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“Where are we going?” Dawn asked as her lean legs worked to keep up with his pace.
Venik glanced over at her. “Sevanti has informed me that my parents await. I had hoped to spend a few moments with you before greeting them.”
“Your parents?!”
“They’ve come to retrieve Dima,” he informed her somberly.
How could she have forgotten? His brother was being laid to rest on their home world. Dawn stopped and turned to wrap her arms about his waist. “I’m sorry you lost your brother, Venik. I’ve been caught up in my own troubles and forgot you’re grieving.”
Though his arms remained at his side, he rested his jaw on top of her head. “Your words are appreciated, indira.”
Dawn rubbed his back with firm strokes before releasing him. He’d accepted her condolences easier than he had the first time she’d offered them on Earth. She loosened the band on her hair and tried to think of what to say. The humor of earlier was gone from his face.
“I’m telling you because I would like to show you around Regin IV. Until then, Anders has agreed to escort you.”
She started to tease him about trying to slide a guard her way again. “I know what you’re ab—”
“Venik, I’m glad I caught you before you debarked.”
The gruff growl came from behind them. Dawn and Venik turned together. Striding down the hall, Sevanti accompanied an older couple. Venik stiffened then inclined his head. “Mutar, Putar. I was coming to meet you.”
The older woman with loose dark hair and two curved tusks at the sides of her mouth came forward. Her voice quivered. “We wanted to see Dima. Sevanti was kind enough to escort us onboard.”
The older man closed the distance between them and enfolded Venik in his arms and Venik accepted the embrace with the same lax attitude he gave Dawn’s hugs. She thought he’d be more into it with his mom but no, he accepted her hug with the same forbearance.
Dawn cleared her throat. “I’ll make my way to the port, Commander Avar. High Commander Liwu.”
Dawn wasn’t sure how to get off the ship but figured she could find someone along the way to help. Plus, she had her new wrist comm with a list of people who allegedly would jump if she called. If needed, she’d test Venik’s claim out.
***
Venik hadn’t expected to have so much fun testing Dawn’s skills against his own. Initially, he’d planned to issue the challenge to the pilot, Yon, when he saw the disdain the male held for her but Dawn accounted for herself well and Yon’s broken nose appeased Venik’s fury.
Watching Dawn walk away now was difficult but Venik couldn’t go after her with his parents here in need of him. The pain of Dima’s loss seared his mutar’s eyes and his putar attempted to be strong but his shoulders shook.
Sevanti broke the dark circle as they each tried to contain their emotions in the public corridor. “Arrangements have been made to move Dima. Your parents want him processed in the traditional manner. Small amounts of his ashes will be preserved and dispensed on Vassi.”
The remaining ashes would be contained in select jewelry of his parents’ choosing. Venik inclined his head. “Come to my room, mutar, putar.”
They followed him quietly as he led the way to his rooms. Inside, they took a seat on the cushioned floor and Venik joined them. His putar’s voice quivered. “We’ve heard the official reports. Can you tell us of our little Dima’s last moments? What happened, Ven? What happened to our young?”
Venik swallowed down the pain the questions caused and met their gazes evenly as he recited the events that occurred on Earth. When he got to the part where he’d discovered his brother’s body, his mutar choked back a cry and fell against his putar’s side. The two of them leaned on one another as they mourned.
Venik remained where he sat and waited. His own hearts thumped madly and thinking of his brother’s untimely end nearly sent him into a furious rage. But anger wouldn’t change things so he controlled himself and tried to focus on the good memories of Dima only.
His mutar sniffed and squared her shoulders. Her black eyes glimmered with the wetness of tears, the display of emotion antithesis to the Vassi way. His parents had always been a bit different, though. Their blatant love for one another when matches were often about alliance and benefit spoke volumes. “Thank you. I know you loved Dima and this has had to be hard on you.”
His putar reached out and squeezed Venik’s shoulder. “Thank you for going to your brother when the odds were against you. You do us proud and I’m sure Dima died knowing you did everything in your power to get to him in time.”
Agony lanced through his hearts like the fine edge of a blade going straight into the center of his chest. While Venik was grateful for their words, he’d failed his brother and it would take time to forgive himself for that. If ever.
They talked a bit more about his time away, their concerns and worry for him along with curiosity about Earth. Which inevitably led to questions regarding Dawn.
“Was the female we saw you with from that world?” his mutar asked with a shrewd glance.
“Yes. Dawn Reavers is the one who helped me. I owe her hiku.” Venik hoped mention of the debt would stall any further questions.
He was wrong.
His mutar’s nose curled. “She is different. Are all her people like that? Defenseless?”
Venik wanted to snort at Dawn being remotely defenseless. Maintaining a neutral tone, he held back his derision and the need to defend the woman who grew on him. “Her people are all similar from what I saw while there. They are not as advanced as other worlds in the Protectorate.”
His putar continued to stare and Venik wanted to fidget beneath the gaze. He’d long ago stopped fearing his parents but their respect was something he appreciated and didn’t want to lose. The idea of his interest and attraction to a female not of their race and species would be a huge blow if they discovered his feelings.
“I have heard news of the Vassi being designated as mentor for this Earth,” his mutar continued.
Venik’s shoulders eased a little. “Yes. It’s a wise move to keep them from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous beings.”
His mutar grunted.
“Where do you fit in all of this, Venik?” his putar asked and Venik froze.
“I am unsure of your question,” Venik said, holding his stare.
His mutar focused her gaze on his putar as well but Venik’s putar was wise beyond his many senims and Venik didn’t dare look away.
“Your job is done. Dima is with us now, yet Sevanti has stated you are not leaving with us.”
His mutar gasped in surprise and faced him. “Venik?”
He shook his head, blocking the need to soothe his mutar’s dismay. “There is still much for me to do to ease the alliance with Earth. I also owe a debt to the Earth woman.”
Though getting rid of Anders as a guard and easing his restraint and protective urges was all Dawn had asked. Venik had done the former and would need more time to get around the latter. If he was going to pursue the physical draw between them, it would only send his need to watch over Dawn soaring. It was the Vassi way.
His mutar’s eyes dimmed. “You love the stars. In that, you and your brother were always alike. I wish you didn’t spend so much time apart from us.”
Venik gritted his teeth at the familiar complaint.
“After you discharge the debt of honor, what will you do next, my son?” his putar probed with a knowing look.
Venik cleared his throat. He didn’t have an answer but settling on their home world to find a female who met their approval wasn’t high on the list. Not anymore. Niah had been an exception. Venik wasn’t ready to settle. His blood still surged with the need to be active and purposeful. “I can’t tell you what you want to hear.”
“But you’re no longer with the military,” his mutar’s tone dropped to a bare whisper and her expression dimmed.
“I’m thinking of doing another round at the Academy.” His expertise could always be used and he’d enjoyed his time instructing there. It would put him on Vassi, close to his parents and allow for travel when he followed recruits on ship assignments. The best compromise he could manage to his way of thinking.
His putar sighed and pushed himself to his feet. “We understand. It is time for us to leave. We wish to make the last shuttle departing for home before it grows too late.”
Venik’s mutar rose too. She eyed Venik carefully as if she could see his perverse desire for Dawn. In the end, she came close and slid her temple against his and hummed under her breath. “Thank you. We are honored to have you as a son.”
Venik returned the gesture.