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Chapter One

Ghenie

I run my fingers over the pillow beside me, staring at the light blue material. The smell of its last occupant has been gone for a year, but I swear I can still smell him if I concentrate hard enough.

I’ve been awake for a while but unable to get myself out of bed yet.

There’s much to do today. I have things to prepare.

I have to make sure Maribel is up and ready to go.

I have to make sure I’m presentable. I have to prepare my mind and make sure I’m able to keep everyone out of my mind despite the fact that I’ll be surrounded by my people.

I am already exhausted and the day hasn’t started yet.

A year ago, another ship departed Deltourah , the planet that is my home.

That ship had some of my people aboard, such as Gendry.

It wasn’t just Layperry though. There was also Christian, a human who came here during the very first Human Layperry Exchange.

He decided, at the end of his three years, to return to Earth instead of staying here.

Even just thinking his name has my heart seizing in my chest. It’s been a year since he left but I still ache at the very pit of my soul.

We will all be in the town square, waiting for the ship to arrive. We will give them a proper welcome, celebrating the return of our brothers while also welcoming all those new to our planet. As the Toralleh , or the leader of my people, it is my duty to be there to welcome them.

The whispers are loud today, pressing against the back of my mind.

The burden I carry on my shoulders is heavy, but it is a duty I welcome and cherish.

The Ancestors speak to me and in return, I impart wisdom and rules onto our people.

I help guide our people into the future.

I keep them safe, I keep them in order, I love them with not only all the love I possess but all the love the Ancestors possess as well.

I sit up, feeling guilty once again for occupying this house.

After Christian left, I was a mess. I’d never felt such pain before in my entire life.

To feel close to him, I moved into the house he lived in while he was here, the one across the road from Miles and Timalah.

I sleep in his bed, I lie on his couch, I eat dinner at his table. All the while, I miss him.

Just as I am debating pulling the covers back over my head, Maribel begins to make noises in the bassinet beside the bed. Sitting up, I stretch my arms over my head until my spine gives a satisfying crack. Then I reach over and pull my daughter out of the bassinet.

“Good morning,” I say softly. I quickly remove my shirt and bring her to my chest, allowing her to have some breakfast from my body.

“Today is such a big day, darling,” I tell her as I run my hands over her back.

“There’s a chance your other father will be joining us once more.

It is a very small chance but a chance nonetheless. ”

Just saying it out loud leaves me breathless. I’ve never felt longing like this so strongly, even when I interface with our Ancestors. It is overwhelming and it takes all of my strength not to lose myself in the feeling.

Miles is my neighbor now. He’s human and mated with my closest advisor, Timalah.

He’s been Ancestor sent since Maribel has arrived.

He’s helped me learn everything I need to know about raising my human daughter.

He also happens to be Christian’s best friend.

He is certain Christian will be on the ship today.

I do my best not to hope, yet hope has a funny way of wiggling its way into places even when it’s not wanted.

Once Maribel has drunk her full, I make sure to get her changed and dressed for the day. Then I put my own clothes on, choosing my normal leather pants and vest. Then I take my long scarf, using it to make a little backpack for Maribel to sit in.

Normally, human babies are too small for something like this, but Maribel is growing so quickly. She’s already so strong, able to keep her head up. Maybe it’s because she has Layperry parentage or maybe she is just special.

Once she’s in place on my back, I head outside. The air is cool against my skin, smelling fresh and light as I breathe it in. My shoulders relax slightly as I begin my trek into town.

The voices at the back of my head are murmuring with excitement. New visitors. Fresh faces. Old friends returned. Prosper, joy, health. I do my best to tune them out, trying to focus on my part in all this.

The closer I get to the center of town, the louder the voices get.

The Layperry people are all connected telepathically.

We can feel and sense each other while also having the ability to project speech into each other’s heads.

Those who form close bonds have a stronger link, such as brothers in arms, or mates.

Because I am the Toralleh , the one appointed by our Ancestors to lead our people, I have a strong link with every single Layperry .

I have a connection to all of them, living and dead.

The inside of my mind is a constant buzzing of voices that I’ve learned to live with.

Sometimes it gets to be too much, but years of practice have given me the ability to shut them away when needed.

Though I’ve shut myself away from the voices, that doesn’t stop the sensations of emotions from running through the links I share with people. I feel excitement, trepidation, worry, and awe. So many things from so many people. It is amazing I can keep my head on straight most days.

“It is about time for them to arrive,” Timalah says, placing a hand on my shoulder. He gives me a gentle squeeze, his emotions coming towards me in soft, reassuring waves. He is my right hand man and without him and his wisdom, I would have drowned long ago.

“Hello, darling,” Miles says, cooing at Maribel on my back. “She’s so freaking cute when she’s conked out like this. Milk coma.”

A smile spreads across my face as warmth pools in the pit of my stomach.

She is my heart and joy, the one who helps wash away the worries when things feel like they’re getting to be too much.

I love her more than I thought possible despite all the love already inside my chest for my people.

I give myself fully to them, but Maribel? Maribel is mine and mine alone.

Well, mine and Christian’s.

“There it is!”

There are murmurs all around me, emotions welling up inside everyone.

I feel like a leaf bobbing in a body of water.

I suck in a long breath, just feeling it, letting it consume me for a moment before getting my head above water and allowing myself solace in the depths of my mind.

I close myself off to my people so I can properly welcome this ship.

If I’m also keeping them from feeling my fear and excitement, then that is only an added bonus to closing off the link.

I wait until the ship is fully settled and the doors slide open. A ramp drops down. At the bottom of the ramp is where I stand, ready to receive all those who have joined us.

“Hello,” I say warmly to the two humans who come down first. They both have beautiful brown skin, their eyes shining with excitement and awe. “Welcome to Deltourah. This is our capital city, Shentellah . I am very pleased to meet you. I am Ghenie.”

“It’s really nice to meet you. Gendry has talked about you a lot.”

My chest aches with joy at the mention of my friend’s name. I’ve missed him so dearly. He calls my name and bounds down the ramp towards me. My face breaks into a grin.

Gendry pulls me into a tight hug that I readily return. When I pull back, I look down at the baby in his arms, my stomach swooping. This human looks only a few hours old!

“And who is this?”

“This is MJ, my daughter. You’ve met Aldo, my partner. Beside him is my mother-in-law, Maria.”

It looks as though I am not the only one with a new member of the family. “I never expected this when you left. Are you happy?”

“More than I can say with words,” Gendry says.

He places his hand on my shoulder and we come together, allowing our link to be forged once more.

I open myself up to him and he does the same for me, allowing his emotions to flow through the tether we share.

I feel his excitement at being a parent, his peace at being home, and finally, my knees threaten to buckle as I feel the love he shares with Aldo.

“Oh,” I breathe out, finally pulling back so I can look into Gendry’s eyes. “That’s lovely. I am so very happy for you, Gendry.”

“Thank you, Toralleh .”

I can't help but smile at his formality. “I say this as your friend, not your Toralleh . You deserve this.”

Gendry opens his mouth to say something else, but a hand reaches up to his shoulder, pushing him out of the way.

That’s when I see him.

Christian is here. Christian is back on Deltourah . All of my hope has been rewarded with him here , standing before me once more.

My knees grow weak and my stomach swoops almost violently. I do my best to close the link once more, closing myself off so I can have these emotions all to myself. When it comes to Christian, I am greedy. I don’t want to share him, I don’t want to share the way he makes me feel.

His hair is just as messy as I remember it, maybe even more so as he’s let it grow out a bit while he was gone. His brown eyes look around before finally locking onto me. By the Ancestors, he’s just as beautiful as I remember.

He steps into my space and before I can process what is happening, his hands reach out and grab a fistful of my shirt. Then he’s pulling me down and kissing me square on the mouth.

In an instant, I’m transported back to that night about a year ago.

Christian is at my door, telling me he’s leaving in the morning but wanting to spend one night with me.

Foolishly, I thought that if I gave him that, he would end up staying.

We kissed. We touched. We fucked. It was everything I hoped it would be, but in the morning he still left.

All too quickly, Christian is pulling away. Without a word or second glance, he walks away from me again, this time into Miles’ arms. The two are hugging and holding each other. My heart is glad for them while also being broken simultaneously.

My fingers go to my lips, touching them, wondering briefly if the way they tingle is all in my head. Did he really just kiss me? Is he truly back? Will he be here to stay this time?

All of that happens in a matter of seconds before I’m composing myself. I turn towards the crowd, lifting my hands to get their attention. As much as I wish to dissect every bit of that encounter, I still have a duty to fulfill.

“We welcome everyone here whether they’re returning or only just starting their stay here! Tonight, we celebrate!”

There are cheers and joy through the air. My heart is racing in my chest and the voices are getting harder and harder to ignore. I carefully swing Maribel off my back and onto my chest, tucking her against myself. Her soft snores help soothe the ache inside of me.

I walk through the crowd, needing a place of quiet to catch my breath. Christian is back, which is everything I’ve been dreaming of. But I hadn’t thought about what that would mean for the two of us and Maribel. Now that he is here, what now?