other. We’ll get them removed and put in new ones.”
Rukh looks at me as if to say, why do you agree to this?
I scowl at him. Jo-see is not stupid. I do not agree with what she wants, but I will not let him stop her. I feel the overwhelming urge to step in front of her, to protect her from Rukh’s disapproval. “Just show us the ma-sheen.”
The kit in Jo-see’s arms hiccups and makes a fussy noise, and she makes a soothing sound and begins to rock it. “Not so loud, both of you.”
Rukh throws his hands up, as if giving up. “Follow.”
I put a hand on Jo-see’s back protectively, and because I’m shaking with the need to touch her. She allows it, and my khui sings loudly in my chest at this touch. It wants more. I want more…but it cannot be.
Rukh leads us deeper into the Elders’ Cave, and I realize that every time I come here, it looks less like a cave and more like the strange square made of rock that the humans arrived in. They said it was a ship, and as lights blink in the walls and strange squares and ovals dot the walls and flash, I feel uneasy. How Rukh can live here amongst this strangeness, I do not understand. His mate would follow him anywhere. Why they choose to stay here I do not grasp.
The kit makes another unhappy noise and then begins to cry. A moment later, a human female appears, extending her arms. “Feeding time. Hi Jo, hi Haeden.” Har-loh is a strange looking human, with hair the color of flame and specks all over her belly-pale skin, but she smiles at the sight of us as she takes her kit from Jo-see’s arms. “What are you two doing here?”
“They resonate,” Rukh says.
Her eyes go wide and she looks at us. Her gaze moves quickly over me and then lingers on Jo-see. “Oh no. Jo!” Her voice is full of sympathy.
I scowl darkly. Does everyone think I am cruel to her? “Tell them your plan, Jo-see.” I rub my chest again, trying to silence my humming khui.
Jo-see follows Har-loh into the next room, chattering in that bright, lively voice of hers about her plan. Har-loh puts her kit under her tunic and feeds it as they talk, and I lean against one of the long tables set out in the room and watch my mate. I pay no attention to what they say, because I do not like the plan.
But I cannot stop watching her. It fills me with pleasure to see her smile, to see her eyes light up with enthusiasm. She tucks a strand of her soft hair behind a tiny ear and my fingers twitch with the need to touch her mane. Her hands move as she talks to Har-loh and her gestures are fluid and graceful. She would be a wonderful mate.
I rub my chest again, frowning in the direction of the women.
Jo-see looks over and sees my scowl and flinches.
Her reaction only makes me scowl harder.
“So that’s why we’re here,” Jo-see says. “If we can remove our khuis, then we can get rid of the resonance. That’s why Haeden was able to resonate to me - his old one that chose his last mate is gone.”
“It is wrong,” Rukh says, looking over at me as if daring me to disagree.
“I will do what Jo-see wants,” I say flatly and am rewarded with a brilliant smile from my mate. My khui hums louder with pleasure, unaware of what we discuss.
“It’s not our decision to make, Rukh,” Har-loh says in a sweet voice. Her wide-eyed gaze flicks between me and Jo-see. “I wish I could help, but the ma-sheen is still broken.”
Jo-see’s face falls with disappointment. “W-what?”
I stagger with relief. My hands clench into fists at my side. Jo-see’s sadness is terrible to see, but my own joy is nearly overwhelming me. She cannot un-choose me.
She will remain mine .
JOSIE
“Look,” Harlow says, pulling out a panel in the medical bay. “I can fix a lot of stuff, but I’ve been working on this particular beast for a long time and I’m not getting anywhere.” She holds a square out to me and then pulls out a second. “These are supposed to be identical.”
I compare the one in my hands to the
Rukh looks at me as if to say, why do you agree to this?
I scowl at him. Jo-see is not stupid. I do not agree with what she wants, but I will not let him stop her. I feel the overwhelming urge to step in front of her, to protect her from Rukh’s disapproval. “Just show us the ma-sheen.”
The kit in Jo-see’s arms hiccups and makes a fussy noise, and she makes a soothing sound and begins to rock it. “Not so loud, both of you.”
Rukh throws his hands up, as if giving up. “Follow.”
I put a hand on Jo-see’s back protectively, and because I’m shaking with the need to touch her. She allows it, and my khui sings loudly in my chest at this touch. It wants more. I want more…but it cannot be.
Rukh leads us deeper into the Elders’ Cave, and I realize that every time I come here, it looks less like a cave and more like the strange square made of rock that the humans arrived in. They said it was a ship, and as lights blink in the walls and strange squares and ovals dot the walls and flash, I feel uneasy. How Rukh can live here amongst this strangeness, I do not understand. His mate would follow him anywhere. Why they choose to stay here I do not grasp.
The kit makes another unhappy noise and then begins to cry. A moment later, a human female appears, extending her arms. “Feeding time. Hi Jo, hi Haeden.” Har-loh is a strange looking human, with hair the color of flame and specks all over her belly-pale skin, but she smiles at the sight of us as she takes her kit from Jo-see’s arms. “What are you two doing here?”
“They resonate,” Rukh says.
Her eyes go wide and she looks at us. Her gaze moves quickly over me and then lingers on Jo-see. “Oh no. Jo!” Her voice is full of sympathy.
I scowl darkly. Does everyone think I am cruel to her? “Tell them your plan, Jo-see.” I rub my chest again, trying to silence my humming khui.
Jo-see follows Har-loh into the next room, chattering in that bright, lively voice of hers about her plan. Har-loh puts her kit under her tunic and feeds it as they talk, and I lean against one of the long tables set out in the room and watch my mate. I pay no attention to what they say, because I do not like the plan.
But I cannot stop watching her. It fills me with pleasure to see her smile, to see her eyes light up with enthusiasm. She tucks a strand of her soft hair behind a tiny ear and my fingers twitch with the need to touch her mane. Her hands move as she talks to Har-loh and her gestures are fluid and graceful. She would be a wonderful mate.
I rub my chest again, frowning in the direction of the women.
Jo-see looks over and sees my scowl and flinches.
Her reaction only makes me scowl harder.
“So that’s why we’re here,” Jo-see says. “If we can remove our khuis, then we can get rid of the resonance. That’s why Haeden was able to resonate to me - his old one that chose his last mate is gone.”
“It is wrong,” Rukh says, looking over at me as if daring me to disagree.
“I will do what Jo-see wants,” I say flatly and am rewarded with a brilliant smile from my mate. My khui hums louder with pleasure, unaware of what we discuss.
“It’s not our decision to make, Rukh,” Har-loh says in a sweet voice. Her wide-eyed gaze flicks between me and Jo-see. “I wish I could help, but the ma-sheen is still broken.”
Jo-see’s face falls with disappointment. “W-what?”
I stagger with relief. My hands clench into fists at my side. Jo-see’s sadness is terrible to see, but my own joy is nearly overwhelming me. She cannot un-choose me.
She will remain mine .
JOSIE
“Look,” Harlow says, pulling out a panel in the medical bay. “I can fix a lot of stuff, but I’ve been working on this particular beast for a long time and I’m not getting anywhere.” She holds a square out to me and then pulls out a second. “These are supposed to be identical.”
I compare the one in my hands to the
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