Page 6 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)

Kranow stiffened when he saw he had a message from Commander Gundar. Had he reassigned him outside of The Fleet already? His heart wrenched as he hurried to open the message on his data pad as his kunnarskyn informed him there was a text attachment. He frowned when he saw it wasn ’ t a notification of a change of duty station at all but a letter from the criminal they claimed was his match. To the man who would complete me, indeed. He rolled his eyes but continued reading, for no other reason than because his commander had sent it and so Kranow considered doing so an order.

I ’ m a complete screw up and have done things I find hard to forgive myself for, let alone ask those I ’ ve hurt to forgive me, yet they have. I don ’ t even know if you exist, but if you do, I hope you won ’ t hate being matched to someone so unworthy.

Kranow paused. These were not the arrogant words of someone with an overinflated sense of self entitlement or who thought his kind were lesser beings. The pain bled through the screen, palpable. He read on, more slowly this time, then flipped to statements from the sister, the sister ’ s mate, and her victim and her mate. He stared out the window, the world below filling his gaze but his mind not registering it. His own emotions lay heavy on his heart. I rushed in and condemned her without knowing everything, without considering her a fellow flawed being capable of remorse. His kunnarskyn beeped again. He glanced down and tapped it, opening the message. Another attachment, this time a report from the woman ’ s therapist and another from the Fleet ’ s chief of intelligence. He sighed and opened those on his pad, reading them carefully. He swallowed, hating to admit to another that perhaps he ’ d been far too hasty in his rush to judgement. Surely we would not have been matched after what she did if it wasn ’ t a certainty that she was a good person and that we are indeed an excellent match that is perfect in all ways. Before he could change his mind, he quickly tapped out a message to Commander Gundar.

Thank you for sending me the documents. After reviewing them and reconsidering the matter, I am still hesitant. I have complete faith in our system, however, and so trust that the match is indeed as it should be and all will be well. I therefore request my profile to remain in the system. I understand this will result in her being alerted to our match and for me to receive her photo as well as the mating being made official once the notifications are complete and I have brought her home.

He wasn ’ t all that surprised to receive a reply almost immediately: I have notified the Council of this decision. I previously received orders that should you accept the match, I was to let you know that Marley and the media show hosts will await you, where you will meet them in Council chambers, on camera. The Council wishes for you to make a statement about second chances and how fate matches only the worthy with a destined mate, and how happy you are to have found yours. You will receive official notice of new quarters as soon as we have been officially notified of your match through the system.

Kranow sighed. He ’ d never imagined his mate to be a notorious former criminal nor his mating to be part of a media circus. Understood, he sent in reply. He looked around his quarters. According to what Gundar had told him in his office earlier that day, the match application would happen the next day. That meant that immediately after, his bride would be traveling to the fleet, and they ’ d be moving to the flagship in anticipation of her accepting the teaching position. This made no difference to him, he was a shuttle pilot and regularly drove the shuttles between the various ships within the fleet as well as to Earth and any other planet he was ordered to, as necessary. Not that he left the system that often, but it did happen on rare occasion.

I should go ahead and pack. That way, when the notice comes in, I ’ ll be ready to have everything shuffled over to the new quarters. One less thing to worry about. “ Tirilia, ” he said, speaking the wake word for his ship ’ s AI.

“ Yes, Kranow? ” came the reply.

“ Could you please have several boxes and packing materials set aside by the quartermaster for me? I wish to pack away my things and clean my quarters. ”

“ Certainly. They will be ready for you to pick up within fifteen minutes, ” Tirilia said.

“ Thank you. ” It would take that long to get to the quartermaster ’ s from his deck level. He glanced around. He didn ’ t have much and it was quarters for a single man, so there wasn ’ t much. His heart feeling lighter now that he had something concrete to do, he went out the door.