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“No, no, it’s not pollen. I just…” Jace licked his lips. “Can I have some water?”

“Of course!” Thammah darted towards a panel on the ship.

It opened at her touch and bottles of cold, clean water were revealed. She handed it to Khoth who opened it for him and pressed the top to his lips. He gulped the water down even though he wanted a drink that was a hell of a lot stronger than water. He really wanted his quarters on the Osiris with the lights off and only the dim planets above him and Khoth’s arms around him. He felt the Osiris determine to take control of the dropship and bring the back up. It didn’t care about the Thaf’ell or the Alliance. They could find other allies regardless.

No, Osiris, don’t do this, Jace commanded.

“I’m sorry everyone. I’m fine.” Jace breathed through his nose and out of his mouth. “I just… had a moment. I’m good now.”

He forced himself to straighten his shoulders and smile. Smiling hurt. Everything hurt. But he was back in control of himself. He was asking these people to put their lives in his hands and he had just freaked out. That was bad. So bad. Even though everyone looked understanding and concerned, they needed him to be in control fully at all times.

I will review exactly the circumstances that brought this attack on, the Osiris stated. It will not happen again.

But Jace wondered if there was such an easy fix. If Gehenna was right that he was having an “emotional storm” then unless he didn’t have any emotions, this would happen again. He’d bobbled the other night at the party. Now this. He breathed deeply and drank the rest of the water. Maybe he was irretrievably broken in some way. Maybe for as much as he was “dealing with” everything that had happened to him in such a short time, he was actually just compensating and Khoth was papering over the soft spots. He didn’t know. But he had to get it together. The Osiris was right that this couldn’t happen again.

Another smile as he tugged his jacket down. “Well, I think we’ve kept them waiting long enough. Let’s get this party started.”

“Jace… Pilot,” Thammah quickly corrected, “they can wait as long as you need them to.”

Jace turned his head slightly to the side. He couldn’t turn his head all the way due to pain. But it was receding. “No, we all know I have to go out.”

Khoth’s one hand was still on his shoulder as his other took the empty bottle from him. There were shadows in those blue on blue eyes. Jace worried what was going on behind them. Was Khoth thinking of doing something noble and foolish to “help” Jace by sacrificing himself and his freedom? Probably. Well, he wasn’t going to let that happen.

Selchitte

Khoth watched the back of Jace’s head as the young man exited the dropship. Jace’s steps were sure and strong. His chin was lifted up. There was a smile on his lips, but the dark sunglasses that covered his eyes hid whether it was real or not.

Jace had been through so much in the last few days. There had been no downtime for the young man. From the moment the Khul had attacked Earth, Jace had been active except for all too brief sleep hours. And now he was forced to deal with the Alliance and the Thaf’ell.

And my past.

Worrying about Jace had one benefit, he was so focused on the young man that he did not look over at his father or think about why his father would be there. At least until Jace, all smiles and yet somehow distant, greeted Thadden and Typhon.

“Justiciar Voor. Justiciar Moturin. From our welcome by Staed, I expected the military to greet me, but instead it's the judiciary. Have I broken your laws already?” Jace’s smile flashed brighter to indicate he was joking, but there was too much of an edge to his voice.

He’s in pain.

Jace had not offered to shake either Thaf’ells’ hand. In fact, Jace’s hands were curled into half fists, the fingernails digging into his palms.

To center himself.

Gehenna rolled over and leaned against Jace’s right leg. She looked up rather adoringly at him with her single eye. Jace smiled down at her and petted her head. That caused his one hand to uncurl. Khoth wished he could reach over and uncurl the other as he linked their fingers together. Davies and Dr. Hayter hung back, observing everything and everyone, mutely. Well, Davies was lasered in on them, but Dr. Hayter was turning around in a slow circle and smiling in delight as he took in Haseon, even though it was only the space port. But still, there were plenty of ships coming and going and the city of glass was in view.

“Pilot, you must not think that High Commander Staed’s behavior was approved by all,” Typhon said smoothly.

He spoke in fluent English, which startled Khoth. When had he learned that and why? He’d assumed that like his mother and others on the Council--and seemingly everywhere in the Alliance--that Typhon would view humans as lesser and certainly wouldn’t deign to learn their language. Yet he had.

“His actions were approved by the Council, surely?” Jace lifted an eyebrow. He spoke in perfect Thaf’ell.

It was his father who spoke then, and his voice was as stunning to Khoth’s ears as his words, “The Council is in flux. To say the least.”

Khoth swallowed. It took all his strength to not look at his father and not to reach up and touch the bare spaces on the sides of his head. He’d never truly thought to hear that beloved voice again. Soft, dry, but with hints of amusement and tenderness.

Why is he here? Is this some kind of punishment from Nova? To dig the dagger in deeper? Does she truly hate me so?

“Factions?” Jace asked, a smile that seemed fragile was curling his lips. “Yes, of course. And you both represent a different one. Different from High Councillor Voor’s though?”

Khoth’s stillness felt like it had turned him to stone. Where was his mother? She had made a deal with Jace to be his greatest booster with the Council yet she was nowhere to be seen. Again, would she send his father and torture them both because they had to act as if they didn’t know one another? He felt almost nauseous from the very idea. Hate him, she might. But his father? He knew this could only be causing his father pain even though he, undoubtedly, agreed with Khoth’s exile. So why had she done this? Maybe she was down to no one else she could trust.