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They went into the house to speak with their commanding officer—at least he would be when they agreed to whatever mission he proposed. The thought made her smile and she moved to the railing and stared out over the turquoise sea. The late afternoon shadows made the water appear moss green, even less like the oceans on Earth.
She was thankful for the quiet moment to sort through all they had told her. She would have control over most of her life, be able to choose an occupation or responsibilities within their company. The nice thing about their mind link was that she knew they meant what they said. They wanted to share their lives with her, to build a future that would make all three of them happy.
Tov’s angry voice snapped her attention toward the house. Was he shouting at Zevon? That was odd. They didn’t just work together, they were friends. She couldn’t make out his words, but Tov said something else and he still sounded angry.
Curious, and concerned that the development might involve her, she eased open the door and stepped into the dining room. Tov and Merrik stood on the far side of the living room. They had ended the comm with Zevon, but were discussing something in urgent whispers. The tension on their faces warned her that something had gone wrong.
“What’s the matter?” She remained at the edge of the space, not wanting to intrude if the crisis was unrelated to her.
Tov glanced at her but didn’t speak.
“She is a conduit,” Merrik was saying. “I do not think we can refuse.”
The tension grew palpable as Tov agreed, “Not without starting a war.”
“What’s going on?” Cara persisted. “Is this about me?”
Merrik took a couple of steps toward her, his expression tight yet unreadable. “Your parents have sold control of your future to another interested party.”
“You are not in danger,” Tov stressed. “We know the other party and they will not harm you.”
She backed up, shocked and horribly disappointed that they would even consider passing her off onanother interested party. “Who are they? What do they want with me?”
“We are not allowed to tell you. They want the opportunity to explain it themselves.” Tov did not sound pleased by the stipulation. “Your parents are the ones who sanctioned our courtship. We have no choice but to release you or your new guardians could have us arrested.”
“They are sending a shuttle for you. It will be here within the hour.”
“Just like that?” Her temper began to smolder, burning away the hurt. They had just been talking about the future, about sharing their lives with her. “It was nice fucking you nonstop for the past three days, but enjoy your new masters. There is nothing we can do about this.” She fisted her hands at her sides and glared at them. “Screw you! Screw you both!” Spinning on the ball of her foot, she ran down the hallway heading toward the guest room.
Both males hustled after her. Tov caught her arm and turned her back around. “This is not the end. We have to work through whatever process they select, but we will find a way to claim you.”
“How reassuring,” she sneered, jerking her arm out of his grasp. “I’m not willing to trust my future to some random process. I have no intention of being here when the shuttle arrives. If you aren’t willing to fight for me, I will fight for myself!” Tov and Merrik exchanged bemused glances, which only made Cara angrier. “You’re cowards, fucking cowards. I can’t believe this!”
“We are as frustrated as you are, but there is no reason for your fear,” Merrik told her as she rushed into the bedroom.
Ignoring him, Cara went into the bathroom and brought the utility printer out of hibernation. Closets full of clothing didn’t exist on Altor. A new outfit was printed each morning and the old garments were recycled. That wasn’t going to work while she was on the run, so she quickly navigated through the garments she had worn during her stay at the villa. She selected them to print, one after the other. Thank God they were on land. Running away wasn’t really an option while traveling through space.
“Stop.” Tov pulled her hand away from the holo-control before she could launch the queue she’d just created.
She glared up at him and tugged against his hold. His fingers remained inflexible around her wrist. “Let go!”
“Zevon was the messenger, but the message came from Noratu Skore, one of Flora’s mates.” Tov paused, waiting for the implication to sink in. “Flora and her triad are now your guardians.”
Cara stilled. “How did… Why would her mates agree to… I don’t understand.”
Tov released her hand and stroked the side of her face. “The message was not detailed. Flora wants to explain everything once you arrive.”
“Arrive where?” Cara blinked back tears. She wanted to believe this was a good thing, that Flora would allow Cara to make choices regarding her future, to return something resembling control. Even so, she didn’t want to leave Tov and Merrik. Her feelings for them were still conflicted, but they were by far the best option she had right now.
“We have told you all we know,” Tov insisted. “We were not supposed to tell you anything, so act as if you are learning each fact for the first time.”
She had no problem playing along, but why was Tov being so cooperative? He’d been bending or disregarding rules ever since they met. “Does Noratu have authority over you? Why do you feel obligated to abide by his wishes?”
Tov squared his shoulders, looking slightly offended by her questions. “Flora and her mates will decide who claims you. Creating a power struggle with them is counterproductive to our goals.”
Merrik moved closer, gathering her hands between his. “We desperately want to bond with you. We are not willing to do anything that could compromise our future together.”
Cara smiled. Tov had basically said the same thing, but it sounded much better the way Merrik put it. “All right. I’ll play along for a while, find out what Flora and her mates have in mind. But I will not allow anyone else to court me. I don’t think I could endure that.”
