Page 29

Of course, Lily chose the pink, leaving the purple for Britt.

With patience she didn’t know she had, she showed Lily how to start.

Dad always said that keeping busy would make time fly.

Britt was counting on that even as worry fiddled with the frayed edges of her mind.

Operatives implied spies or agents. That meant they knew what they were doing.

And if Nerx trusted them, then so would she.

S ending males to possibly die was the worst part of being a commander.

Nerx was supposed to consider all scenarios, to mitigate any losses, and he’d done so on numerous occasions.

But having met Britta, he couldn’t bear for one male to die.

He longed for his males to be as free of the void and their inevitable fates.

The silence wasn’t helping. Edon managed the console, his fingers returning to the same button, forcing the system to refresh the scans when they were set to timed intervals.

Fear.

An uncontrollable flood of emotion.

Spiraling in ever-increasing concentric circles.

Down.

Until a physical manifestation takes over.

To fight.

To roar at the situation.

To save my males.

And yet, the mission is noble.

A must and a chance to earn honor.

Conquer the fear.

He opened his tablet to write the poem before he lost it. A distraction was what he needed.

Britta .

Except she was helping Lily make tiny garments.

The replicator would’ve done that. Yet, their eyes had sparkled with excitement as they did this together.

Perhaps it was the shared experience? He couldn’t remember ever making anything by hand.

Such skills were lost to them centuries ago when the replicator became common place and birthing females the main goal.

“Keep monitoring. I will make sure the med-E.D. is ready.”

Edon swiveled his comfy to face Nerx. “We need Aldur. I do not know how to load a new species into the medical database. Ziot might but…”

Nerx smothered a grimace. He’d sent their only data officer to navigate an unknown battleship. If he was killed, they wouldn’t be able to heal any injured Viqrians.

What they needed was stealth armor. He snorted at his damu -like imagination.

All experiments had failed with the portable stealth generator being too unwieldy or exploding.

They had, at least, self-healing, though it took a while, sensitive hearing, silent movements, and their regulating armor. That was the best they could do.

He strolled to the medical, checked the med-E.D.’s plasma tanks were full, then ordered two hot chocolates for him and Edon. He handed it to the pilot on his return, then sauntered over to the bulkhead to eavesdrop on Britta and Lily’s conversation.

“Mine’s messy,” Lily whined.

“Mine too.” Britta chuckled. “We can try again later or tomorrow, if you like.”

“Awesome,” Lily squealed. “I’m gonna play with my dolls.”

“Sure, kiddo. I’ll stay right here.”

Nerx fought a sinking sadness that she wasn’t going to seek him out.

He snatched Lily as she scrambled down the ladder, sprinkling kisses all over her head and face.

She giggled and squirmed, then swatted at him when he set her down.

When she skipped along the passage while singing, warmth flooded his chest. She was his daughter.

What he should’ve realized was how traveling anywhere with her would endanger her. Not that he could’ve foreseen these events unfolded. Still, her future depended on him. And Britta’s too.

Satisfied that Lily had headed to their quarters without getting distracted, he glanced at the hatch then at Edon focused on the console.

Everything within him compelled him to head up, to kiss Britta, and find solace in her arms. But he couldn’t afford to when his males were mid-mission.

“Any news?” Britta’s face appeared in the hatch.

“Four to port to medical,” a male said via the console.

Nerx bolted to the common, Britta racing after him.

Sena was lifting Aldur onto the bed. His skin had taken on a darker hue, his eyes glazed.

“Thank you,” Lady Dahlia said to Karg then limped toward the common.

“Mom.” Britta veered around Nerx to hug her mother, who pulled out of the embrace.

“Not now, sweetheart,” Lady Dahlia said, her focus on Aldur.

“Why are you limping? Is it your sciatica?” Britta wrung her hands.

“It feels like it.” Lady Dahlia offered a tight smile. “Aldur was on the mend until he had to be heroic.”

“Go,” Britta whispered, her voice cracking. “We’ll chat later. Just happy to have you back.” She walked backward, spun and threw herself at Nerx.

He caught her on instinct, having not expected this.

She cried, her sobs muted even as she tightened her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she chanted. When she leaned back to meet his gaze, her cheeks were peach-colored and wet. “And you did it without letting me interfere. Mom will be in awe of your Britt-management skills.”

He smiled. “I was selfish, not wanting you in harm’s way.”

The moment the fruity scents tickled his nose, Nerx raised his head. Viqrians had ported with Trav, Eriz, and Ziot. Only one male was missing.

“Where is Ronin?”

Trav thumped his chest. “Please honor Ronin et Brenin as having died in battle.”

“Alodon’s balls,” Nerx roared, ice coating his heart. “What happened? Wait? As in Ambassador Brenin’s son?”

“Yes, Supreme Commander. He was shot with a…” Trav glanced at Haiz clinging to his side. She held onto her ribs where blood stained her fingers.

“ Tagana .” Haiz grimaced. “A lethal weapon. My apologies. I did not factor in their desperation.” She released Trav and inched toward Nerx, the corners of her mouth dipping. “I should have prepared better. I lost a warrior.”

He lowered Britta and nudged her out of the way of his blaster.

“Thank you for taking the initiative.” Haiz glanced at her remaining three females. “I fear the rebels would have killed us by end day.” She swayed on the spot.

Britta lunged across and caught the Viqrian regent before she collapsed. “Wow, she’s…uh, heavy.”

Trav lifted the female into his arms and carried her to medical. Ziot waved his med-gun at Trav, then gestured to the fold-down bed.

“Now what?” Britta asked, sliding her hand in Nerx’s.

He stilled, his nostrils flared, and he glanced at their intwined fingers. “We either dock on their ship, or we hand them over on a nearby moon.”

“Which would you prefer?” she asked. “Can you trust them enough to dock?”

“In a way,” Nerx said, despite having expected an attack from Haiz a moment ago. Where his Dar Eth was concerned, he couldn’t be too cautious.

“I don’t know, Nerx. They, or whoever, held my mother captive.” She swept her gaze across the Viqrians, then inched closer to whisper, “I wouldn’t trust them as far as I can throw them.” Her lips twitched. “And they’re damn heavy.”

“So far, Haiz and her females have not deceived us other than to be vague.” He drew her against him again. “I will be cautious though, taking with as many males as I can.”

Britta exhaled. “I suppose you’re going down. If it’s the moon, I want to come with.” She peered up him, a hopeful smile urging him to agree to anything she asked for.

“Absolutely not,” he said.

“I don’t accept your no,” Britta said, facing him with her free hand on her hip.

“I will not place you in danger.”

“Blah, blah,” she snapped. “I’ve never been on any planet other than Earth. And if I get a chance to stand on some extraterrestrial soil, I’m going to take it.”

“Britta,” he growled, done speaking about this. “No.”

She released his hand and shoved her face at his.

“What? No? Like you and a few secret spies can’t protect little me?

And from what, exactly? A wild animal with a love for Britt-blood?

Maybe a handsome prince desperate to find his forever-princess?

Or… Wait for it, a bunch of nothing out there except dust and wind? ”

He could ensure they landed in the open. That way he’d see danger approaching, and Ziot could monitor the air above them. That he was softening to the idea wasn’t something he’d reveal to Britta. He liked this side of her: all fire, passion, determination, courage, and so damn lovable.

“And I could carry a blaster. It’s not as if I haven’t used it before.

” She ran a finger down his chest. “You can kit me in one of these too.” She tapped his armor, then rose onto her toes to place a kiss on the underside of his jaw.

“I can be very…appreciative.” She licked her lips while hovering her touch an inch from his straining arousal.

“No…” He hesitated. “If you could give me a sample of your appreciation, I might think about allowing you to come with.”

Her eyes widened, a peach hue stained her cheeks, then she cleared her throat. “Now?” she rasped, glancing around her.

He laughed, cupping her elbows to draw her closer. “ Ensa , you cannot use our mating to bargain with.”

She pouted, her adorable lips tempting him more than curiosity did. What would she have done? Images from the human mating vids hinted at many possibilities.

“I’ve nothing to barter with.” She lowered her gaze.

Her words hit him hard. Nothing to barter… Maker . She’d saved him and Lily. For that alone, he’d spend his life making sure Britta never doubted her worth.

“Why are they staring? Is it your hair again?” She pulled out of his arms to glare at his males.

A few smothered smiles, their mouths twitched from the effort. Others averted their gazes.

He listened in to a few grumbles, too low for her ears. “My hair is shorter than honor-requires, yes, but I used to be grumpy,” he said, amazed at how he’d abandoned a habit he’d worked hard to form. Guarding the void had been his core focus after Kyerx died and triggered a sharp expansion.

“You, grumpy? No, never.” She chuckled. “You’re the picture of sunshine and daisies.”

“Is that so?” He smirked, loving her ease at teasing him. “I have found my Dar Eth—that alone is reason to stare.” He swept her against him, startling a gasp out of her. “I would gaze upon you for your beauty alone.”

Her cheeks flushed. She opened and closed her mouth without saying a word, then whispered, “Is it still a no?”

“If you wear Etterian armor, carry a med gun, and accept being chained to the interior of the kuta , then yes.” He pressed his nose into her hair for a deep inhale. “ And I want your vow to remain out of sight until I deem it is safe to exit...”

The smile she blessed him with swelled the light in his heart to such an extent that he half-expected his ribs to crack under the pressure.

The Ethera had so many characteristics they hadn’t known about: the visions, the excruciating agony, the clinching of his heart at odd moments, the addiction to her scent, the unbearable lust…

And now, this light. If Aldur was well, Nerx would ask him if he’d experienced the same.

A full medical assessment might be wise.