Chapter 58

Ellax

S trange how life runs in complete circles. I had lost a wife and son, gone to Earth to regain that son, thought I had lost him too—through my own cruelty and folly—tried to return to my home planet, gained another wife, and now, six months later, was building a bridge of communication once more with my son. Not only that, but I had met Lorelai's twin sons, Joell and Isak, via video chats. One day, we would meet in person, when they obtained leave from their duties and were allowed off planet. For now, their mother contented herself with weekly virtual visits, and I joined in at the end to speak with them and get to know them better. We did the same with Caide and Delle, attempting to reestablish my relationship with my son and daughter-in-law, while allowing Lorelai to build her own bond with them.

The waxing light of early morning drew my attention, and I laid down my stylus. Standing, I abandoned my screenpad and desk and walked quietly to the window, gazing out at the twin suns. In the next room, Lorelai still slept. She had recovered well from her injuries, although the physicians warned that the odds of her conceiving and bearing my child after Sirena's terrible attack were low. That was a grief she and I would bear together. However, as I had told her the night before, as she lay in my arms after our coupling,

"The universe has given us both sons. We are blessed already. Perhaps we cannot expect more blessings than that."

Even now, the memory of our bodies joining stirred my blood. I cast a glance over my shoulder towards the bedroom. Should I wake her? Selfishly, I wished to, but I had to consider whether I was waking her for my own needs when she might need sleep.

Turning my attention back to the view outside the window, I permitted my mind to sift through the changes the last six months had wrought.

Following Sirena's betrayal, we had decided to sell my former manor and move into a smaller home that was new to both of us and symbolized our fresh start in life. The Asterion Council had abided by the Interstellar Coalition's decision, which Admiral Corrba and myself had helped to bring about. The details were still being worked out, yet there would be no mass killing of wild humans. Sirena lingered in prison, awaiting her trial, but there was no doubt that she would be brought to justice. Gorb lingered with her. I'd vowed to do everything in my power to see him punished as well. And if her two cohorts who had beaten my wife nearly to the point of death had, strangely, met with untimely ends in their prison cells at the hands of their cell mates?

Well.

Perhaps they shouldn't have dared touch the wife of an Asterion Elder.

Doctor Natusha had been found by the Admiral and his team, barely alive. Her infirmary stay was longer than my wife's, and her recovery more complicated. However, the last I had heard, she was prepared to return to work, supported in that decision by a good word from myself. Lorelai and she had formed a friendship that helped to sustain Lorelai through the upheaval of moving to a new planet and beginning an utterly new life.

As for my wife, my love for her grew with each passing day. I supposed there would always be a tinge of grief that the possibility of a shared child had been stolen by Sirena's evil machinations, but our shared love was able to overcome anything.

"Ellax."

Her gentle voice roused me from my thoughts. I turned from staring sightlessly out the window, a smile breaking across my face.

"The most beautiful vision I have ever seen," I said, watching her walk towards me. Her hair was mussed, her thin nightdress wrinkled, her feet bare, and her robe open. My breath caught in my throat. I could not believe the stars, after all my mistakes, had gifted me with this female. She moved into my embrace, nestling herself in my arms with a soft laugh.

"You're so ridiculous," she said. "I know I'm not the most beautiful vision you've ever seen."

"I meant what I said," I told her, only to hear her laugh softly again.

"Okay, then," she shrugged.

Changing the subject, she said, "You're up awfully early. Working on the details of the strike?"

"For once, no," I answered honestly. "I was studying my will. Now that I have you; now that Caide is speaking to me once more since I have apologized to him and Delle; now that your sons are in my life; I was trying to determine the best way to rewrite it. One day, I will be gone. I would see my legacy rightly dispersed."

"Between Caide and Delle and my sons, you mean?"

"That is what I was thinking. I would do right by all of our children."

She leaned back in my arms, a strange little smile playing about her mouth.

"Better add one more name to that list."

"Do you mean yours?" I frowned. "Of course, you will inherit everything. I was referring to after we are both gone."

"That's not what I meant," she chuckled. She eased back even further, reaching into her pocket to withdraw a slim, white stick. On it, I could see two bright pink lines.

My body went still with shock. Was this what I assumed it was?

The smile that wreathed her face contained all of the warmth and radiance of Asterion's twin suns.

"Congratulations, Ellax Pendorgrin. You're going to be a father again."

I could not speak. I had no words. My mind fought to wrap itself around this miracle, even as my body reacted naturally, my arms reaching out to pull my wife close.

"Hang on a second," she giggled, forestalling me with a hand to my chest. "Does this mean our pregnancy pact is back on the table?"

"Damn that agreement," I said, and if my voice was rough, it was due to the powerful emotions roiling through my system. "I told you we were wedded forever, whether we produced a child or not. I will not go back on my word now."

"You know what?" Reaching up, she stole a hand behind my head, drawing me down for a kiss. "That's exactly what I hoped you'd say."

As I kissed her, I felt her other hand slide into my pocket, secreting the tiny stick inside. A smile bloomed across my own face as I kissed the mate the universe had seen fit to send my way—the very embodiment of second chances and love redeemed.

For the first time in my life, all was right in the world.

Everything.

THE END