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Limping home.

Our ship’s NAID and touchstones were functioning on the ship, but NAID had said it could not connect to the hub.

Our long-distance communication and sensors were dead.

The communication node that had been malfunctioning was destroyed, and there was a Coalition-wide shortage for the part.

The long-range sensors ran along the same hub in the ship and also had been fried in the blast from the planet.

Unfortunately, we were flying blind.

My first instinct had been to order us to head toward home.

I wanted to see Vince and I couldn’t even speak to him now—his time here was so short—but I reined in the impulse.

The Immortal Planet was my responsibility, and even if I left right this instant, I wouldn’t see my mate before he departed to Earth.

So I remained, even though it felt as if it was going to kill me.

I had to wait for the relief ships to arrive and hope that, by some miracle, they had the parts we needed, or else we were going to have to stop at the closest Drakcon station for repair or head directly home without long-range sensors.

I could pass reports to my parents and superiors when the relief ships arrived, but I wouldn’t be able to do the same with personal notes, as they wouldn’t remain in my private system and might be reviewed by others in the transfer.

We royals had strict rules on the lines of communication we could use.

Besides, sending notes wasn’t the same thing as seeing Vince and helping him fall asleep. I needed that.

Time passed slowly, and I buried myself in repairing what I could on my ship. It was better than focusing on never seeing my mate again.

When the relief ships arrived, they had what we needed to repair the long-range sensors, but not our communication.

Such an innocuous thing as a part shortage, and it was separating me from Vince.

I wanted to scream, but I contained it. Instead, I passed on notes of what was going on, turned over what we knew about the current flux of the Immortal Planet, and headed home.

When we passed a Drakcon ship, I used it to retrieve my notes and send more reports.

One that I received stopped my soul from beating and sent shards of ice through me.

Father had sent me a note. They had finalized plans, and the Admiral Ven was on its way to Earth.

Kalvoxrencol, Seth, Serlotminden, and Bartholomew were going.

He’d said nothing of Vince, and I hadn’t expected him to.

My Vince was gone, and he wasn’t coming back.

Everything in me wanted to curl into a ball and never move again.

I couldn’t. My family needed me, but the emptiness of separation ate at me, and soon I would give into it.

The despair was so thick, I had a hard time breathing.

I now understood why drakcol didn’t continue on if their mate rejected them or they died.

When we finally came to the Tanlyn Station orbiting Tamkolvanloknol, I turned over the ship to Commander Bimwoxcol.

Father had allowed me to come down to the planet, but he wanted my ship to remain ready while it was repaired and the systems were studied to try and figure out what exactly had happened on the Immortal Planet.

Bimwoxcol rode down with me in the lift toward the docking area. Before the door opened, she handed me a screen. “The files you requested.”

“Thank you.” I tucked it under my arm and kept staring at the doors in front of me.

It was a fight to stay focused on the matter at hand.

My mind wanted to dwell on Vince’s departure and the fact that I would never see him smile with my own eyes again.

Yes, I would be able to speak to him now, for as long as he wished to, but it wouldn’t be the same.

His thoughts would never brush mine; I would never touch the smooth softness of his skin; I would never hold my mate again.

I didn’t know how I would survive.

When the door opened, Commander Bimwoxcol placed a hand on my arm to stall me. “I hope you find what you need, Captain.”

I wouldn’t. He was gone. I merely replied, “Thank you.”

Without a backward glance, I headed to the space station. I barely paid attention to the bright yellow ensign who greeted me and led me toward the shuttle. He kept up a steady chatter, reminding me of my mate-brother Caleb, who never ceased talking.

In the shuttle, I leaned back against the bulkhead, exhausted. My eyes closed, the ship vibrating beneath me. Every moment seemed to stretch. The short ride felt like days instead of the true time.

The ensign, whose name I hadn’t gotten, began the non-stop chatter as he led me out of the shuttle.

I bid him a quick goodbye. I didn’t require an escort to the home I’d lived in my entire life.

I looked at the palace with its towering spires, balconies, terrace jungles, and lights glimmering from the many, many windows.

The hour was late, or early depending on how you wanted to look at it, but the moons hadn’t set yet.

Two people I recognized were standing on the edge of the shuttle port—Zoltilvoxfyn and Caleb.

Even exhausted, I was beyond pleased to see them.

Both of their familiar thoughts rushed over me.

Caleb thought in a mix of English and Drakconese, and his mind bounced from topics so quickly it was dizzying for me.

Zoltilvoxfyn was more sedate in his thoughts, but worry at my appearance was the foremost. I was unsurprised.

“You look like shit,” Caleb blurted out, and I shook my head, swallowing a chuckle. Zoltilvoxfyn shot him a look, but Caleb just said, “He does.”

I reached for them, curling my tail around Zoltilvoxfyn’s and resting a gentle hand on Caleb’s shoulder.

He flinched, pain radiating through the joint.

I pulled away instantly. Caleb’s body had been in a severe accident before he’d come to inhabit it, and pain flares were normal for him.

Annoyance flashed through him at my inner fire, but it didn’t bother me—I was too used to it.

“Vince is safe,” Zoltilvoxfyn said.

“Thank you,” I replied, closing my eyes. He would’ve known that Vince would be my primary concern.

My little brother gave me a small smile, and something relaxed in my gut. It hadn’t just been Vince who I’d missed or who I was worried about. I put a hand behind his neck to draw him closer. I rubbed my forehead on his, scent marking him. In my current state, I needed the comfort.

Zoltilvoxfyn’s nose flared as his tail writhed, clearly unhappy, but he did not pull away or deny me.

It had been a long time since my younger brothers had tolerated me scent marking them.

Kalvoxrencol had balked at it far younger than any of my other brothers, while Serlotminden allowed it far longer than normal.

But I needed to reassure myself that he was here, well, and safe.

When I pulled away, I peeked at Caleb—most mates wouldn’t tolerate another, even family, scent marking their mate.

Caleb, being Caleb, bounced as much as he was capable of and said, “You two are so adorable. I’m almost tempted to have kids so I would have sons as cute as you two. I just want to squeeze you both!”

I stepped back.

Wrapping his arms around his mate, Zoltilvoxfyn said, “You should get some sleep. You look…”

“Like shit,” Caleb supplied.

“Thank you,” I replied, lifting an eyebrow.

Caleb grinned. Nothing but love and affection came off him, though his words, while light, were filled with worry. Both him and Zoltilvoxfyn were concerned about me, and I didn’t blame them. My scales had lost some of their sheen with malnutrition, and I had lost weight.

I cupped Zoltilvoxfyn’s cheek, patting him. I wouldn’t lie and say I was fine, but I didn’t want him to worry unduly. “I will rest.”

“I doubt it,” Caleb said in a singing voice.

I frowned. Why wouldn’t I sleep? Caleb’s thoughts didn’t illuminate me, as Zoltilvoxfyn had brushed his lower stomach to quiet his mate, and now his thoughts were solely on my brother’s cock in his mouth. I shook my head. Ignoring them, I started toward the palace and my quarters.

There were few people in the corridors because of the hour, but that suited me fine. It meant less mental static for me to navigate or to tax my precarious calm. With Zoltilvoxfyn in close proximity and his own struggles with all-consuming moroseness, I didn’t want to harm him.

My door loomed before me, and I closed my eyes.

Vince wouldn’t be inside. He had been, but he wasn’t there now, nor would he ever be again.

I opened the door and growled, my cock hardening in a flash.

Vince. His perfect floral scent clung to every fiber of my quarters, which had been redecorated in my absence.

I didn’t scent anyone else, not that I expected to—Vince had said we still belonged to each other alone, but it comforted me nonetheless.

Tears came to my eyes. Caleb was right. I wouldn’t sleep. I wanted to drink in Vince’s smell, and, with a glance down at my throbbing cock, I realized I’d have to calm myself before sleep was possible.

I moved to our bedroom, and as I opened the door, I froze.

Every muscle in my body tensed as my soul throbbed in my chest so hard I feared it would rip free.

A figure was lying on the bed, hugging a pillow that was oddly enough dressed in one of my tunics.

He grunted in his sleep, and I lurched forward, desperate to cover his body with mine.

Vince. Vince. Vince. His name was a mantra that wouldn’t stop.

Every instinct demanded I claim him. Now. A growl started in my throat as I stalked toward his slight form. It had been so agonizingly long since I’d seen my mate. I curled my hands into fists, forcing myself to stop. If I grabbed Vince, I would scare him.