13. ZOE

EPILOGUE

The day Luphelia proclaimed that the planet wasn't safe from the black hole any longer was the morning I discovered Darlam's—the name we had given Darlams' home planet—location.

"It's like it was meant to be," Luphelia said.

Over the past few days, I had gotten used to her strange looks and found her intelligent, sweet, and a good friend. If our shared soulwebs weren't reason enough to form a friendship, and the deep love we both held for our respective mates, we figured out how much we both enjoyed research the first day. Learning about the mysteries of the universe was something new and utterly unexpected for me to enjoy. I had never been a big fan of science fiction movies or books. Had never been a great study, but this? This fascinated me. All the different histories of all these species occupying the universe drew me in as much as Raasla.

It seemed like there were never enough hours in the day to spend with Raasla and browse Noodar's database. If it weren't for our mates, I don't think Luphelia or I would have been eating, so consumed were we to find out more about Darlam.

"We can take my ship. I'll get it to go dark, so Possedion will neither be able to locate us nor will he find out that there are four of us on board now," Raasla told Noodar as he and Luphelia began packing up their things.

"But he will suspect that you have deserted our masters," Noodar warned darkly.

"There is no way around it. I can't make it look like I was killed like you. It would raise too many red flags and put suspicion on your death too," Raasla argued. "This will still be our advantage, that they don't know you're alive."

"Where will we go, though?" Luphelia asked, looking from one to the other and to me. "I mean, I have the funds to hide us anywhere, but you two will stick out anywhere we run into others. There is no disguising that you're Space Guardians."

This was my cue. I had been sitting on my discovery for a few minutes, burning to share it with the others but not wanting to interrupt. "Darlam, we'll go to Darlam."

"You found it?" Raasla's amazement was mirrored in his expression.

"Luphelia and I did," I amended because she too had put just as much work into this as I. Every little thing one of us marked had led to finding Darlam.

"To Darlam," Noodar said without much enthusiasm but looking determined. I suspected he wasn't pleased to leave his little home here. It might not have been much, but it had been a place he and Luphelia had built for themselves, and they had been happy here.

"Are you ready for an adventure?" Raasla stepped behind me and put his arms around me.

I caught sight of our reflection in the large viewing window on the bridge ahead of us. Looking at us together, I felt a surge of readiness. With this man by my side, I knew I could face anything.

On Earth, I had never considered myself adventurous, not even for a moment, but here, now? It made my skin tingle as much as Raasla's nearness. All my life I had lived by a strict code of planning, ensuring my future, building a nest egg. The ten grand I had managed to save, denying myself the morning latte at the coffee shop, shopping at Goodwill instead of a fancy store, were gone now. Poof, just like that. Oh there were probably still records somewhere, but what good would that do me?

I had never rode a roller coaster, never jumped out of an airplane, never gone hiking in the Grand Canyon. All things I wished now I would have done because I doubted I would ever get a second chance for any of these things.

All the more reason for me now to be excited for what we would be doing next. I had turned a new leaf. I would be a new Zoe a Zoe who took charge of her life, but wouldn't shy away from risk. With Raasla having my back, I doubted much of anything could ever hurt me. I had only one question left.

"I am. Are you ready to team up?" I wanted to know, slightly concerned about his need for solitude. Something he had been used to all his life.

"It's an adjustment, but with you by my side, I'm ready for anything." He assured me.

I learned that Space Guardians mostly worked alone. This new mission would be quite a challenge for him. Then again, he had never had a mission as personal as this one.

"I love you," I told Raasla's reflection in the window.

He grunted, and I boxed him with my elbow, watching him smile and kiss my reflection's head.

"I love you too," he said, and after all, wasn't that all that mattered?

THE END