Oljin gives us an indulgent look. “Record a message for your sister and I’ll convince the general to send it,” he says to me. “It may improve relations to show you safe and happy.”
“Want to do it now, hon?” Rose asks kindly. She knows what it’s like to miss family. I think that’s why she’s been so welcoming to me. We have a lot in common: we both lost a whole planet full of people when we were abducted. I know Rose thinks I’m lucky that I still have the chance to see my sister again, and I am. I shouldn’t waste it.
I nod. I should do it while I’m still feeling brave.
Lyro puts a hand on my arm. “Remember your message will be heard by many ears. Your sister is not the only one.”
“Should I mention you’re here with me?”
Colors flit over his face, mostly the lavender that means we’re fated to be together. “No,” he finally says. “If my brother thinks we are being held captive, it could start a war. He will stop at nothing to get us back. Let him think I have not reached you yet.”
“I thought he didn’t like you?”
Lyro’s mouth twists. “He doesn’t. But he will always come to my defense. That is why he makes a good Emperor and I would not.”
To my surprise, Oljin makes a noise of disagreement. While the two of them get into an argument over it, Rose takes me to the living area and sets up her tablet to record. It’s easier to talk to a blank screen than my sister’s face. I would have crumbled, seeing her hurt and confusion and happiness all mixed together when she begged me for answers I can’t give.
She’ll have a lot of questions. I can’t tell her critical details like my location, my role in the imminent Hatching, and the fact that I’ve fallen in love with her husband’s estranged younger brother. I feel a little guilty leaving all that out, but this is a diplomatic message as much as it is a personal one. It can’t get too messy yet.
And it’s going to getreallymessy. It’s bad enough that she sent Lyro on a dangerous mission to rescue someone who doesn’t need rescuing. It’s going to be way messier when she realizes that I purposely avoided being rescued before.
Frankly, I owe her a huge apology. When the other women were returned to Irra, she thought the Frathiks had taken me, and she risked her life to get me back. Then her alien mate riskedhislife to saveher. From what I gathered from the scraps of Frathik gossip Rose shared with me, Ada and Lothan got stranded in space and almost died.
That was all my fault. She might forgive me easily for stressing her out, but I’m not sure she can forgive me for putting her life in danger. Part of me is a little worried I might lose her when she finds out.
So I paste on a smile and record my greeting-card message. I let her know that I’m safe, that the Frathiks are treating me well. I congratulate her on her marriage and on being Empress of the Five Planets. I tell her that we’ll be reunited soon, which I hope is the truth. And I tell her I love her, which is definitely the truth.
“Perfect,” Rose tells me, giving me a motherly squeeze that I feel in my soul. “She’s going to be so happy to hear from you.”
When I return to the table, the nomo has clearly kicked in, because Oljin and Lyro are joking around. The fact that they were able to repair their relationship with a sincere apology gives me hope.
Lyro dragonflies the back of my neck, leaning close to my ear to murmur, “You did well.” I forgot he could hear every word even a room away. His approval feels good, even though I feel bad about how much I left out of the message.
Oljin nods. “I think the general will approve it. It’s what he’s been telling the Irrans all along, but it’ll be more convincing in your voice.”
I thank them both, even though my stomach is feeling more and more uneasy about all my lies of omission and the absolute disaster it’s going to be when they all come out. These are the consequences of my actions, I remind myself. I knew what I was getting into. Doesn’t make it any easier, though.
On the way to the hatchery, Lyro keeps sneaking sideways looks at me, like he can sense something’s wrong. “Are you cold?” he finally asks. “Do you need my cloak?”
I should tell him what’s weighing on me. But he has way more shit on his plate than I do. A million more lies eating away at him. I can’t complain about my guilt over endangering Ada, not when she’s safe and his mom’s life is still in the balance. I don’t want to give him any more hard problems to solve. So I let him solve an easy one.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind,” I say, rubbing my upper arms like I’m chilly. He sheds his cloak and wraps it around my shoulders. It’s too long, the hem dragging behind me on the floor, but it’s so cozy and soft, and it’s full of his scent. I feel wrapped up in him. Safe. I didn’t think I needed it, but maybe I do.
He pulls up the hood, tucking my hair inside. “Good?”
“Perfect,” I tell him. He wraps his arm around me, his skin rippling blue and green with threads of brown. Apparently,keeping me warm gives him lots of feelings. Not going to lie, it gives me a lot of them, too.
I keep it on while I check the eggs and sing today’s set, enjoying it despite the fact that it’s a little weirder now that I know it’s essentially a sex show. Lyro installs himself as a bouncer at the hatchery door and says surly, menacing things to anyone who tries to come in while I’m working, so I don’t have to worry about anyone perving on it. And having his cloak wrapped around me helps, too.
Chapter 22
Lyro
After Lena is done singing, we head for the hangar. I’m close to completing the major repairs. A few tests tomorrow, and we can leave R’Hiza whenever we choose.
“What do you think?” Lena asks, and I realize she’s been talking while I’ve been daydreaming about my bird.
“About what?”
