Page 58 of Breaking Ties

She touched her own forehead and saw herself surrounded by silvery-skinned leprechauns. “Oh, that is so odd.”

“Reading your own future?”

“Sort of. You are going to need to figure out condoms or something. That is a lot of red.”

Vress chuckled.

Aubrey was settled in the hair extruder, and Vress held her hand. She glared at him and said, “You are just trying to make sure I don’t make a run for it.”

“With me for a week and you already understand me.” He kissed her softly while the machine whirred to life. “My people are designing so many headpieces for your new hair.”

She laughed and remained still while he held her hand.

* * * *

Whisper felt the unit around her still. The IV was removed from her arm, and the mark sealed. She felt different. More like she had before heading to the mountains.

She swallowed, and the unit opened slowly. Hands helped her ease to sitting, and she knew who it was by the stars under the skin. “Nerigot.”

“Yes. Good. You retained cognition.”

He helped her ease her legs out of the unit, and she got to her feet. His nipple was below her jaw, and that wasn’t right.

“Did the unit shrink you?”

He chuckled. “No. It has made your body capable of supporting your mind.”

She put her hands on either side of her head and exhaled. “It doesn’t feel huge.”

He chuckled. “It completed the pathways you had already developed in your brain and body.”

She looked around. “Is there something for me to wear around here?”

He sighed. “There is. You can wear me.”

He wrapped his wings around her, and she was suddenly in Hmrain-scented darkness. She smelled mint, another spice, and something that reminded her of the medical treatments on his ship.

“This is not going to be comfortable sitting in a shuttle.” She muttered it against him, wishing that she had light. Her fingertips began to glow.

She blinked, and he laughed. “I did not think it would start so soon.”

She looked up at him, and his beautiful features were eerie in the light of her hand. “What is going on?”

“You are tapping into the energy of your body. You have quite a bit of energy.”

“Still naked.”

He exhaled happily. “Yes, you are.”

She snorted. “Are there clothes?”

He sighed. “Yes. If I were one of my less amusing brothers, you would be up against a wall right now.”

“No, I would not be, not without a contract. We don’t have one. My contract is with Aubrey.”

He stiffened and nodded. “You are correct. I wish to remedy that. As you have the skills of an acolyte, you will be under bond to me as soon as we transfer duty.”

“In the meantime, who owes me a shirt?”