Page 90 of Bonds of Starfall

Lucien watched Vesperin poke at her plate of steamed vegetables and chicken, glazed in a honey sriracha sauce—a recipe he had saved, knowing she’d like it.

The scrape of her fork on the plate made his jaw clench. She wouldn’t look at him, save for the soft,hello, she uttered when he had picked her up at her dorm this evening for dinner.

He reached for his glass of red wine and swirled it before taking a shallow sip. She had refused any wine, only water before her.

Vesperin had been fine yesterday at her check-up—reserved, but her pale cheeks flushed when he pressed under her jaw to feel her pulse. Her bloodwork showed no Somnocept—no more late-night experiments. So what was wrong?

"Vesperin." Lucien leveled her a cool stare. The floor-to-ceiling glass doors in the living room beckoned, letting in the sparkling city lights. "Are you alright?"

She gasped softly, nearly dropping her fork. "I’m fine. Just tired." She shrugged a shoulder, the dog tag on her neck catching in the low glow from the sleek, hanging light fixture above the table.

Lucien reached across the table and placed a hand atop hers, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Tell me the truth, Vesperin. Is it something I did?" His throat closed. Was he moving too fast? What if she didn’t feel the same? "Is this too much for you? It’s my fault for forcing this on you and?—"

Vesperin turned her hand until her fingers were laced with his, squeezing. "You haven’t forced me into anything. Dinner’s wonderful." She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "Thank you, Lucien. I needed… normalcy." She finally,finallyblinked up at him, her lashes casting shadows on her pale cheeks. Her shoulders curved inward, her words stilted, but she was still the most captivating girl he had ever seen. "Though, this isn’t very normal for us—is it?"

"No. It’s not." Lucien huffed a laugh. "I wanted to give you a break from it all. You seem like a shadow, and I want to be your light."

What Lucien didn’t tell her was that he wanted to be the light for her, like she was to him. His reason for keeping on. For all of it.

She pulled her hand away from him, tucking a strand of white hair behind her ear. "Lucien… there’s something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I’m leaving again."

His body froze like she had stolen all the air in his lungs. "What do you mean, Vesperin?"

"I’m leaving. Another mission, on-planet. Not far. Just a couple of hours away."

His whole world stopped. "How long?"

"A week, at least," she answered.

Lucien clenched his jaw. "Where?"

Vesperin fiddled with the bell-like sleeve of her black blouse, reaching for her glass of water and taking a sip, as she muttered, "Near Lunar City."

Protectiveness flared inside him. "Absolutely not."

She set the glass down with a heavy thump as she stared at him. "You are not my keeper, Lucien. I’m not asking for permission."

The tension between them grew thicker. Lust and anger were similar, after all.

The perfect control he had on his Stella cracked—just enough for the small potted plant sitting in the middle of the kitchen island to shatter as roots erupted, dirt scattering on the countertop.

She gasped. "Lucien?—"

And the roots shot forward, turning to soft, green vines with blooming red flowers, twining around her wrists. She struggled, but the vines pulled her close, making her knock the glass of water to the side, soaking the tablecloth.

"Lucien. What are you doing? This isn’t like you."

Water spilled into his lap from the overturned glass as he leaned forward. "I cannot protect you if you leave."

Her eyes narrowed. "I don’t need your protection."

If only she knew. Lucien had been keeping her safe for years. He and Kiton.