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Following Daphne’s silk-clad back was difficult when Teyha’s system was trying to flick between her enhanced vision and normal sight due to light.

“This is Hiska’s chamber. There is clothing in the wardrobe, and when you are ready, join us for dinner in the common room.”

“This is your chamber, Teyha. Shower, get dressed and come on out. I have caf for you and three types of tea.”

“Tease.”

Laughing, Teyha hauled her kit into the room and smiled at its lush comfort. An inviting bed, a large bath and wide shower all called her with equal voices, but if she was to debrief Daphne, she had better turn to the shower.

She unravelled her braid before she stepped under the hot spray and groaned as the shower pulsed and relaxed all tight muscles, one by one.

The grey puddle of rock dust and grime proved her need for a shower.

Finally clean, she towelled off and checked out the options for clothing. She selected a long black silk shift and a red robe so everything was covered.

The soft carpet under her feet made her toes crinkle in happiness. She joined the ambassador’s wife in the common area and clapped her hands happily at the spread of food before her.

Hiska came in behind her, wearing a deep purple robe. They took their seats, and Daphne smiled, “Eat. You look like you are starving.”

Teyha didn’t need to be told twice. While she was eating, Daphne announced, “We called the watchtower and told them you were safe.”

Clearing her mouth by swallowing, Teyha said, “Thank you.”

She had no desire to be hunted by her friend, but if she had been lost, she trusted no one other than Ioy Lazkiy to find her.

When she had eaten her fill and had three cups of caf, her body announced that she needed sleep.

Her yawn was uncontrollable. “Excuse me.”

“The Shadow Folk Representative would like to speak with you before you retire.”

She blinked at Daphne, “Huh?”

Hiska said softly, “Ekinar Rossing. He is our species representative when we deal with aliens. You qualify.”

She nodded, “Okay. Where?”

Daphne gracefully got to her feet and walked around to Teyha’s chair. “Come this way. There is a study where you can have some privacy.”

Teyha was feeling like a sheep. She would go wherever she was herded.

Daphne opened the door, and within, Ekinar ceased pacing. He looked into Teyha’s eyes and asked. “How much time do I have?”

She smiled blissfully. “I plan to be unconscious in five minutes.”

“Right.”

He walked up to her and pressed his hands to her shoulders. “Teyha, in you, I have felt something that my life has been missing. I want to be with you always and have you at my side, but that will take some major manoeuvring, so until then, I will leave you with this.”

The shadows of his body faded away, and she watched, bemused, as he got closer. When his lips caressed hers, her eyes widened as she finally caught on to what was going on. His lips were silky and cool, so she leaned up into his kiss, and he parted his lips against hers, spurring her mimicry. With their mouths connected and slightly open, he exhaled into her mouth, and the power and cool slip of a piece of his shadow into her was unmistakable.

He deepened the kiss again, stroking her lips with his tongue and warming her skin. She shivered and moaned, pressing against him, the robe and slip no barrier to his own dark robe.

A throat clearing in the doorway broke their kiss, but Ekinar kept his arms around her, holding her hips to his.

Apolan Leoraki was standing there, scowling at them in all his forest-shaded authority. “That will be enough for now. There is time for everything else later, and my lady wife has informed me that Teyha is exhausted beyond reason. Anything you do now is with an impaired woman.”

Ekinar growled low, but he released Teyha from his embrace. “We will speak of this soon.”

She blinked as she tried to remember what they had been talking about, but it was lost in a haze of pleasure and the slow expanse of something within her. “Good evening, Ekinar. It was nice meeting you.”

She drifted past Apolan and returned to her room. The bed beckoned, and she was not one to ignore such a direct summons. Before she could wonder at the shadows flicking at her mind, she was out in a deep and healing sleep.

When Teyha sat up, she felt that something was different. She yawned and stumbled out of bed and into the lav.

Her face was the same, but there was something in her mind behind her eyes. The cool crystal gaze stared back at her, but something was awry. She didn’t feel quite like herself, and it confused the heck out of her.

She combed her hair, washed her face and found some clothing in the wardrobe. Loose trousers and a long tunic with a sash fit well enough, so she put on the sandals that matched the clothing and went in search of the ambassador or his wife.

Daphne was sitting with her feet up in the area where Teyha vaguely remembered eating a meal the night before. A breakfast plate was waiting for her.

“Morning, Teyha. Or should I say afternoon. You have been out for sixteen hours.”

Daphne smiled brightly.

“Yech. No wonder my mouth tasted like the bottom of a sand dune.”

She took the open seat and looked around. “Where are the Shadow Folk?”

“Gone. They are back on the mother ship by now, and those younglings are getting swatted and hugged in equal measure. How was your trip?”

Teyha felt unaccountably disappointed that Ekinar had not come by to say farewell.

“Thinking about Representative Rossing?”

Daphne’s voice cut right through her mopey thoughts.

“Yes. How did you know?”

“Because I look that way every time Apolan has to take a trip to the mother ship for status reports. I have seen it in the mirror.”

Daphne’s lips were twisted in amusement.

“I don’t event really know . . . I mean, I thought there might be . . . I mean he kissed me.”

The last came out on a rush.

Daphne’s brows lifted as she smiled. “A very good sign, that. The Nine only come into contact with us under duress or attraction. I am guessing it was both in your case.”

Teyha thought about it. “No. He touched me first. I mean, I had to take the hands of the others to get them out of the oubliette but that was duress, but he wasn’t dumb enough to walk into it.”

Daphne blinked in surprise. “You have a lot to tell me, but eat first, you are so pale, I can almost see through you.”

Before stuffing her face, she had to ask, “Did I miss my lecture?”

“We postponed it. You looked a little rough when you arrived. The university understood.”

Teyha found that hard to believe. “Are you serious?”

Daphne laughed, “No, but Apolan agreed to do a speaking engagement, and they jumped at the chance to have one of the Nine speaking.”

Snickering, Teyha finished her breakfast. “So, what did I miss?”

Her friend smiled slowly. “Well, you have not seen the last of Ekinar . . .”