Page 40 of Murgul

He stops and looks at me. A culmination of anxiety, distress, and outright fear etched across his face.

“I do, but I am also very afraid. I am unsure if mam even saw me before the Aynar took me from her. She may not know… all that was done to me, not to mention how mangled I am from my time with the frackin Velgriddix.”

He’s got a point, precious one. Murgul is “fucked up,” as you humans would say.

Deep, abiding love interspersed with sympathy wells inside as I shake my head at Vrog’s comment, leaving my seat on the divan to go to him, Neera peeping in frustration at having her pets interrupted. “She’s your mother and isn’t going to blame you for things, quite literally, out of your control.”

Murgul leans down and scoops me up, burying his face in the crook of my neck, trying to soothe himself with my scent.

“Logically, I know this, but the scared youngling inside of me worries.”

Quit your whinging. Male up, meet your mam, then fuck our mate, and pass out. Simple as that.

I don’t even try to stifle my chuckle as Vrog puts his two cents into the conversation, but his next words shock me to my core.

I will even magnanimously stay silent so that your reunion is not marred in any way.

Look at you getting soft after taking a mate.

I AM NOT SOFT! I WILL DESTROY MANY BEINGS JUST FOR THE PLEASURE OF HEARING THEIR SCREAMS.

Rolling my eyes at Vrog’s unhinged ranting, I pull Murgul’s face back so I can look him in the eye. “Everything is going to be fine, but we need to get ready. Slavic ordered Bikar to land the Zenith as fast and safely as possible. Ruby told me that earlier, around lunch time, which means we are probably already on Deapra.”

“Yes, I felt it when the Zenith landed. Einar sent me a personal comm to let me know when the end-of-rotation meal is and directions on how to get there.”

Touching my nose to his, I nuzzle him affectionately. “There’s no time like the present. What does one wear to meet their mam-by-mating?”

Chapter Thirty-Five

MURGUL

Exitingthe Zenith to meet my mam may be the single hardest thing I have ever done—my hearts are about to beat out of my chest. The only thing holding me together is my little bright Starshine.

I watched in bemusement as she settled wee Neera in her nest before we left, ensuring the theroquine was tucked in for the evening until we return. There is no way I will be able to sleep anywhere but our room, and I admitted as much to my mate before our departure. Gwendolyn did not take me to task for my failings; she merely smiled and told me that our bed is where she wants to sleep as well. She is the center of my universe, and I know I would not have the courage to do this without her reassuring presence.

Of course you would not. This is because you are an overly emotional ninny.

Somehow, Vrog’s verbal castigation relaxes me, and I stride down the ramp with more confidence than before. It has beenmany rotations since I have been planetside, and real gravity takes a tic to acclimate to. Watching Gwendolyn closely, I ensure she is not suffering any ill side effects as we walk towards a large rock structure where I am told my mam and the other survivors reside. The surrounding vegetation is lush and boasts a variety of plants, bushes, and trees—the colors so vibrant it is almost painful to look upon.

Gwendolyn is looking all around in enchanted delight. She catches me gazing down, beams up at me. “This place looks like something out of a fairy tale; it’s beautiful.”

Examining our surroundings, I have to agree. It is beautiful, but there is an undercurrent of something that makes me uneasy.

You are not the only one. This planet has been terraformed, so why was it vacant before your mam and the others crash landed here?

That is exactly what I want to know.

Shaking off my disquiet, I focus on the looming structure before us when a small form bolts from within. Snarling out a warning, I sweep my mate behind me and hiss a warning at whatever is approaching, baring my teeth in a threatening display of aggression. Small feet skid to stop a short distance from us, and the form they belong to glares up at me with tears in her eyes.

“It is not nice to growl at your little sister!”

Hurt is stamped all over her tiny face as she whirls and races back the way she came.

Smooth move. You just terrified and offended your youngling sister.

FRACK!

Glaring at my feet, I wrestle with the fact that I have offended Atasha before I have even properly met her, when a soft, but ragged voice starts speaking.