The airlock connection turned green, and I opened both hatches. A short, five-meter tunnel connected to the airlocks on Nirpaf’s side. A brief inspection confirmed that the connection was solid. These docking tunnels were built to be nigh indestructible. Even if the Valovian ship tried to pull away, they’d just drag Starlight along with them.
As soon as I returned to my cargo bay, Nirpaf’s hatches swung open. Past the crew securing the doors, I caught sight of a beautiful woman in a dark dress. Her careful makeup couldn’t hide the circles under her eyes and the wan pallor of her skin. Cien caught sight of her and dashed through the tunnel with a cry.
She bent, catching him, and clutched him to her chest. She buried her face in his hair with a choked sob. This woman loved her child. If the empress had used him, it had not been with his mother’s permission.
I relaxed a fraction. Now that she knew the danger, she would keep him safe.
Torran stepped into the tunnel, and my heart cracked. He was going to leave without a word. I stood frozen, unable to tear my eyes away as he stopped just before the airlock on the other side.
Torran’s sister asked him a question and he shook his head. She raised her left arm, still wrapped around Cien, and covered where her heart would be. She bowed her head.
When she lifted her eyes, her gaze sought mine and she repeated the gesture. I thawed just enough to dip my head in acknowledgment.
Without a word, her crew closed the hatches, preparing to disconnect, and Torran returned to Starlight’s cargo bay. I blinked at him. “You’re not leaving?”
He tilted his head. “Did you expect me to?”
I waved at the tunnel. “I thought—”
“We are still bound, cho akinti. You will not be rid of me so easily.”
“That would’ve been good to know ten minutes ago,” I grumbled under my breath. Relief washed through me, but I knew it was only a temporary reprieve. Torran had asked if his crew could remain until we reached Bastion, and I’d agreed.
I would still have to say good-bye far before I was ready.
I swallowed as Torran started closing the hatches on our side. “No one else is transferring, either?”
“We go where the general goes,” Chira said.
“Not a general anymore,” he said quietly, looking over his shoulder. “My military record has been expunged.”
She rolled her eyes and repeated, “We go where the general goes.”
Once the hatches were closed, I initiated the decoupling process. Nirpaf had already initiated it on their side, so as soon as I approved, the airlocks began pumping air out of the tunnel in preparation for separation.
“Eli, to the bridge. Watch them as they leave. Keep an eye on Lotkez, too.”
He ducked into the main part of the ship with a grim nod.
I stood by the cargo bay terminal as the tunnel disconnected and returned to its place, then the outer shield slid over it. I watched on-screen as the other ship pulled away. This was the most dangerous part. Nirpaf might mean “peace,” but they were armed with a lot of very nice, very dangerous weapons. With Cien safely on their ship, they might decide we were no longer useful.
“I’m on the bridge,” Eli said. “So far they are moving away smoothly. Wait, fuck. Nirpaf is bringing up their weapons.” He paused. “But they’re targeting Lotkez?”
I turned to Torran. “Why is your sister targeting our escort?”
“Just a precaution,” he said, “in case the empress has decided that we are at the end of our usefulness. Nirpaf will escort Lotkez through the wormhole.”
I relayed the information to Eli, who remained tense, but said, “I’m plotting a course to Bastion. I’ll keep an eye on the other two.”
“Thanks,” I murmured back, then turned to Torran. “Won’t that get your sister in trouble? And how will you return to Valovia now?”
“She owes you.” He frowned at me. “What makes you think that I want to return to Valovia?”
I waved my hand around the empty cargo bay. “You said good-bye to everyone. You made no mention of staying. You were halfway into your sister’s ship without so much as a word to me—” My composure broke and I blinked back tears.
Torran drew me softly into his arms. “Oh, cho akinti, I am sorry that I did not explain, but I thought you understood. I talked to your crew to ensure that they were okay with us staying for a while longer. I spoke to my sister because I had to ensure that Cien would be looked after, and that Feia would prevent Lotkez from trying anything. I did not mean to cause you pain.”
“So you’re not leaving at Bastion?”
“No, not unless you ask me to.”
I wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly. “I’m so glad,” I whispered.
He ran a soothing hand down my back, and I slowly relaxed against him with my head on his shoulder. My mind drifted back over the brief meeting with the imperial princess. She wasn’t what I expected. “Your sister loves Cien.”
“Yes. We don’t see eye to eye on many things, but we would both die to protect the boy.” Torran held me for a few more minutes before pulling back and meeting my eyes. “We are in human space. You are safe.”
My heart kicked. “Your debt is paid.” The thought was more bittersweet than I’d expected. I liked the thought of us as one entity. If I could keep that without the rest, I would, in a heartbeat.
Torran knelt, held his left wrist over his heart, and looked up into my eyes. “Cho wubr chil choz de cho arbu chil tavoz.” His voice was deep and sure, and I didn’t know why my eyes were misting over, but I blinked the tears away before they could fully form.
“What does it mean?” I whispered.
“My life is mine, but my heart is yours.”
I cleared my throat, trying to speak around the lump in it. “Is that the traditional saying?”
He smiled and pressed my fingers to his lips. “‘My life is mine’ is how a life debt is traditionally ended.”
“And, ah, the other part?”
“The truth. It is also a traditional phrase used during courtship.”
I smiled down at him and cupped his gorgeous face in my hands. “Used how?”
He coughed. “It is usually used to move the courtship to its final stage before a life bond—a marriage.”
So it was something like an engagement. That didn’t bring the terror I thought it would. Instead, warmth nestled in my heart. “Teach me the words?”
He did, repeating them until I had the pronunciation correct.
I knelt in front of him and took his hands in mine. “Cho arbu chil tavoz.”
As soon as the words left my lips, Torran crushed me to his chest. His mouth slanted over mine, hot and needy. I moaned and parted my lips, desperate to have him closer. Just when I thought he would comply, he pulled back with a groan. “Can your crew get us to Bastion?” he asked, his eyes on fire.
I nodded and licked my lips.
“Good.” He stood and scooped me up in his arms. “Your room or mine?”
“Mine.”
He pressed another kiss to my lips, like he couldn’t wait any longer, then headed into the main part of the ship, where we promptly ran into Lexi and Kee. Lexi smirked and Kee gave me a thumbs-up.
“Tell Eli he’s in charge for a while,” I called over Torran’s shoulder when he didn’t break stride. “And I don’t want to be disturbed unless the world is ending.”