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He blinked. “My people needed it, and it was the fastest way to get the mineral.”
“Three couples were walking on the nearby pathways that I had to warn off before I got you in cuffs and then got to the bomb.”
“The cuffs were fun in hindsight.” His lips twitched.
She snorted. “You definitely said you weren’t into that sort of thing.”
“I was just protecting my ego. Plus, cuffs don’t work on me. I never said they didn’t work for me.”
Xeva stared at him in surprise. “Aren’t you too young to be talking like that?”
“You are really hung up on my age, huh?”
“Well, now that I can see your face, I feel distinctly old.”
“You are six years older than I am. It isn’t the end of the world. How old is your sister in relation to Dmitri? Yes, I have been lurking and listening before I triggered you. She is thirty-five years older than he is. At least. I have gone through all mentions of the Blade of Uradda. Estimating that they began to use her when she was sixteen, she is at least sixty-five years old. Which bears the question, how are your siblings?”
Xeva looked out across the ocean. “It’s complicated, and you are stalker-level interested.”
He hugged her. “You have not been around many active males, have you? When we know, we know. Then, we have to go about convincing our lady.”
“Some of the ladies like a variety of active males. Very active.”
“And yet, you were not interested in a variety. If the male was attentive, you were content to be exclusive.”
“I am beginning to regret those questionnaires.” Xeva sighed. “Can you haul me back to bed, or should I start crawling?”
He sighed. “I will bring you back. I didn’t mean to stress you; I just wanted privacy. Leaf has exceptional hearing.”
“We have talked.”
He nodded and got up without dusting the sand off. She felt a vibration and saw sand scatter around them.
They didn’t talk on their way back. He settled her in bed and said, “Did you want to sit up?”
“No. I think I need to rest a little.”
He held her and removed the stacked pillows, helping her to lie down. He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and left the room. She closed her eyes and pulled her legs up. It was time to get her body under her control before it ended up under Jeron’s again.
Chapter Two
Xeva rested. Every time she woke, she brought her knees up and then pushed them straight. She had to get her body under control again, and then she would be able to find out how to get home. She was weak, but she hadn’t had anything other than water in a few days, so it was to be expected.
She pushed herself upright in the evening and slowly lifted one leg at a time. It was jerky to start with, but she got things going until she nearly collapsed.
Leaf knocked and said, “You didn’t call, so I was wondering if you needed anything?”
“Water, soft food, juice. Please?”
“Oh! Jeron said he was going to take care of that.”
“He and I had a disagreement. We are both a little less enthralled at close range.”
Leaf looked sad. “That is too bad. He was always so happy when he came back from one of your dates.”
“Prior to the last eighteen months.”
“No, even last month, he came home whistling and played with our siblings for hours.”
