Maris released her.
Lise turned on him and slapped him. “If you ever do that to me again, I swear I will gut you for it!”
Still, Maris didn’t react to her blow. “I’m extremely sorry. It was a thoughtless thing to do, but I was more worried about Darling than calling you with the news, especially since he wasn’t killed. I didn’t think about the media reporting it, never mind them getting it wrong, and you finding out about the attack that way. It won’t ever happen again. I promise.”
Lise finally pulled Maris against her and held him close. She buried her face in his neck. “I’m so sorry, Mari. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was so scared. I thought he was gone and that I’d be left alone. He’s all I have, you know?”
“Yes, I do, baby. He’s all I have, too.”
Sniffing, Lise squeezed him tight. “I love you. You still love me?”
“Not at the moment. I’m rather in pain. But after it fades, I’ll probably be dumb enough to forgive you for it. Just don’t do it again.”
She kissed his cheek that was red from her punch. Laying her hand over it, she smiled at him. “What are you bitching about, anyway? You’re from a warrior culture. Phrixians live to fight and clobber each other.”
He arched a regal brow that said she was insane and wrong. “Hello? Gay man, here. I don’t like the brutality, hence why I surrendered my commission.” He turned her to face Hauk. “Next time, slap him. I think he actually gets off on it.”
Hauk smirked. “Thanks, Mar. I will remember that.”
“Am I wrong?” Maris challenged.
“No, but you don’t have to tell everyone. You make me sound like I’m sick or something.”
Smiling at their teasing, Lise wiped the tears from her face before she went to Hauk and gave him a hug, too. “How are you, D?”
“Better than you. You going to make it, little sis?”
“Maybe. I don’t like being scared like this. You could have called, too, you know?”
“I’m pleading the Maris defense. I didn’t even think about it. Sorry.”
“You suck.” Lise went to Syn next to hug him. “How’s my precious baby boy and Shay doing?”
“They’re great. Sorry we scared you.”
“It’s okay. You, I forgive since I’m sure you’re the only reason I still have Darling right now.”
“Actually, the credit goes there.” Syn pointed at Zarya.
It was so strange to watch the play of emotions skim Lise’s features in the same order they normally did on Darling’s. The two of them had a lot more in common than just their hair color.
Finally, Lise settled on a confused countenance. “You saved him?”
Zarya wouldn’t go that far. All she did was open a door. “We all saved him.”
Syn shook his head. “Hauk and I weren’t here when it happened.”
“I couldn’t get the door open,” Maris confessed. “Zarya did. He’d have died had she not got in when she did.”
“You’re the one who dragged him to safety,” Zarya reminded Maris.
“And you’re the one who resuscitated him.”
With a cry of joy, Lise threw herself into Zarya’s arms and squeezed her so tightly, she was amazed she didn’t break a rib. “May the gods bless you for it. Thank you for saving my brother’s life. You ever need anything, anything at all, call me. I won’t ever forget what I owe you. I mean that.”
Lise’s zealous gratitude embarrassed her. Zarya wasn’t used to people who showed so much emotion, especially so forcefully. “You’re very welcome.”
Lise gave her one more fierce squeeze. “I am so killing the beast when he wakes up.” She flared from sorrow to gratitude to anger so fast that it was actually scary to watch. “He’s determined that I’m never going to graduate. I swear. I was on my way to a chemistry test when I saw the news. Ugh!” She waved her hands around her face. “Whatever. I’ll deal with it later.”
Shaking her head, Lise fell right into the role of haughty princess, and yet there was something so adorable and at the same time vulnerable about her that Zarya couldn’t help liking her. “I’m going to my room now to throw myself on the mercy of my instructors. Will someone please let me know the instant Darling wakes up?”
They all nodded.
Lise made a much more sedate exit.
“And people accuse me of melodrama,” Maris mumbled as he rubbed his red cheek. “Sheez.”
Nonplussed by what she’d witnessed, Zarya turned toward Maris. “Does she… um,” she struggled to find words that wouldn’t offend them or Lise, “Is she mentally stable?”
Syn laughed. “In theory, yes. But unfortunately, she inherited her uncle’s explosive temper.”
“Does everyone in Darling’s family have it?” Zarya asked.
Maris snorted as he continued to rub his abused cheek and jaw. “Basically, yes. But Darling does a really good job riding herd on it most of the time. Though I’ve seen him go off and do some extreme things in the past.”