Page 12

Kara stormed back to her quarters angrily. How could Vahn fail to tell her about the banquet? Where the hell was he, anyway? They were supposed to be putting on a united front and he’d vanished into thin air.

Worse, she was starting to get withdrawal symptoms. Teshekalehsh, it was called. An unwelcome side-effect of missing one’s mate.

The first time she’d experienced it, she’d been on board a Vraxian spacecraft separated from Vahn. She’d been unable to sleep properly, her nights filled with a deep, aching need to be with him. It had been hell.

This time round it wasn’t so intense. She remembered Vahn telling her it was worse in the first flush of the relationship. But it was there, nevertheless. An itch beneath her skin. An itch she couldn’t scratch. It was making her irritable and frustrated.

Her mood wasn’t improved when she saw Ela waiting for her.

“I thought you should know,”

the general said. “Baelon’s back. He arrived an hour ago.”

“Great. Something else to worry about. Do you think he’ll try anything?”

“Not on my watch.”

“He might not have to bother. I might just kill Vahn myself.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“He’s not here, that’s what’s wrong. Do you know where he’s been this past couple of days?”

Ela had a pretty good idea.

“I’m sure he’ll be back soon. He just needs a little time to adjust.”

“What he needs is to get his blue butt back here. How the fuck is he going to remember who I am if he’s never around?”

“Maybe he’s giving you some space,”

Ela said soothingly. Privately, she thought Kara had a point.

“Space? We’ve just got married. People are going to start talking. I’ve already had to lie to my mother.”

“The President?”

Ela was alarmed. “She doesn’t suspect anything, does she?”

“She wanted to know if Vahn and I were going to some banquet, and I looked like an idiot because I didn’t know anything about it.”

“The Garana Sana? The harvest fayre?”

“Yes, that. Vahn failed to mention it. But from the sounds of it, everyone will be expecting us to go.”

“It is something the Zhaal and Zhaalini would normally attend, yes.”

“Well, I can’t bloody attend if I don’t know where my sodding husband is, can I? Fuck.”

Kara ran a hand through her hair distractedly. “I don’t know what to do, Ela. If he won’t talk to me, how can I help him?”

“What happened when you spoke to him the other morning?”

Kara sighed unhappily.

“I tried to make him remember he was my kalehshun. But he got angry and stormed off. I think…”

she bit her lip. “I think he’s scared of having a human as a mate.”

“Look at it from his point of view. One minute he’s fighting humans, the next he’s married to one. Cut him some slack, Kara.”

“I’m trying, I really am. But Christ, this whole situation is making me angry and frustrated and so fucking sad.”

She exhaled loudly and Ela felt a pang of sympathy.

As much as she had resented Kara for winning Vahn’s heart, she didn’t deserve to be treated like this. And Vahn, whether he remembered it or not, owed Kara a great deal.

Facing her was the least he could do.

“I think you need to work off a little steam,”

she said diffidently. “Go punch a few walls or lift weights or something.”

“Actually, that’s a great idea. Can I use the Potential’s training ground?”

Ela raised a brow.

“Why not the royal gym?”

“We have a royal gym?”

“Of course. Did Vahn not show you when you moved into his quarters?”

Kara flushed. They’d never really got beyond the bedroom.

“I, um, I’ve forgotten where it is.”

“Gru and Valeyan will show you.”

“Thanks, Ela. And thanks for listening to me belly-ache. None of this is your fault.”

Ela watched her go, hoping she’d done the right thing.

Kara’s belongings, the ones that had survived the blast, had been transferred into the smaller bedchamber. She dug through them until she found the blue and silver jumpsuit she’d worn during the shaa’baara trials. The number ‘13’ was emblazoned on the back.

“Lucky for some,”

she murmured, rubbing her thumb over it. She pulled it on and switched her footwear to her trusty old army boots.

“Okay, lead the way,”

she told Gru.

The gym was at the other end of the wing. As they passed the entrance to the Emperor’s bedchamber, she saw the damaged furniture had been removed and it was already being painted. All signs of the bomb damage were being erased.

Except the damage that had been done to her marriage.

She quickened her stride, eager to lose herself in physical exercise. But as she approached the gym, she saw someone had beaten her to it.

Three hulking guards were outside the entrance. They nodded silently at Gru and Valeyan. Kara’s pulse spiked when she recognized them.

“You’re the Zhaal’s bodyguards, aren’t you?”

They nodded.

So this is where he’s hiding. Thanks, Ela.

“Wait here, boys. I need a word with my husband.”