18 Rosalynn

“What do you mean?” I stammer. We just found each other, had a good thing going, and he’s leaving.

“Nebs have made it into the castle. My father is missing. I am sorry, but it is not safe right now. I need to go help find him.”

“If you want out of our pact, just say so.”

He squirms like he’s in pain. “I’m leaving you my two most trusted friends, Bai-rin and Joltas. They’re soldiers from my squadron, remember? They’ll keep you safe until I can see you again.” Then he picks me up and kisses me hard, deeply, his brows pinched like he can’t get enough.

“Can I help?”

He sighs and rests his forehead to mine. “ Just tell me, Rosa. Has anything this week felt real to you? Or am I the only one?”

I’m stunned. I thought it was just an act, a convincing one, but fake to appease his father. I guess there’s no reason to continue the pact if his father is missing. “What do you think?”

He glances at the transport setting down outside. “I don’t know how long this is going to take or what’s happened. I want you to be safe.”

Engines rumble louder. Zinnar steps back and closes his eyes. His suit shatters and leaves him in just his armor. His cloak unfurls from his back. I wish he could do that for me.

“I’m sending you the money. Abr has the paperwork. I’m dissolving our pact because I don’t know what’s going to happen. You’re free. I won’t forget you,” he says as he backs away. “This has been the best week of my life.”

Anguish grips me. But as Azir comes out to guard the entrance while Zinnar boards, I sense the dire nature of their situation. He did not ask if I wanted to join. He said it was dangerous. He told me to stay.

But since when have I ever liked being bossed around?

I watch his ship take off and race into the sky.

“Hello, Rosa.”

I know his voice. I don’t have to turn around to know Bai’rin stands behind me. The other shadow is likely Joltas.

“We should escort you to your room, unless you wish to have dinner.”

Early voting comes in over my band. It buzzes on my arm. I look at it and find I have two other prospects for mates, two males who have voted to be open to bonding with me. One is a red Ginarigon.

I don’t want to share. I want one mate all to myself. Call me selfish. Don’t give a damn.

The other is the green Retterwan, like the one I met at the mall. He was sweet but passive. I’ve realized I want something more. I want a soldier, prince or not.

I want Zinnar.

“Can I go after him?” I ask Bai’rin. “You must want to help, not babysit me.”

Bai’rin is a more slender version of Zinnar, a bit shorter, with unusually calm and focused eyes. They do not dance and play the way Zinnar’s do. He is a serious soldier. “We were told to keep you here where security is better.”

Under his black cloak I see a hint of a holster, like Rorlin had. I only met the older man for a second.

“How’s security back at the castle if you two burly dudes are still here with little old me? What trouble can I really get myself into?” The truth is, I will do anything to chase Zinnar. “Do you really think your prince is safest with the royal guards? They don’t seem to know shit about what they’re doing. But you both look like you’ve seen a battle or ten.”

“Try 100,” Joltas remarks. Air rushes through his snarling teeth. “I do not want to stand here either. But orders are orders.”

“Screw orders,” I say. “Your job is to protect your kingdom and your prince, yeah?”

“Yes.”

“Then go fucking do that. Abr has tightened security. It’s sweet he wants you to watch me. But for all the stars in space, I don’t want him to die because two soldiers might’ve made the difference.”

Bai’rin remarks something to Joltas in another language, one I don’t understand. He speaks so fast that the only word I pick up is danashi .”

They face each other, and I can see my ploy is working. Joltas points behind me. “What are you doing off of the ship?”

Aryssa throws her hands to the sides. “What am I supposed to do? Wait forever? What the hell is going on?”

It’s okay to not be the hero, or so Aryssa said. I’ve never cared about that. I just want the purpose of fighting for what I love and seeing that mean something. Maybe it won’t. I’ve scraped for a long time and not had help from others. I just wanted to be a beacon of hope that they might offer a hand to the ones who are behind them.

I open the com channel on the badge and listen in as they describe the invisible soldiers, the missing circuit board parts and scavenged ore storage.

“Why does it smell like a fire when it’s so dark in here?” someone asks.

Fire? I think back to the mall and the acrid burnt toast smell. Ghostcloaks.

“Because that’s what Nebs smell like.”

Cold dread floods my body. That means it was a shadow soldier in the mall! I was a step away from the enemy?

I draw in a deep breath as Bai’rin continues to scold me for not returning to my room and Aryssa for being off of the ship and in the complex where she’s not supposed to be.

“So, hey,” I say to her, ignoring the two Zinnar has stuck us with. “How do you feel about an adventure?”

She rolls her eyes skyward as she thinks. “Is it dangerous?”

“Definitely. Probably risking life and limb.”

“Might there be some hot guys there I can talk to?” she points at Bai’rin and Joltas. “Obviously not these two fartsnatchers. All hot air and no real biz, if you know what I mean.”

Joltas snorts. “You have a lot of nerve.”

“Should be a good thing, then right?” I ask.

“For what?” Bai’rin crosses his arms.

“Zinnar came for me.” I wink at Aryssa, knowing she’ll get it.

Joltas groans.

“So I think it’s time I return the favor. We have a bond that I’m not ready to break just because someone tells me to sit on my ass. Fuck that. I want Zinnar safe and alive. Do you want the same or not?”

“Our job is—”

I point at Joltas. “Enough. I am free to do what I will. If you don’t help me get to Zinnar so I can help him, then I will call up that green goblin, Elix, and have him take me to your planet where I won’t have a guide.

“You will do no such thing.” Bai’rin lurches for me, but I’m still in my anti-grav suit and dodge his swipe.

“What are you, my mom?” I retort, gliding in a loop around the three of them. Aryssa’s laughing behind a fist. “Sheesh, Bai. Work with me. We want the same things!”

He slumps and growls. “Fine! Fuck. Just land please so we can get going.”

“Great.” I drop and grimace.

“What are you doing?” Joltas asked. “Are you hurt?”

“She looks constipated,” Aryssa snorts.

I sigh. “I was trying to burst this thing off of me like Zinnar did. No dice I guess.” I strip out of it and hand it to an Abr staff member.

“Just let me get my bag,” I say.

“What for?” Joltas studies me like I’m the strangest creature he’s ever seen.

“Weapons.”