Page 37 of Needed in the Night (The Fortusian Mates, #2)
ISLA
Hand-in-hand and wearing our diplomatic medallions in plain sight, Mikas and I stepped out of Atlath’s shop, flanked by two armed embassy guards and Pioni.
One of the guards carried our travel cases while the other brandished a shield emitting an energy field large enough to enclose and protect all of us from weapons fire and even incendiary devices.
Not that we expected Nubo to attempt overt violence in full view of a market full of witnesses, but angry people were unpredictable.
The moment our entourage crossed the shop’s threshold, everyone in the vicinity turned to look at us. I recognized four of Nubo’s agents in the crowd. Mikas’s hand tightened on mine. He saw them too. As did our guards, who hissed.
Letting Nubo’s agents see our guards and medallions would hopefully keep us safe, but Mikas vibrated with unease. If only we could retreat to the beautiful Star Bird room and find comfort in each other’s arms.
Think about the cabin aboard the cruiser , I told myself.
Think about making love to Mikas as stars and planets pass by the windows.
We won’t have to leave the cabin for the whole trip if we don’t want to.
It’ll just be him and me—and Brae, when Mikas and I aren’t busy.
I can lie on top of Mikas all day long if I want to.
I fixed that image in my mind and hung onto it.
Mikas, Pioni, and I followed the guard with the shield toward the closest market exit—the one we had attempted to use last night before Pioni ushered us to Atlath’s shop. The crowd cleared a path for us, murmuring in a dozen languages and clearly wondering who we were.
I never minded an audience when I was onstage, but I despised this kind of attention. Mikas clearly felt the same. I wanted so badly to be done with this part of our journey and get safely out of sight in our cabin.
I sensed Brae’s presence overhead. I see four of Nubo’s people , I told him. But it’s the ones I don’t see that worry me. Do you see anyone else we know lurking around? Do you see Scar? Or Kona?
No , he replied, his voice tense. Neither of them. Is that good or bad?
I don’t know , I said. Do you want to ride with us to the port, or fly?
I’ll fly. Don’t worry—I’ll stay close.
Just ahead, on the other side of the market gate, a small armored ground transport waited. Atlath had done so much for us. My throat grew tight.
Mikas squeezed my hand again. He was so wonderfully attuned to my emotions and ready to provide comfort and strength almost before I knew I needed it.
We stepped through the market gate. The guard with the shield cleared us a path across the busy walkway to the transport’s door, which slid open as we approached.
We all spotted Nubo at the same time.
With a thunderous expression, he stepped out of the crowd of pedestrians and in front of the transport, blocking its path forward with his bulk. An unfamiliar Hardanian male—not one of the brothers who’d expressed interest in me a week ago—stood behind him, clearly acting as a bodyguard.
Our guards hissed, Mikas snarled, and I flexed my wrist to drop my dagger out of its sheath into my hand.
I didn’t care anymore if Nubo knew I wasn’t who I’d claimed to be. I was done pretending to be a scared little human needing protection. I’d played that role long enough. It had served its purpose and now I just wanted to be myself.
I met his stare and raised my chin.
Let him see my blade and think about it. Let him wonder whether it would be worth it to pursue us, given our list of allies and the diplomatic credentials we wore. A smart man would weigh the risks and rewards—the latter of which were pretty damn slim—and decide to cut his losses.
But judging by the way he bared his teeth and flexed his hands, Nubo wasn’t going to be a smart man.
Then his gaze moved to Pioni and his expression turned calculating. My fingers twitched on the handle of my dagger.
No matter what she or anyone else said, Pioni’s voice made mine sound like a braying Solani desert ox. And now Nubo was in the market for a new singer.
“Please board the transport,” the Prylothian guard holding the shield croaked. “Anyone who blocks our way will find themselves under the vehicle.” He definitely intended Nubo to hear that warning.
With his gaze on Nubo and the Hardanian, Mikas ushered me into the transport. Pioni followed, and the embassy guards got in last, using the shield to block the opening until the door slid closed.
In the passenger area of the transport, I found myself sitting between Mikas and the guard who’d carried our travel cases and across from Pioni and the shield guard. As small as I felt between Mikas and a male Prylothian, Pioni looked positively tiny next to the guard.
“I don’t like how he looked at you,” I said to Pioni as the transport’s engines powered up. “I know you said you’re not worried about him, but?—”
“I am leaving Fortusia as well,” Pioni said. She smiled at my obvious confusion. “I sent my luggage ahead to the port earlier today. So you’ve no need to fear for me.”
The transport glided smoothly into motion and accelerated. Nubo must have moved out of the way. Pity.
“But why are you leaving?” I asked. “Because of Nubo?”
“No, not because of him.” Pioni crossed her ankles.
“My kind are wanderers. I have been restless for some time, but stayed because Fortusia is so lovely and Ycari has been a wonderful friend and confidant. The instinct to roam has become too strong for me to ignore now.” Her hands and arms flushed.
“I feel someone is calling to me. Perhaps my mate has reached maturity.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” I said as Mikas clasped my hand in both of his. “Where do you plan to go?”
“I do not know,” she confessed. “I will go to the port and wander until I am drawn to a particular voyage. I will know which ship to board by listening to my heart. And wherever I go, I will continue to help those who need it.”
“I hope to do that too again someday.” I bit my lip. “When you say you’ll be drawn to a destination, what does that feel like?”
“It is difficult to describe.” Pioni hummed as she thought.
“I have heard it described as the feeling of solving the last piece of a puzzle, or finding the right key after trying many that did not fit. I do not have the words to describe it more clearly than that, especially as I have not experienced it myself.”
I rested my head on Mikas’s bicep.
Two years ago, despite being arguably a terrible candidate to adopt an animal companion, I’d been walking down a street on Pallasia and felt drawn to go into a shelter and inquire about an orphaned shadowbat who’d then instinctively imprinted on me.
Brae and I often teased each other about how we’d met, but we both felt certain in some way it had been meant to happen.
The night I’d shared a bunk and a bottle of moonshine with Novee, I’d chosen Fortusia as my destination. All I’d known of the planet was images I’d seen of its beauty and some general knowledge about Fortusians’ use of genetic engineering.
Brae and I had discussed several potential destinations, but from the moment I found out the Web had put me on indefinite leave, this beautiful world had been top-most in my mind.
Had I felt drawn to Fortusia? It would be easy enough to say so now, knowing Mikas and I would meet here, but thinking back to that night aboard the cargo carrier, I didn’t remember the kind of feeling Pioni described.
But even so, I had come to Fortusia, to Onat’ras, to Zaa’ga, and found Mikas waiting for me.
I hoped with all my heart Pioni would find her way to her mate and they’d be happy together for the rest of their lives.
The Alpha Megaport was a little over a kilometer from the market.
The trip took only a few minutes once the transport reached the transit path that ran alongside the main boulevard.
As much as I wanted to get aboard a ship, I wished this leg of the journey could have been longer.
Jakora would be beautiful too, but I would miss this city.
At the port, the embassy guards escorted Mikas, Pioni, and me not to one of the many kiosks or a gate but the office of a private booking agent. I had never arranged travel with an agent before.
Atlath had already purchased our berth on a cruiser bound for the enormous Section VII transit hub on the ice planet Aloris.
Once there, we would book our own travel under our new identities, changing ships in several places until we reached Jakora.
All we needed to do in the office was have our travel documentation loaded onto our wristcomms.
Pioni and the guards accompanied us to the entrance to the docking ring for passenger ferries.
Smaller ships could dock at the port, but the larger cruisers stayed in orbit, accessible only via these ferries.
I saw no sign of anyone I recognized as one of Nubo’s agents, and neither did Brae, but the back of my neck wouldn’t stop itching.
My farewell with Madame Ycari had been tearful enough, but saying goodbye to Pioni made my heart ache. She was a kindred spirit. We were both singers who’d once been prized and possessed for our talent and decided to take that power back and sing for ourselves.
“Come visit us someday if you can,” I told her, fighting back tears. “You and your mate.”
“We will,” she promised. “I know in my heart I will see you again, my friends. This is not goodbye—it is ula’nagora .”
“Fortusian, for until we meet again ,” Mikas translated for me, his thumb stroking my fingers. “Be safe in your travels, Pioni.”
With a smile, she left with one of the guards, while the other accompanied us to the ferry. Our cases had gone ahead in a cargo transport and would be waiting for us on the ship.
“Please keep Ambassador Atlath apprised of your well-being until you reach your destination,” the guard croaked at the gate. “Safe travels to you both.”
We thanked our guard and boarded the ferry. Our seats were near the front, allowing us a good view of the rest of the passengers. Neither of us saw anyone we recognized or anyone watching us with more than a passing interest. In shadow form, Brae nestled himself into a corner above my head.
When the hatch closed, Mikas tucked me under his arm and kissed my temple.
“We are only minutes away from our cabin,” he murmured into my ear. “You will need to ask Brae to explore the ship for a few hours once we are settled in.”
Brae’s shadow discreetly slipped away toward the back of the passenger compartment. I bit the inside of my cheek to stifle a chuckle.
“Oh, I know. I’m sleepy too,” I said, with an exaggerated yawn. “I love to sleep on a starship. The engines are so soothing.”
“You will get no sleep for a while,” he warned, his eyes gleaming. “I want to make love to my mate as we look down on Fortusia from orbit.”
My sweet, insatiable Mikas. “Your mate might agree to that,” I said. “Under certain conditions.”
His eyebrows rose. “What conditions?”
“You’ll find out,” I said with a smile. Chuckling, he kissed me.
The ferry’s engines powered up, sending a strong vibration through the small ship. I activated the screen in front of my seat to watch the exterior view during our flight up to the cruiser.
The ferry launch was so smooth and the stabilizers so advanced that I might not have known we were in flight other than the way my stomach lurched when the ship rose from the docking bay and the exterior view.
“Goodbye, Fortusia,” I murmured as Onat’ras grew smaller and smaller on the viewscreen. “Or maybe ula’nagora .”
Mikas rested his chin on top of my head and cooed softly. With a sigh, I snuggled against him and listened to his hearts.