Page 53 of Essa

"Seven years?" I ask, my eyes wide, my voice disbelieving.

My sister has liked this male for seven years, and I'm just now hearing about it? She used to tell me the moment she became infatuated with a male when we both lived in the palace.

I can remember her running to tell me she met her future husband the day a new family came to stay with us, and she caught a glimpse of their steward as he was helping to unload their belongings. To know she was keeping a male a secret from me for seven years feels almost impossible and has my whole world spinning.

We were so close, and then I ran. It should make sense that she wouldn't feel as comfortable telling me about crushes as she got older, especially with me being galaxies away. But she hasbeen in a secret relationship with Iddis for years. I think that should've been brought up at some point.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" I ask, but then a more important question takes precedence. "Is this why you never took me up on my offer to leave Haven III?"

Niivi bites her lips, amusement lighting up her eyes. At least there's no hard feeling for the fight we got into earlier, and her tears have all dried up. "Essa, not everyone wants to spend their lives in space, especially not sharing a ship with… how many are in your crew now? The last time you updated me was months ago, right before you visited Earth."

"You read my updates?" I ask, leaning forward, eager for her response.

I write many messages to my sister, but her responses are few and far between. I always assumed our parents were interfering with her messages and her ability to message me back.

"Of course I do." Niivi looks at me as though I've grown another set of horns. "Mother and Father monitored my messaging habits, at least on the comm I used to communicate with you. It was easier to keep my relationship with Iddis hidden. They were concerned you would try turning me against them as well."

I snort at that description of our parents and how true it seems to fit for how they would've been too distracted by my whereabouts and whether or not I was coming home to fulfill my duty. At least it helped my sister in some way.

"Well, there is much to catch you up on," I tell her while I twist my fingers together.

I have a request to ask her, but I'm unsure how she'll take it, considering we aren't as close as we used to be. Seth places his hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, reminding me that he and Adam are there. They'll always be there, and they'll support me through anything.

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind if I assisted with wedding preparations." I swallow hard, my eyes planted firmly on my fingers as they wrap around one another.

Iddis clears his throat. My eyes snap to him, thinking somehow I've overstepped and this him gently correcting me. Instead, he's looking at Niivi, who now has fresh tears rimming her eyes.

"Yes, please, so long as you're not asking so you can be the one to marry him when we finish getting everything set up." Niivi adds a wet chuckle to the end of her statement, and it takes everything in me not to clamber over the table to wrap her up in my arms.

"I promise, you and your male are safe from me," I tell her, sniffling softly as I wipe the tip of my nose where it's grown itchy.

"Unless we attempt anything with your males," Iddis reminds me with an amused laugh. "I don't think you can make any promises there."

"No, I suppose not," I say, looking between my males. Adam's still scowling, though it looks like he's having to force it more than usual. Seth's happy as can be, munching away on a pastry while listening to my family drama finally work itself out. I suppose he and Adam could be talking about the rest of us in their mind.

"I need to get my males situated in the room since they won't be able to roam without me," I tell Iddis and Niivi. "When I finish with them, can I meet you in your room?"

"Of course, yes," Niivi says, wiping at the moisture in her eyes one final time. "Iddis can stop by and make sure they're keeping themselves entertained if you'd like. Maybe he can show them around the palace if they won't get into too much trouble."

I immediately turn to Adam, who has the audacity to quirk a brow at me. "No, I don't think that's necessary. Adam enjoys picking fights he knows he'll lose."

Adam opens his mouth to argue, his eyebrow quirk dropping back to his scowl as he turns to face me, not liking that I called out exactly what he does. Or maybe he doesn't like that he'd lose any fight he tried to pick here on Haven III.

"I can keep him safe enough," Iddis says, slapping the table like he's decided that taking my males out to visit the rest of Haven III, or at least the palace grounds, is a great idea.

I can only shake my head and hope that the males don't get up to mischief when it's the three of them alone together. I think only Seth will be the voice of reason, and he folds to Adam's demands much too easily.

Oh well, that's worries for another time. Right now, I need to get my males back to my room so I can paint them in case anyone thinks of touching what's mine when they aren't under my watch.

I grab a few pastries from the table for myself before securing Adam and Seth's leashes to my belt. Then we return to my bedroom, and I try not to get too excited about being alone with them again.

twenty-two

Essa

Adam's fingers work through my hair so efficiently that it feels like we've been doing this tradition longer than the two days we've been tied to one another. My eyes are closed as he separates sections of my hair to twist and knot and bind.

Seth is lying in my lap, my fingers running through his curls while he drifts away every few minutes. He'll startle himself awake soon and then settle back against my thighs until it happens again.

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