With her permission, I lay the delicate strands across her forehead.
When we step off the ship into the inhospitable cave that serves as Nik’s spaceport, a faint tracework of gold webs her forehead, glinting in the dark like a faraway star.
Chapter 32
Lena
Delphiescreamswhen she sees me. “I can’t believe you’rehere!” she squeals, flinging her arms around me. “We’ve been looking for youforever! Are you okay? Where have youbeen?”
“R’Hiza,” I say awkwardly, not sure where to start. The story is so long and convoluted. But then her eyes land on Lele bundled up in my arms and she squeals again.
“You have ababy?”She makes eye contact to confirm, and then notices the crown embedded in my forehead, a match to the thin, golden stripe across hers. “You have amate?! Oh god, is ithim?”
“Goddess,” Lyro corrects, squeezing the back of my neck.
I can’t help it—I start laughing, especially when the huge Irran standing behind her with a jagged scar down one side of his face growls at Lyro, and Lyro growls back. Theyhaveto be related. “Let me guess. This one’s yours.”
“Yup,” Delphie says, giggling. “He’s pretty great once you get used to him.”
“Mine, too.”
We move into an inner chamber of the mountain, where it’s slightly warmer, although still freezing cold. The walls look like sandstone, and the organic texture and curved ceiling are awelcome change from the stark, metal interiors of the Frathik base.
“Our mothers are safe on Olethia, if you were wondering,” the growly guy who must be Nik says.
“Zomah is dead,” Lyro counters. “Ifyouwere wondering.”
Nik crosses his arms. “I wasn’t. We killed him.”
Lyro snorts. “I had to kill him a second time because you did such a poor job.”
Delphie and I roll our eyes at their brotherly bickering. “Let’s get you guys settled,” she suggests. “I’m not sure where to put you, but we’ll find somewhere. Let me grab you some warmer clothes,” she adds, noticing my teeth starting to chatter.
“We only need fuel, and then we’ll go.” Lyro looks edgy, like he’s afraid it might be a trap.
“Nooo,” Delphie protests. “We just found you. You have to stay a little while at least. Let us feed you. We have some awesome hot springs, too.”
The thought of a real bath with actual hot water sends goosebumps all over my skin, the good kind. I shoot Lyro a pleading look. “Can we stay the night, at least? I haven’t had a bath in water for months. Plus, I bet they have nomo.”
“We do!” Delphie crows. “Perfect, I’ll hold the baby while you soak, and the guys can have nomo and catch up. Honestly, we both should sit down for a minute anyway. It’s been wild around here since the hostage exchange with the priests. I want to hear everything that’s happened to you!”
Lyro’s hold on me tightens. He doesn’t want me to go anywhere without him. “Just a few minutes?” I murmur. I want to hear everything that’s happened to her, too, and maybe an update about how Ada is doing.
“One cup of nomo,” he says. “If you’re not back before I finish, I’ll come looking for you and cut down anyone who tries to stop me.”
“They’ll be safe. I’ll send a guard with them,” Nik says gruffly, and Lyro reluctantly releases me.
Delphie introduces me to the young warrior, Aqen, and he accompanies us through the tunnels. We pass many Irrans, including a lot of cloaked priests. They stare at me and at Lele in my arms. I can’t blame them. They’re as strange to me as I must be to them. I’m used to Frathik faces, not Irran.
“Refugees,” Delphie explains. “They used escape pods to get away from the Eye, and now they’re stuck here while they figure out what’s next.”
“Kinda like me, huh?”
She laughs. “Guess so. You can stay as long as you want. Your man and your baby, too. I’d ask how you got that baby, but I already know.”
“I hatched her,” I say defensively.
“Sure you did. You probably laid the egg yourself.” Delphie snickers. “Lena, honey, you’d adopt a pickle if it needed a mama.”
