Page 73 of Tempting Cargo

Information tumbled out of me in a jumbled mix while our new companions listened.

“Most shaa’ith end up in Orithian colonies,” Tokoran said when I’d finished. “Your parents are unusual to care enough to keep him at home.”

“They’re not,” I spat. “They hate what he is. They only keep him around to keep me in line.” The truth tasted no less bitter on my tongue than it had four days ago. “He takes medication to manage his condition, but it leaves him tired and weak.” I paused.“He doesn’t need medication, does he?”

“No.”

“They don’t let him out,” I said, chest sinking. “Outside of the household, only the doctor knows he exists.”

They nodded, expressions terse.

“I’ve wanted to rescue him for years but I don’t know how. I’ve been saving up credits and hoping the solution will present itself, or I can work out how to do it. But as yet, I haven’t found a way. I don’t think there is one.”

A tired smile spread across Daiytak’s pouty lips.“He won’t be the first shaa’ith rescued from Orith, nor will he be the last, I expect.”

Hope bubbled up in my chest. “How?”

I had to get Airida off-world. Now I knew the truth, the urgency clamoured at me, beating a relentless pulse in my veins. I’d amassed more than enough credits to finance a rescue mission; the rest of the funds I’d been saving were towards his ongoing care—which he might not need after all.

This entire time, I’d been hoping to find some information that would give me leverage, that would put my parents on the back foot, and it had been under my nose all along.

If wider Orithian society knew they had a hybrid son?

“I have to save him,” I said. “Tell me how it can be done.”

WE TALKED FOR for hours. The small humans offered to help, but there was little they could do, so they rose to leave—presumably to their accommodations; I didn’t care. The female gave Garrison a gentle, knowing smile, and I didn’t dare hope what it meant.

He hadn’t moved from my side since we’d gotten here, despite how we’d left things.Because he promised to help me get my brother out.Maybe today just delayed the pain of losing him—and would make it that much stronger when it happened.

That wasn’t my primary concern.

As the shaa’ith—shaa’ith, by all the gods—left, Garrison squeezed my thigh. “We’ll get him out, sweetheart. And I’m notgoing anywhere until he’s safe. If you can suffer my company a little longer.”

He joked, but his forced smile betrayed—what? Worry I’d send him away?

I couldn’t if I tried. “It’s okay, cargo, you can stay.”

It was one thing to leave him on a planet he was supposed to be going to anyway, to protect both him and my soul. It was another thing entirely to tell him to leave when we’d already agreed this was the only situation in which he could stay.

I exhaled in strained relief.I didn’t have the strength to keep him at arm’s length when he was right here and not letting me go.

Gods knew, I didn’t want him to.

Having him with me felt right. The way his arm fitted round me. The way he took time to understand me. Wanted to support me in this dangerous mission. Didn’t care that we were two very different species. I was weak, but I’d let him hold me all night if he wanted to. After years of holding everything at a distance, he was under my spines, and it terrified me.

As long as he didn’t get into my bones too. If this went wrong, I’d be bound to a life of pain.

But, said the tiny, young voice inside,what if it goes right? What if it’s okay to hope?

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Less Insolent

Garrison

SHOHARI WAS quietas we embarked back on theDorimisa.

I could only imagine the chaos inside her head. Railroading her with my presence wasn’t how I wanted to do this, but I knew, deep in every fibre of my being, staying with her was right. I didn’t believe in signs, but if I did, meeting the shaa’ith would have been a pretty obvious one. Anyway, we’d made a drunken pact to save Airida together.