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From Lysara to the Etterian battleship Phoenix
As if the fires of hell were on Macy’s ass.
Sy-mar had drawn in a deep breath, gathered Macy’s hands in his, and grinned, fluttering her heartbeat. “It has been a pleasure to meet you, Macee. Are you certain I cannot convince you to stay?”
She shook her head. “As I told Bry-dar, it would be rude of me not to travel to Etteria first, after all, they rescued us.”
The kuna smiled. “A diplomatic answer, Sali. I have scheduled a visit with King Xeus and hope to persuade you then.”
She slumped and sidled closer to Oyaz, casting him a pleading glance. Could they please leave now?
Within minutes, she was forgotten as Sy-mar grilled Quin. Soon after, Oyaz escorted Macy to the platform. Aware of what awaited her, she’d darted into the elevator, happy to endure anything if it meant going home.
The moment she stepped into their shared quarters onboard the Phoenix, a sigh of relief tore from her. What followed was a charade. She dug dip to find her bubbliness when Xan, Quin, Illan, Cyndi, Iddan, and Oyaz had filled their quarters. Macy bounced, danced, sang, and drank champagne, but what she wanted to do was rest her head on her bed and sleep. Exhaustion hounded her, and she couldn’t say if it was from the morning’s meeting with Kuna Sy-mar or the overall experience.
When Xan stormed out, muttering something about his king, the ‘party’ fizzled. Slipping into their shared bedroom, Macy grabbed her knitting bag and left without a word. She’d had several hours alone, but the viewing deck called to her. With her ass on the bench and her hands busy on the scarf—now an arm’s length—she let her thoughts wander.
Illan found her not an hour later and settled beside her. He didn’t speak but dozed, his legs outstretched, his arms folded across his chest.
If she knitted for two to three hours daily, she could finish before they reached Etteria. Oyaz had mentioned it was five days away. With four evenings left, she struggled with what to feed the Etterians. A barbecue came to mind. All that meat might delight them. She could order a variety of craft beers, salads, rolls, ice cream, and pie for dessert? Her stomach grumbled at her neglect. The music would be soft rock. It would be amazing if they could have an actual fire and not just order the food from the rehydrator, but she suspected that would be a hard no.
That was one meal. Maybe an Italian evening could be next with pastas, garlic bread, wine, and something instrumental or folksy playing in the background.
And a picnic? With sparkling wine, roast chicken sandwiches, sausages, tortilla chips, dips, and lemon bars—for their love of giyua juice. Music would be jazz as if they were at a concert.
She grinned, liking that idea.
But what for the final dinner... Maybe dishes from cultures like Hungarian goulash, Japanese sushi, Chinese dim sum, Spanish paella, and Indian curry along with their most popular drinks. Desserts could be baklava, Turkish delight, Belgian waffles, and tiramisu.
She activated her O.D.I to capture her thoughts and paused. A message from Zoo waited. Heat flushed her cheeks, and she blinked. Why hadn’t the notification tingled up her arm?
Macera, ensa, I awoke with you on my mind. I count the days until we can meet.
Time drags like an eternity. I will comm you this evening, the moment I am free to do so. I long to hear your sweet voice.
X
She stared at the ‘x’ wondering if that was a kiss. Her insides fluttered, proving she wanted it to be.
“And that smile?” Illan’s question drew a squeak from her.
She beamed, unaware she’d been smiling. “I figured out what our next four evening meals will be. You’re going to love them.” She hesitated, unsure whether she should share how fond she’d grown of Zoo and his frequent comms. As if discussing it gave it more gravitas than she was willing to admit.
But he hadn’t fallen to a knee when he met her.
Then again, how could she consider that a meet-cute when neither had seen the other? Mm, with the way her body hummed, she hoped he was the male for her.
Preparations for dinner distracted her, but despite the success of the barbecue, she couldn’t eat. She counted each passing second. If Zoo called her mid-meal, she would bolt.
Sitting or standing, she tapped her foot or fidgeted. If anyone spoke to her, she would squeak like a dog’s chew toy. As the males finished off their ice cream and rhubarb pie, she shuddered, unable to bear the waiting any longer. What did Zoo even mean to her? He was but a male she’d met in a garden. And yet...when he spoke to her, he sounded eager to learn all about her. Bry-dar’s admiration had boggled her thoughts. Zoo’s sweetness warmed her without the fogginess. He left her...thrumming—excitement and joy zinging through her veins like a drug high.
Leaning over the table, she caught Illan’s gaze. He was on his second bowl of chocolate ice cream. “I’m off to bed. Let yourself in when you’re ready.”
He paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth. “Ohara?”
“Just tired, Illan.” She smiled at Oyaz and Rior. “Night, you two. See you at four, Oyaz.” She sprinted along the passages, taking the corners at dangerous speeds to halt outside her quarters, panting for breath.
Showering with the door open was an impossibility. The damn thing opened and closed without her assistance or preference. So she hurried, skipping the air dryer, but as she sat dripping on a comfy, waiting, sipping hot chocolate, then knitting, her eyelids drooped.
When she jerked away, she had half-slid out of the comfy. Tossing the scarf into the bag, she sniffed and flicked aside her tears. Anger boiled her blood at her silly hope. At having trusted someone to be honorable. She stilled. Zoo was Etterian. Something must have happened to him.
She gasped, touched her O.D.I., and hovered her finger on his last message. Drawing in a deep breath, she hit the reply button.
Zoo? Are you well? You’re still alive, right?
She snorted. What could she ask, if he was still breathing?
What if she was intruding? What if he didn’t think of her as more than a friend? And besides, she’d known him how long? Why was she overanalyzing this? Squealing, she tried to delete the message, but his response popped up.
Her heartbeat froze then skittered. She opened the message and read...
Ensa, I am well. May I comm you?
She didn’t hesitate. Of course.
The display vid on the wall flickered. “Macera?”
“I’m here, Zoo.” She gazed into the dark screen.
This anonymity was bullshit and so stupid of her to ask for. It had seemed exciting at the time, like pen pals. But Zoo not seeing her also meant she couldn’t see him. She had no idea what he looked like and a part of her ached to know.
“You seem tired, ensa.”
Perhaps she was but he sounded tired. Grateful he couldn’t see she’d been crying, she tapped the ‘bags’ under her swollen eyes. “I’d love nothing more than the beach, sunshine warming me, a cold drink in my hand, and the waves serenading me as they crash onto shore.”
“Beautiful.” He hummed. “Etteria does have such a place.”
“I’ll make Oyaz take me there.” She clasped her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels.
“Sub-Commander Oyaz et Boaz?” Zoo’s voice had thickened.
“Yes, my self-appointed bodyguard. Though what he’s protecting me from, who knows.” She huffed. “Illan too. You’d swear I was this precious thing.” She stroked the screen, imagining she caressed Zoo’s unknown face. “Are you well? Is it late by you?”
“It is, but I have tasks...too many if I am truthful.”
He was working? The moment he was able, he’d said. And she’d intruded. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
“This is a welcome reprieve. I could not focus with thoughts of you plaguing me.”
She snatched her hand back to fold her arms across her chest. “You say that like it’s my fault.”
He chuckled, and she loved the way it rumbled over her senses. “Never, ensa.”
Rather than address his revelation, she grabbed at something...safe. “You should take a vacation too. It’s dangerous for one’s health to overdo it.”
“If you were not going with Oyaz...”
Did he sound like he was pouting? She peered at the center of the black vid. “Who else can I ask to take me? Besides, he’s my friend.”
“Ah, friend...now I understand.” Zoo cleared his throat. “I would take you to Galaza.”
Galaza? It sounded so exotic. “You would?” She bounced then twirled on the spot. “That would be lovely, Zoo.”
“Sleep well, ensa. I will comm when I can.”
“And I will be patient, I promise. Sweet dreams, Zoo.” She smiled, and on impulse, pressed a kiss to the screen. He couldn’t see her, so what she did or wore didn’t matter. She skipped to bed, slid onto her side, and was asleep seconds later
~*~
On the other end of the comm.
Three and a half days to Etteria
Xeus’s personal scimitar Celeeri
Xeus stared at the display vid, unable to move. Every muscle in his body had hardened. Macera had pressed a kiss to the vid, her lips so close, her silky skin within touching distance but not. When her message had come through, it had taken all his strength not to bolt to the display. Her written words had dripped with concern...and fear that he’d forgotten about her.
For those reasons, he’d ended his comm with Queen Alllero of Maloid and responded to his Macera.
His inner voice warned of becoming too fond of the woman when she would be another male’s Dar Eth. But a recklessness took hold of him, and he shook away any warnings. He would take what he wanted, and to hell with the consequences.
Striding to his desk, he circled it and sank into the comfy. He’d had a comm with Xan hours ago where he had advised Xan to take a leap of faith with his Dar Eth. Words Xeus might apply to his own situation if it was warranted.
Sighing, he activated his tablet and blinked at the automated message. If ever a Chokaar was fired, Xeus was notified immediately. With rage burning through him, he forwarded the message to Cales, summoned him, then jumped up to pace.
The moment the door opened to a disheveled Cales, Xeus faced him.
“I cannot fault Xan for this,” he boomed, then paced the confines of his quarters, his strides long and forceful. The walls closed in on him. An unknown force crushed his chest. He couldn’t breathe. “Alodon’s balls. To fire the Chokaar with so little provocation?”
“Xan is an excellent supreme commander. His instincts are seldom inaccurate,” Cales said, gripping the back of a comfy. He sat and punched into his O.D.I. “According to Sub-Commander Oyaz’s report, Xan destroyed a Yithian vessel. The Yithian commander had attempted to deceive him into believing he was the rebellion representative who’d first contacted Ulriq.”
Xeus growled. If Xan’s instinct had failed him, he would’ve ended the rebellion and thus cost Etteria a crucial ally in the upcoming war. “We cannot have our males firing the Chokaar for minor disagreements. There may be repercussions from this. I, we, are left to pick up the pieces.” He sucked in breaths, fighting for calm. He couldn’t recall when he’d last been this furious. The red haze in his vision and his rapid heartbeats overwhelmed his senses. This level of intensity wasn’t a good thing, not now.
“We will deal with it as we usually do,” Cales said.
“How can you remain calm?” Xeus glared, his body vibrating with barely restrained energy. “It is unnatural.”
“You have enough anger for us both,” Cales said to which Xeus grunted.
“Keep an eye on the buzz. I want to know what Yithia thinks of this latest interaction. I want to know even if there is no formal communication on it. I want a comm sent out regarding the casual use of the Chokaar and the caution required.” Xeus glanced at Cales to check that he punched into his O.D.I. “I want Xan to undergo a thorough examination to ascertain his mental health.” As expected, Cales’s head shot up, alarm narrowing his eyes. “I am teasing, Cales. Xan is a good supreme commander.” Xeus allowed his lips to twitch, hoping to put Cales at ease. “Perhaps we should include that for all commanders, as a precaution. They do have an extensive arsenal at their disposal.”
“A wise decision. I would suggest, as well, that this be done for all males in influential positions?”
“Meaning me?” Xeus arched an eyebrow, wondering if any scans would explain why he couldn’t eradicate Macera from his thoughts, dreams, and fantasies. Comming her helped and didn’t at the same time. “Schedule it,” he said, praying she was a chemical imbalance in his brain and nothing more.
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