s off the charts.

Riv nodded, his eyes also tracking his son’s progress.That he is. I feel like I’ve got years to catch up on and eons on top of that to understand everything he is.