“I’m glad to hear it.” I swallowed and met his eyes. “Thank you for healing me. If there’s anything I can do to repay you, let me know.”
His smile was as kind as his eyes. “You are welcome. I am glad I was able to help. There is no debt between us.”
“You healed a pain I’ve been living with for five years. There is definitely a debt between us.”
He shook his head. “I was given my gift to help others, not to accumulate favors.”
“How did you endure the war?” I murmured to myself, but Havil caught the words and his expression darkened.
“I was lucky to be assigned to Torran.”
Which meant he hadn’t been near the front lines, so he would’ve avoided the worst of the suffering. But if healing and empathy were Valovian abilities, then others hadn’t been so lucky. I’d had enough trouble living with my own feelings during the hardest years. If I’d also had to live with the constant pain of those around me . . . I let the thought go with a shudder. I wasn’t that strong.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. If you need anything while you are here, let me know.” I waved when he would’ve protested again. “Not as a debt, but as gratitude.”
He smiled. “Very well. I will let you know, if you promise to let me know when your knee starts bothering you again.”
I could tell from his expression that no amount of arguing would change his mind, so I inclined my head. “Deal. Sleep well.”
“You, too.” He bowed slightly and turned for the door.
The room had emptied except for Torran, who leaned against the wall next to the door. Havil exited with a nod, leaving Torran and me alone in the room.
Torran’s attention focused on me and a shiver danced over my skin.
“Did you need something, General?” I asked as I approached. “Or were you just staying to ensure I didn’t eat your medic for dessert?”
A brief smile touched his mouth. “I don’t think he would be very delicious.”
It was a clever dodge of the question that surprised a laugh out of me. “True enough.”
Torran’s expression warmed briefly before settling back into polite detachment. “I’ve instructed Varro to stay away from Kee.”
My eyebrows rose. “All he needs to do is apologize—and mean it—and she’ll forgive him. But if he can’t do that, then I suppose distance is the next best option. I was planning to intervene if they hadn’t worked it out in a few days. Do you know what he said to her?”
Torran shifted. “I believe he may have inadvertently implied that she was unintelligent.”
“How do you accidentally call someone stupid?” I demanded, outraged all over again on Kee’s behalf. No wonder Eli went ballistic.
“I don’t know. He wouldn’t say.”
I blew out a breath. “Is he usually this much of an asshole?”
“No,” Torran said slowly. “He is occasionally curt but never cruel.”
“He apologizes, sincerely, before we get to Bastion or he’s off my ship. You can find someone else to replace him.”
Torran stared at me for a long moment before bowing his head. “Agreed.”
The next morning came too early. The ship had alerted me three times during the short night. The first was right after Torran and I had returned upstairs to the crew quarters. The Valovian general had left his room and walked a lap of the ship. He did not try to enter the bridge.
Later, Chira had gotten up in the middle of the night to visit the garden. I’d fallen back asleep waiting for her to leave, and the ship hadn’t alerted me again, so I assumed she was still asleep in the arbor.
And a few minutes ago, Varro had headed for the galley.
I started my day early, but not this damn early. However, now I was awake, and my alarm was set to go off in forty-five minutes anyway. I dragged myself out of bed.
Luna made a disgruntled noise and curled more firmly into the covers, tucking her nose under her tail.
I chuckled at her and then dressed in workout clothes. I pulled my hair up into a long ponytail. I might as well get some exercise in while the gym was empty.
On my way downstairs, I stopped by the galley. Varro sat at the table, staring into the distance. When he heard me, his head jerked up.
“Good morning,” I said, fighting to keep my voice neutral.
“Good morning. Did I wake you?”
I shook my head. “I’m on my way to the gym. Just stopped by for water.”
We had a shared stash of reusable water bottles, so I pulled one from the cabinet and filled it from the chilled water faucet. Behind me, Varro remained silent.
I capped the bottle and moved to leave the room. I was steps from the door when his voice brought me to a halt. “Captain Zarola, may I ask you a question?”
I turned back to him. “Yes.”
He swallowed. “How do humans apologize for words that hurt?”
“Telling the person you are sorry is a good first step. Take responsibility for your actions, and promise to work on doing better.”
“What if that doesn’t work?”
I settled into the chair across from him. “Are you talking about Kee?”
He nodded.
“Did you say, ‘I am sorry,’ or did you try to weasel out of it?”
“I told her that I didn’t mean any insult.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, tousling his curls. They softened the hard lines of his face. “She is still angry.”
I sighed. “You might not have meant to insult her, but you still did. You hurt her feelings. You have to own that. How would you apologize to another Valoff?”
“I would say lota chil vetli and if the insult was grave, I would bring them vosdodite, an apology gift.”
“Are you sorry that you hurt Kee’s feelings, or are you just trying to apologize because General Fletcher ordered you to?”
Varro looked away. “I did not mean to hurt her,” he said stiffly. “I was not ordered to apologize.” He paused. “I’m supposed to stay away from her.”
He was uncomfortable, but he seemed sincere. “Very well, here’s what you’re going to do. First, you’re going to tell her that you’re sorry, and you’re not going to weasel out of it. Tell her in Valovan if you have to, she’ll figure it out. Next, you’re going to give her an apology gift just like you would for another Valoff. Cookies are her favorite. Come on, I’ll show you the recipe. You’re lucky that we just restocked.”
I pulled up the snickerdoodle recipe on the galley terminal. “Do you know how to bake?”
Varro nodded, then added, “Are you sure food is an appropriate apology?”
“Do you have a better suggestion?”
“On Valovia, we usually either give something the recipient desires greatly or something valuable and difficult to part with.”
“Trust me, Kee loves cookies.” I pointed at the screen. “Bake the cookies, give them to her, sincerely apologize for hurting her, promise to do better, and then walk away. She may not forgive you immediately, and that’s her choice. Do not say something stupid like ‘I’m sorry you were insulted.’ Got it?”