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I hold my hand out to her, my chest expanding when she crosses to me and slips hers inside mine. We fill her in on the plan and what to expect while I make breakfast. She eats and listens, thoughtfully taking in everything we tell her.

“Are you worried about whoever on the crew spilling secrets about who I really am?”

“No. The only people who know about you that will be there are the three of us in this room and Altis and Vynia.”

Hyva excuses himself when we finish to go home and check on his parents.

“Can we go see Kodia and his mate? I haven’t seen them since they saved me.”

“Of course.” I pick up our plates and carry them to the sink. “We can even take them some treats if you want.”

“Oh, that’d be good. What do they like?”

I bite the inside of my cheek because I have a feeling she’s not going to like it. Opening a freezer drawer, I pull out two frozen sea birds and hand one to her.

“These are their favorites.”

“Oh.” Her face takes on a green pallor. “They look like they could be alive.”

“Yes, that’s the idea.”

“Right.” She nods, holding the bird out from her body. “Shall we?”

“After you.”

We get down to the water’s edge, and I tap the water’s surface several times in a specific pattern that Kodia will recognize. I stand back up and walk over to Neev, not knowing how long it will take for them to get here. If they’re far out, it could be a few minutes.

“How will I know if his mate is my soul tie?” Neev asks.

I tap a finger over her heart. “It’s just knowing in here. You’ll feel her, and it’s such a different sensation from anything else. Think of how it feels to mind speak with me. It’s kind of like that but on a level without words.”

She nods at the explanation and looks out to the water. “Do you feel that?”

As soon as the question is out of her mouth, I feel them approaching. The water at the mouth of the cave ripples, and before I know it, both Kodia and his mate are flying out of the water and landing nearly on top of us. Kodia’s mate rubs against Neev so fiercely she knocks her over and begins licking her face.

Neev’s laughter fills the cave as they bond. Kodia takes the bird from me and swallows it in one gulp before turning his attention back to the females. Neev wiggles out from under her and offers the bird, which disappears down her throat in the same manner as Kodia’s did.

“It definitely feels like a soul tie to me. I guess I get to name her now.”

“You do.”

“Lucy.” Neev scratches behind the female’s ear. “She feels like a Lucy.”

“Kodia and Lucy. I like it.”

“I wish we could go for a swim with them,” she says.

“Soon. She’ll always be here for you.”

Just like I will be.

* * *

I stare at my reflection as I put the pins I’ve earned through perfect military service on my uniform. Awards for bravery, for brutality, for serving my planet in the most violent way possible. Patches from the major battles I participated in are sewn onto the sleeves of the stiff black jacket.

I loathe what I see in the mirror.

Quickly taming my unruly hair into submission, I tear my gaze from my reflection and walk out into my bedroom. My cloak is laid out on the bed, along with my boots and swords. The fact there are smudges on the latter is a stark reminder of Uzold’s loss.