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“Sure.”
“Hmm…” She sent a thoughtful glance through the massive window, where the glorious river of stars stretched below them. Purple eyes like his own met his as she looked up. “Then why’s she with you?”
“She’s not with me exactly…”
“She’s with him,” Morwong cut in. Caligher shot him a sharp look. “He’s right to tread carefully. I’ve spoken with her. If he breaks down her door, she won’t like that.” Morwong shot a pointed glare back.
Zoramia grew ponderous. A dim, purple darkness rippled within her fins as she nursed her drink. “But that’s Caligher’s personality,” she argued. “You can’t date a Sanmantian withoutgettinga Sanmantian. Especially if we’re talking about”—she motioned her hand—“him.”
“I don’t think Lucca understands what that means,” said Morwong. “She’s not from here.”
Why was he suddenly the expert on Lucca? Caligher grew irritated and mildly territorial. Ignoring Morwong, he cocked his head at Zoramia. “What are you suggesting?”
“Do your thing,” she said with a hand wave. “Do what the spark says. It’s there for a reason.”
Her advice made him cringe with shame. “It’s telling me to do some messed up stuff.”
Break into her ship.
Cuff her to a bed.
Learn what she’s hiding.
Whycuff her to her bed? he wondered. When had he ever had the urge to do that with anyone in his life?
Every illicit impulse appealed to him, but without permission from Lucca, they sounded morelike serious violations. A quick way to lose her forever.
“My impulses are too outrageous to even talk about,” he confessed, hiding his face in his drink.
“That’s because you haven’t molted recently,” Morwong put in. Both of them stared at his carapace, frowning intensely. “How long’s it been? Five years?”
“More,” he grunted, tipping his drink over his mouth.
They gaped at him. “More?”
“Caligher, that can’t be good for you.” Zoramia’s eyes slid over his carapace, riveting to the plates on his shoulders.
He blew out a breath and tilted his head back, shutting his eyes in annoyance. He didn’t need to justify every choice he made. His carapace was impenetrable. The pirate’s acid-trap had put it to the test and barely scratched the surface.
“Once we deal with the humans, I’ll shed it. But I’m keeping it until the day I don’t need it,” he said.
“Bad idea,” Morwong said.
“But they’re herenow,” Caligher stressed. “I am not going up against them with a soft shell.”
“I agree with Caligher on that one,” said Zoramia. “Still… you shouldn’t have gone this long in the first place.”
“I know.”
Too late now.
Morwong wore a contemplative expression that Caligher never liked. “Caligher—”
“Not interested.”
“Listen to me for once. Go into molting. Give me time to fix your ship, and give Lucca time to acclimate to your personality without you flying off after targets you can’t even find.”
“Humans are herenow.”
