Page 43 of Sway’s Peace (Delivery Service #2)

“The rest of you, best behavior.” Tanin stopped at the back where the door was dropping, turning into a ramp that connected to the stony ground.

“And keep alert. I don’t know when we’ll be going back.

Keep your emergency beacons at hand. Stay in contact.

Loyalty, you keep in contact with Sway, he’ll let you know when we’re going to be taking off again. I’ll make sure you aren’t left behind.”

“Thank you,” Loyalty, who was in the corner, very obviously separated from the rest of the guys and outside of the protective circle formed around Grace and the girls, inclined his head.

Grace was listening, but the majority of her focus was outside the ship.

As the shuttle ramp lowered, hitting the ground with a dull, loud thud, fresh, florally scented air rushed in.

It was so bright outside, it burned her eyes in the best way.

The orange sun overhead was lighting up the entire world like she hadn’t seen in far too long and didn’t realize how much she missed until just that moment.

Garnet was the first of the girls out, rushing after Tanin, Goldie and Grace following after.

The avanava twins and Trove flanked their sides as they stepped down the ramp, the others bringing up the rear only until they had space to spread out, once again forming their protective circle around the girls.

It was so neat and practiced. Like they had done something similar a dozen times before. Or maybe they were just that good at communicating with each other with only a look.

But Grace was too busy staring around at everything too care.

The stone and chrome city was bright and beautiful, covered in tarps and tents and drapes of a variety of different colors and patterns.

All of them of the same style – the farasie style.

The largest building in the center rose up like an ancient temple in the days of its prime.

Only the obelisks were taller, out there in the distance just outside the border wall of the city, beyond which lay the bright greenery of trees that were much, much taller than they had appeared while coming in.

There weren’t many other shuttles on the landing pads that were all clustered together, connected by stone paths that were rimmed with short bushes covered in pretty, white flowers.

There were a few people wandering around, but they weren’t paying them any mind.

As the group moved forward, however, from down the main path approached a brightly colored group of farasie that were aiming right for them.

Upon spotting the crowd, Grace automatically looked to Sway. His expression was as calm as ever, his innocuous smile still settled delicately on his face. But when she reached out, sliding her fingers through his, she felt the tension in his grip.

He was nervous, though he was trying not to show it.

Grace stepped closer to him, offering a genuine smile of her own. Telling him without saying anything that she was right here. He wanted her to be involved, to get in his way. Well, if he needed her to run interference, she would be happy to do it.

Sway’s gaze moved to her, and though his smile itself didn’t change, the softness in his black eyes did. She was coming to realize that she couldn’t judge his expressions by his smile, but she could always see his true feelings in his gaze.

The farasie group had gotten a lot closer in that short interaction. They were walking quickly. Not like they were in a hurry, but their steps were eating up the ground fast. And as they got nearer, Grace got a better look at them.

Farasie came in a rainbow of colors – blue and pink and purple and yellow and green.

Their feathers were all bright and pretty.

Females were only a single color, while males had long crests and tails in a variety of colors.

This group was also dressed in their traditional attire, which was revealing and open, amounting to little more than a bikini for some, with sarong skirts and bare chests and minimal jewelry to disturb their glorious feathers.

But the males of this group all had their crests partially up, and their tails partly spread.

Not like they were displaying anything, but more like they were comfortable.

Sway was never that comfortable, and she had yet to see him display his colors.

And it certainly wasn’t happening now. His crest was tight to his head, his tail as thin as possible, as he came to a halt beside Tanin – Garnet and Grace flanking the two males on their other sides.

Grace cocked her head. Certain she heard something. Singing…?

No. Whistling!

It wasn’t super high pitched and ringing like her own human whistle would be. It was softer, more melodic, but still unmistakably a whistle. A bright, happy sound coming from the welcoming party as they closed the distance.

And in the front, just a step ahead of the others, was a male with bright, teal colored feathers.

He was tall and handsome, with long, perfect feathers coming off his eyelids.

His black eyes sparkled with joy, his lips pursed, his whistle joined in with the others.

His tail and crest were up enough that she could see the bright colors of the feathers there – purple and blue and gold bleeding together in a beautiful display of joy and welcome.

All of it aimed, she realized, at Sway.

The welcoming party came to a halt, but the teal male didn’t stop until he was right in front of Sway, putting his hands on his shoulders. He was still whistling, but it sounded less musical this time.

He was talking , Grace realized. Their language, the farasie native tongue, wasn’t spoken, it was whistled.

After a moment, Sway whistled back.

And though the sound was rough from disuse and hesitant with uncertainty, it was somehow more beautiful than the heavenly orchestra that had come to welcome him.