Page 28

Kara was waiting for Vahn when he finally returned to their shared rooms. He’d put the moment off for as long as he could, not wanting to face her. But short of sleeping in the corridor, he had no choice.

She was sitting in an armchair, her body taut with tension. He took one look and knew she was furious.

“I know I promised we’d talk tonight,”

he said heavily. “But I’ve just returned from consoling Lord Paalin’s family. In light of events, perhaps we could postpone our discussion?”

“No.”

Her tone was flinty. “We’ve waited too long already. Sit.”

“Kara, I really feel…”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass. Sit!”

His jaw tightened but he acquiesced, taking the seat opposite.

“Very well, human. Let us talk.”

“I wanted to do this properly. Remind you of all the reasons we fell in love. Tell you about our past, about our adventures. But it won’t make any difference, will it? It doesn’t matter what I say. You’ve already made up your mind.”

“I regret causing you hurt, Kara. But you are correct. I have decided to declare our marriage denerra as soon as the Chennai Accords are signed.”

She knew it already but his admission cut straight to her heart.

“Why? Why won’t you give me a chance?”

“It’s simple. You are human. I am Vraxian. We are too different.”

“But you’re my kalehshun. You said it didn’t matter what species we were.”

“That was before I lost all memory of you.”

He tried to make her understand. “Imagine one morning you wake up and discover out of the blue that you’re married to… what is a famous fictional alien on Earth?”

“Dalek.”

“Okay. You wake up one morning married to a dalek. It’s a very agreeable dalek and perhaps you even find it attractive. But you have no idea how you ended up marrying it and it’s so completely different to all your human friends that you know you will forever be singled out for your choice. What would you do?”

“You’re comparing me to a dalek?”

“Kara, please try to see it from my perspective.”

“Only if you try to see it from mine.”

Angrily she stood up from the chair, eyes flashing. “We spent months together, the only two people in the world, fighting for survival.”

“A time of which I have no recollection.”

“You said we were fated mates. You swore we’d be together forever. You swore it.”

“Again, things I do not remember.”

“But you know in your heart I am your kalehsha, don’t you? Don’t you?”

He fell silent and she tried again.

“Vahn? Answer me. Am I your kalehsha?”

He looked away.

“It doesn’t alter the facts. I am the Zhaal of the Vraxian Empire. To marry a human is wrong.”

“But you had no problem with it a couple of weeks ago.”

Frustrated, Kara knelt at his feet and forced him to meet her eyes. “I don’t deserve this. After everything I did to be with you, I don’t deserve to be treated like this.”

Guilt gnawed at his stomach.

“I wish things were different. I wish I could remember all we shared.”

“Do you mean that?”

“I do. If I could understand how we found kalehsh together, perhaps I could accept it.”

She stared at him intently.

“Do you trust me, Vahn?”

she asked softly.

His lips twisted into a crooked smile.

“Strangely, I do.”

“I want to try something. It will keep us off Baelon’s radar for the next few days but more importantly it will give me a chance to show you why we should be together.”

“You think to change my mind about denerra? I warn you, that will be difficult.”

“You owe me the right to try,”

she said stubbornly. “I’m still your wife, and your kalehsha. You owe me that much.”

He knew she was right.

“We only have thirteen days left till the accords are due to be signed. It isn’t much time.”

“Long enough. And if at the end of it I fail and you still want a divorce, then I won’t fight it. I’ll accept denerra.”

“And what is your plan?”

She took a breath.

“We go back to Minerva-6.”

“Drek’aa beresh.”

He was thunderstruck. “You’re not serious?”

“We go back to where it all started. We’ll take Rhyn’s planet-hopper, it’s twice as fast as your other ships. And we can take a much quicker route now there’s a ceasefire.”

“Kara, we cannot leave Vraxos so close to the signing ceremony.”

“I promise we’ll be back in good time. Four days to get there, four days back, that gives me four days on Minerva-6 to remind you of what we had.”

She glared at him fiercely. “You said you’d give me a chance.”

“Ela will not…”

“Ela’s already said yes. She and Rhyn will tell everyone you’ve taken me on honeymoon in honor of Earth’s traditions. She’ll find somewhere secluded on Vraxos and park the bodyguards outside as a decoy. No-one will know we’ve left the planet.”

“And you believe Minerva-6 will bring back my memories?”

“If you’re willing to trust me and do exactly as I tell you, then yes. I think it could.”

Vahn mulled it over.

The idea intrigued him, he had to admit. Not just because he was curious to see Minerva-6, though that was part of it, but because if her plan failed – as it surely would – he could let go of the guilt that clawed at his insides. He would have given her a chance and his conscience would be clear.

“I accept your plan,”

he said at last. “We will leave at first light. But Kara, I will hold you to your promise. If at the end of it I still want to declare our marriage void, you will not fight me.”

“Fine.”

She raised her chin. “Just give me four days on Minerva-6. And if I can’t convince you by the time we return, I’ll let you go.”

Though my heart might break before then.