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Ekinar paced restlessly. The children had told their stories to the governing body, Nosku had tried to cover up for his nephew, and Ekinar had contradicted his version. They had to wait for the verdict of the council.

It was peculiar to have part of him so far away, but the emotions that he was picking up from his mate soothed him when his impulses started to rise. In the two days since he had returned to the mother ship, his every waking moment had been spent thinking about Teyha.

He felt her confusion the first time she woke and every emotion she had had since. There was nothing that Ekinar wanted more than to get down to Gaia and claim his mate, but until this inquiry ended, there was no chance of that happening.

His shadow was barely under his control today. It lashed out at anyone who got too close and that alone had him worried. If he didn’t get to Teyha soon, he was going to go mad.

“Representative Rossing? They will see you now.”

The voice was calm and low as if trying not to enrage him.

Ekinar jerked his head in affirmative and followed the messenger back into the council hall. The chairs were arranged in a semicircle, and he walked to the central point to wait.

They did not leave him waiting long.

Councillor Rothaway leaned forward, “There is some conflict in your stories, Ekinar Rossing.”

“I suspected as much.”

He was resigned to whatever disciplinary actions the council chose to enact as long as he could return to Gaia and claim his mate. After that, he didn’t care as long as she was next to him and safe.

“We have had to engage in a last-resort effort and made arrangements to contact your guide. Do you have any objections to this?”

Rothaway had a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Ekinar was glad that they couldn’t see his grin, but then, Rothaway could probably smell the change in his biology at this distance. “I have no objection.”

“Good.”

He pressed a few controls, and an orb rose in the centre of the room, mere feet from where Ekinar stood.

Ekinar could feel the curiosity in his mate even before her face appeared in the orb.

She grinned down at him. “You called?”

His heartbeat sped up, and the tendrils of his shadow reached out for her before he could call them back. He was sure that the council had noticed.

Rothaway cleared his throat. “The council of the Nine needs you to fill in the details of what occurred during your trek through the Shadow Lands.”

Teyha sobered, her mood chilling through their link. “Shall I begin at the beginning?”

“Please, and leave nothing out. Careers are at stake.”

Teyha shrugged and left nothing out.

Ekinar winced at her initial opinion of him and his shadow as creepy.

The rest of her story was plain and direct, including things she had noted that he had not.

The chair in the shuttle had been set for a far larger male, so Darku’s claim that Hiska had landed the ship was ridiculous. Hiska had bruising consistent with someone gripping her forearms and forcing them onto the controls.

When she finished her statement, she appeared outwardly patient, but Ekinar could feel the curiosity in her from orbit.

He grinned at the way she was able to hide what she was truly feeling with a calm demeanour. Inside, she was hopping up and down to find out what was going on.

The council nodded and Rothaway spoke. “Ekinar, no charges will be filed, but we have decided to sentence you to a minimum of six months on Gaia, after which, we will assess your situation and consider allowing your return to the mother ship.”

Ekinar was stunned.

Rothaway smiled, “While you are on Gaia, we will outfit you with equipment and recording devices to investigate all of the available ruined cities. I trust that you can find a reliable guide, Emissary Rossing?”

He fought his howl of relief. “It is an acceptable compromise for my participation in this covert activity. May I reside at the embassy?”

“Ambassador Leoraki has the Shadow Folk floor ready for you. You may take one of the two-seater shuttles and leave whenever you are ready.”

He nodded and bowed shortly. “Thank you, Councillors.”

The bubble with Teyha remained.

Rothaway waved for him to leave. “You are dismissed, Emissary. Enjoy your new posting.”

Confused, he exited the hall and took the rail to his quarters. He could feel Teyha’s emotions go from shocked to confused, then finally pleased, and he was damned if he didn’t want to know what the hell they were talking about.

Facing the representatives of the Nine felt peculiar, but since Teyha was sitting in the embassy back on Gaia, she felt comfortable telling the absolute truth.

When Ekinar was dismissed, she wondered why they still wanted to talk to her, but before she could ask, the Shadow Folk contingent stood up.

“What is your name, miss?”

“Teyha Wynn. What may I call you?”

She raised her brows and waited.

A low chuckle came from within the shifting shadows. “Representative Naluriak Rossing-Deenar. I believe you are about to become my sister-in-law.”

Shock rippled through Teyha. “What? I am sorry, but Ekinar never mentioned anything of the kind.”

She snorted. “Mind you, I didn’t know he had sister either.”

Naluriak laughed. “We are not a forthcoming folk. You will eventually draw him out, but he is already within you, learning your moods.”

Blinking rapidly, she asked again, “What?”

“He kissed you, yes?”

“Yes.”

“And in doing so, he placed a tiny bit of his shadow, or his soul, within you. He has been using it to monitor your moods.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“In public, even amongst the Nine, we always wear our shadows around us. For our males to keep out of trouble, as the third step in courtship, they place a piece of their shadow inside their female. That tiny piece of him allows him to know your moods and your location. It is a handy thing on wilder planets, and I believe that Gaia counts.”

“Naluriak, I am not sure that that is the case with me.”

Teyha bit her lip, though she knew she was lying. Whatever had changed inside her was enhancing her normally impressive echolocation, and she could feel that she was being monitored during her waking hours.

“I am sure that it is. I can see it. My family’s shadow has a distinct pattern. It is flickering behind your eyes every time you look around. I formally greet you, sister, and I welcome you most heartily.”

The woman inclined her head.

“How is it that you were allowed in here as councillor to your people with your brother facing charges?”

Teyha had to ask.

“I could always be outvoted by the other eight. It is really that simple. I was here as a character witness.”

Teyha nodded her head and sat up straight before she inclined her head in a mimicry of Naluriak’s. “Thank you for your greeting, sister. I look forward to one day meeting you in person.”

There was a concentrated sigh from the eight chairs, and Teyha knew she had done something significant.

“I just sealed my fate, didn’t I?”

Her tone was wry.

The shadow laughed. A bright, cheerful sound. “Public acknowledgement of my brother’s claim. In the eyes of the Nine, you are now declared to him and he to you.”

Rothaway wished her luck with Ekinar, and he closed communication, leaving her sitting and facing the Forest Folk ambassador and his Gaian bride.

“I am completely hooped, aren’t I?”

She sighed.

Daphne got to her feet. “It isn’t that bad. Living on a spaceship, they mostly clean up after themselves.”

Apolan snorted and he grimaced. “For a woman who can turn invisible, you are around an awful lot lately.”

She smacked her husband in the arm and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

Apolan’s cheeks darkened, and he got to his feet.

He stood in front of Teyha and took her hands in his. “Congratulations, new daughter of shadow. May your souls twine brightly.”

Looking at Daphne, she shrugged, “Um, thank you?”

He snorted and patted her on the shoulder, his face in a wicked grin. “Close enough.”