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Chapter Fifteen

MEK

I watch Lacie walk away, and it is taking everything I have not to follow her.

I have no idea what I said to her early this rising that upset her, but at some point, it was like the glow she showed up with .

.. faded. Her smiles were forced, as were her words, and silence is not something I am accustomed to when it comes to her.

When KyT showed up with several of the other humans, it was like she could not get away quickly enough, and he must have noticed my distraction.

“ MeK , is there something amiss?”

“ Not sure.”

“ She reeks of sadness and depression. I could feel it all around her when I entered the area. Normally , her inner light shines brightly.”

The next thing I know, I am tracing her small footsteps through the woods, telling myself I simply want to make sure she made it back to the pavilion safely.

But then I see her steps stop and turn away.

Curious , I follow behind her, unsure of what I will say if I actually catch up with her, but angry that she is once again placing herself in danger by wandering around alone.

Twice , I stop because I lose all trace of her the deeper she goes into the older timber section, only to remember that the beach area she is so fond of is also in this direction.

Suddenly , the fact that I cannot see or hear her makes me pick up my pace.

Ducking under fallen trees, I find myself in the beach area, where Lacie is sitting alone close to the water’s edge.

She looks so small with her head resting on her knees, deep in thought.

I have no idea how she has not heard me, but it clearly shows how distracted she is.

I start to go to her, but I have never been good at giving comfort.

So for now, I will sit back and allow her to have this time to herself, keeping her safe from the shadows.

Helplessly , I watch as she wipes a few random tears off her face, and I wonder what has brought on this sudden sadness.

Is it something I said? Or is this her way of dealing with everything that has happened?

After all, I did ask her how she wanted her dwelling designed.

This may have brought up memories she was not ready to recall.

I have hardly blinked when she suddenly stands up to dust the sand off her clothes.

Stepping further into the wooded area, I darken my runes and shade my eyes before she can turn around and catch me here.

She ends up walking within arm’s length of me without knowing I am standing right here.

I nearly give myself away when she stops to look at the mysterious lights dancing all around, but I am glad to see her easy smile once again gracing her beautiful features.

Her fascination with all that surrounds her is addictive, and for an instant, I wish I could gather her in my arms and enjoy this moment with her.

The instant those thoughts flow through my mind, I know that will never be possible.

Our paths, though they have crossed for a short time, are not woven together, no matter how fascinating I find her.

If I were free to choose, … I wonder how I would proceed?

I am a few steps behind her when she suddenly turns again, and I almost do not look away quickly enough, but she does not seem to notice me.

Deciding I have had enough close calls, I stay where I am this time when I see her heading toward the pavilion.

Needing to gather our tools before I can meet her later, I have just made it back to the main path when I find Father leaning against one of the main timbers, waiting for me.

“ Son , I came looking for you earlier and was shocked to find your tools lying around so haphazardly. I do not believe I have ever seen you without that hammer in your hand, let alone laying on the ground. However , as I was walking around, I noticed a much smaller version in one of the tool containers. I had no idea you personally needed any other ones.”

“ I made those for Lacie so that the other ill-suited devices would not injure her. I was not far away but had something I needed to check on.”

“ I see … Well then, the main reason I came out was to let you know that the next rising will be a day of rest for some, so do not expect Lacie . Kira has planned an outing at the beach for the humans to celebrate the naming of this moon, and additionally, the dropships will start arriving a little later than usual as we are implementing weapons training on ANDI for everyone.”

I am in my father’s face before I realize it. “ I simply forbid it! The females have no business being in a class such as that, nor do they need to know how to defend themselves.”

“ MeK , we both know you are not talking about anyone other than Lacie . You might be lying to yourself and possibly to her, but there is no missing the way you look at her. The way you have been raised is overriding your normally logical mind. Are you going to stay to protect her or the others? We both know that unless she is your true mate, you will never willingly take her to your world, so you have no say over what she does or does not do. Knowledge is power and Lacie , along with the other females, need to know and learn how to take care of themselves. Yes , they are small in size but learning defense tactics gives them a much better chance than not. This moon’s location is classified for now, but secrets never stay silent for long.

It is my job to prepare them for anything, and I take that responsibility seriously, male or female. ”

“ You have a huge warrior force, Father . Place permanent guards here to watch over them.”

“ That might happen eventually, but as of now, that is not an option. So , the humans will have to learn how to look after themselves.” Father turns away from me to walk toward the construction zone.

“ The dwellings and the planting fields seem to be progressing nicely. All your hard work is paying off. ANDI notified me that your assembly bot was transferred to your ship just before I headed this way. That piece of machinery will be a valuable asset once planetside. I know you are in a hurry to return to your homeworld MeK , but you should take the next rising off to engage with some of the humans and enjoy a day of relaxation along with the rest of us.”

“ I will consider your words, father, but I have no time to rest.”

He pats my shoulder, both of us knowing I will not willingly interact with anyone I do not need to.

I quickly gather up the tools, hooking my hammer onto my main belt, and head toward the pavilion, only to see that most have already left.

I hear one of the dropships fire up, and somehow I know the moment it pulls away, that Lacie is on it.

With her gone, I no longer need to gather with the others. Making myself push away the sudden hollow feeling that seems to have enveloped me, I head toward my personal shuttle and the projects that need my attention.