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Shortly before they were married, Vahn had taken Kara to the famed inland sea around which the main city of Taa’riz had been built.

They stood on the shore, protected from the burning sun by the personal energy shield that hovered above their heads. Without it, they would have fried.

Well, she would. His armored skin would probably have been just fine.

They walked down to the water’s edge, watching the little jewel-colored birds diving for insects above the ripple of waves.

It would have been extremely romantic, except for the throng of Vraxians watching agog as their Zhaal and soon-to-be Zhaalini strolled hand-in-hand. They were kept at bay by security guards but it was impossible to pretend they were alone.

They tried, though.

“It’s beautiful,”

she said, gazing out. The water was a deep, cerulean blue that hinted of great depths. It had complicated tides, courtesy of the four moons that orbited Vraxos. And the sands ringing the small sea were almost pure white.

“Legend has it the Fountain of Zandarr was distilled from these waters,”

said Vahn.

“The Fountain that gives immortality?”

“You remembered.”

“Of course. I like learning about Vraxian culture.”

He touched her face tenderly.

“It’s your culture now, beloved. For which I am eternally grateful.”

Kara’s eye was caught by a small group of demonstrators who were from the anti-human camp. There were only three of them, but they were holding a sign which the engineered microbes in her brain had no trouble deciphering. It was quite rude.

She took heart from the fact that the vast majority of Vraxians seemed to like her. She’d won the marriage contest against all the odds and that had apparently endeared her to most of the population. She nodded towards the dissenters.

“Not everyone would agree with you.”

“Some people are just afraid of change, kalehsha. They will understand when they see the future we’re trying to build.”

“Do you ever worry about it? About the changes that are coming?”

He shook his head.

“I do not fear change, kalehsha. I can do anything, face anyone, with you by my side. You are my future. You are my everything.”

Her heart swelled with happiness and for a moment, the rest of the world melted away.

“I love you too, snake-boy.”

She should have remembered the lesson she’d been taught as a soldier.

That fate was capricious.

And that fortune can turn in an instant.