CHAPTER 9

"There are only two reasons for Commander Siriniel not being here," Nitiel said to Loe as much as himself. "Either there's a battle he is overseeing, or something must have happened to him."

But why hadn't anyone notified Nitiel? It made no sense.

Wings fluttering in concern, he tried to focus on landing the ship. The sooner he got this task out of the way, the sooner he could find out the reason for the Commander's absence.

"What do we do now?" Loe asked when he turned off the engines. She had remained silent throughout the landing process.

Nitiel got up and offered her the back of his hand. "We shall disembark. I will call your fated mate once outside, where you will be warm."

"Perfect." She placed her small hand on his without hesitation and let him guide her toward the exit hatch.

His skin tingled where it came into contact with hers. This was probably the last time he was touching Loe. Once he united her with her niel, only the Commander would be allowed to touch her. Unless it was an emergency, a single male touching a mated female faced a prison sentence.

"Wow, it's frigging cold in here," Loe muttered as they made their way through the ship. She pressed against his arm, seeking warmth.

His free hand balled into a fist. The desire to tuck her under his wing was almost too strong to resist. But he had to; if he gave in, it would be much harder to let Loe go. He also had to return to proper protocol, before he called her by just her name in front of others.

"You will be warm in but a moment, Lady Loe. I will see to it that a change of clothes is provided for you as soon as I contact your fated mate."

She stiffened against him, then sighed. "Fine, Subcommander. If you can point me to a restroom right after, that would be great."

"Of course."

As they waited for the exit hatch to depressurize, Nitiel kept his eyes on the hatch in front of them, trying to compose himself. Loe–Lady Loe Davison still had her hand on top of his and was not saying a thing.

He couldn't take it. "Forgive me, my lady," he broke the unbearable silence. "I failed to provide you with the due comforts during the trip."

She sighed again, somewhat dreamily. "You provided me with all the comforts I needed, Subcommander. I will not forget this trip, that's for sure."

"I won't either." Wait, did he say that out loud? "I mean–I–I did not fulfill my obligations. That is a first for me." He gave her a quick look.

Her lips were stretched into a tiny smile. "If you say so."

She must have felt his eyes on her, because she looked up. Their gazes met.

Nitiel felt both his hearts stutter. Those green eyes had a pull as strong as a tractor beam. They drew him in, making him lean closer, making him think of forbidden things that would have him imprisoned, if not executed. But wouldn't it be worth it? To wrap Loe in his wings, to draw her soft form against him, to taste those plumb lips now parted on a gasp–

The hatch hissed as it slid aside.

Nitiel hurriedly stepped back, body rigid, eyes on the landing bay outside.

"Come, Lady Loe," he said firmly. "I will help you descend–"

"There she is! Chloe's here! Woohoo!!"

Nitiel froze in place. So did Loe by his side, undoubtedly startled by the excited feminine voice echoing in the landing bay. What was Lady Trixie doing here?

He had seen the niela of his closest friend only once, upon her arrival at the station two weeks ago. It hadn't been an actual meeting, though, because the then pink-haired Terran had fainted upon stepping off the ship. One look at her fated mate, all his medals adorning his uniform from chin to waist, and Lady Trixie had slumped to the metal floor of the landing bay. The last Nitiel had seen of her had been her unconscious form in her niel's arms as he flew her toward the medical bay.

Now Lady Trixie was very, very conscious, jumping in place in a long pink dress and waiving both her arms over her green-haired head, face beaming. Next to her at the base of the boarding ramp, Nitiel's friend was standing at attention but his eyes were on his niela, a proud look in his gaze despite Lady Trixie's unladylike behavior.

"Heya, Chloe! Welcome!" Lady Trixie exclaimed loud enough for every landing bay worker to hear.

"Um… Nitiel, who are these guys?" Loe whispered, clutching his extended forearm with both hands.

"Vrixiel of the Pointed Horn Clan and his fated mate, Lady Trixie. Apparently, they are here to welcome you."

"Vrixiel and Trixie? Seriously?"

"Seriously, my lady. Let us go meet them." And learn what on Gaenthia was going on.