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"Ihate shopping." Syssi removed her shoes as soon as they crossed the gangways and put them in her tote. "I thought it would get better now that I'm immortal and have the stamina for it, but the heat and the humidity were too much."
Alena, who looked as calm and collected as ever, cast her a soft smile. "I don't enjoy going from store to store either, but it was for a good cause. I'm sure the things we bought will be appreciated."
Behind them the four Odus were barely visible under the pile of boxes they were carrying, and the two Guardians who had accompanied them were holding multiple shopping bags in each hand.
They'd probably gone a little overboard with the number of things they had gotten, but Syssi's reasoning had been that they weren't equipping the women just for a few days. They had nothing, and they needed everything. Gifting each one with a duffle bag that she could stuff with things that fit her would bring a tiny measure of normality to their shattered lives.
It was a naive thought. Syssi was aware of that. New clothing couldn't heal the deep wounds that would require years of therapy just to scab over, let alone heal. But there wasn't much else she could do, so she'd poured her heart into buying everything she could think of.
Kri met them at the lower deck that had been designated for the women. No one who wasn't there to help them would step foot on that deck.
The Guardian cocked a brow. "You know that there are only twenty-three of them, right? It looks like you bought stuff for a hundred."
Alena shrugged. "We figured that the women would feel better about arriving at the sanctuary with a duffle bag full of their belongings. No one wants to go to a new place feeling like a beggar."
"True." Kri let out a sigh. "I wish we could take them straight there instead of keeping them down here until we are done with all the weddings. They need Vanessa and her helpers now."
Syssi frowned. "You are right, and there is no reason we can't do precisely that." She handed Kri the two bags she was carrying. "I'll speak with Kian." She turned to her shopping companions. "Do you need me here, or can you manage without me?"
"Go." Sari waved her off. "We can manage from here."
"Thank you." Syssi shifted her eyes to Alena and the three other clan ladies who had joined them on the shopping expedition. "Are you sure it's okay with you?"
When they all nodded, Kri motioned for them to follow her. "We can sort the supplies in the laundry room."
Syssi had forgotten that the laundry was located on that level, and she was very happy to have an excuse not to enter another space that was hot and humid.
Pulling out her phone, she dialed Kian.
"Hello, my love. Did you ladies leave anything in the shops in Acapulco?"
It didn't surprise her that he knew she was back. He probably had the Guardians reporting their location and progress to him every fifteen minutes.
"Not much. Where are you?"
"Our cabin. Are you coming up?"
"Yes. I need to talk to you about something."
He chuckled. "That one sentence still fills me with dread even though I know you love me with every fiber of your being."
"I don't believe it." She entered the elevator and waited for the doors to close behind her. "But just not to keep you in suspense, I'll tell you what I want to talk about."
"I'm all ears."
"I'll get straight to the point. Kri says that the women shouldn't have to wait to get help until we are done with our celebrations. It's not fair to them or to us. Everyone feels guilty about partying when there are brutalized women on board who are grieving the loss of their families and trying to deal with what was done to them."
"What do you suggest? That we cancel the weddings and go home?"
He sounded way too eager to do that.
"No." Syssi exited the elevator on the top deck and headed to their cabin. "We can turn around, sail back to Long Beach, where a bus will wait for the women to take them to the sanctuary, and then continue cruising."
Kian waited for her with the door open and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "It's not as simple as that. Vanessa is in the village, and the place is on lockdown until our return. She can't leave."
The clan's therapist had decided to stay in the village with her mate. Syssi had tried to convince Kian to allow Mo-red on board, but he'd been adamant about the Kra-ell remaining behind. His excuse had been that according to his sentence, Mo-red was performing community service, and going on vacation wasn't one of the conditions of his sentencing.
"Then unlock the village so Vanessa can get out. You can even let her take Mo-red with her. He can continue his community service in the sanctuary."
