Page 58 of Black Star

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Nani clawed her way to consciousness once more. This time, she sat straight up and was surprised when the room started to spin. She shook her head. Slowly, she got her equilibrium and slid from the medical table to stand on her feet. She would be strong of body as well as mind. No one would see her in a weak moment.

Just as she felt it was safe enough to walk, the door opened to admit Dr. Zabin, two other men and a woman.

Diamond.

She owed this woman and Phoebe more than she could ever repay. She had to blink back tears, but they threatened to overflow her eyes and spill down her cheeks anyway.

“You have my gratitude, Diamond. Without you, I’d still be in a living hell.” Nani didn’t feel like the confident, all-knowing person she had been only a few hours before. It had been so long since she’d had to thank anyone for anything, it just seemed odd. She shuffled her feet slightly and looked anywhere but at Diamond.

“Well, it was either help you or get as far away from this ship and those two crazily annoying men over there as I could. They wouldn’t let me leave, so…” She grinned awkwardly as she broke off, shuffling her feet a little. She didn’t look any more comfortable than Nani felt. Finally she groaned and reached for Nani, and the two embraced easily. Nani felt like she’d finally come home. She didn’t know this woman other than what she’d observed as theBlack Star, but she knew she was a good person. She’d risked her life, not only for her men, but for the entire ship as well.

When they parted, they stared at each other for a long moment. “Thank you, Diamond. For my life. For my daughter’s life.”

“No thanks is necessary, but you’re very welcome. You should know that Mikiel is working day and night to find her, and I think they may have pinpointed her location.” Diamond gripped her hand fast. “He truly loves her, my lady.”

She smiled. “Call me Nani. I thought that woman was long dead, but I suppose I need to find her again.”

“You will. Anyone who could endure all you have can do this. Remember, you’re not alone.” Diamond dropped her hand, but Nani had one more question. Before she could do anything else, she had to check on Darian.

“Where’s the doctor?”

“Reviewing the data from your transference.” She pointed to a small room in the other part of the medical bay, and Nani noticed a dark-haired man in a red lab coat hunched over a computer screen.

“Please excuse me. I need to speak with him.”

With one last glance and a smile at Diamond, Nani walked out of the room. It was time to find out what came next.

Chapter Two

“Dr. Zabin?” It was strange how she felt hesitant to disturb him now. She’d never had that problem when she resided in theBlack Star. Then, she’d called on anyone, any time of the day or night. She was an entity unto herself. Untouchable. Now she was dependent on the kindness of others, she didn’t think she had the right to demand anything of anyone.

“Yes, my lady.” He scrubbed a hand across a weary-looking face. “I’m glad to see you up and about. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” She blinked. She wasn’t used to anyone being concerned for her except Darian. “You don’t have to call me that.”

He looked at her intently. “I think I do.”

“I’m not his wife anymore, Mahat. He lost that right when he conspired to rob my people.”

“I know that, my lady. But it doesn’t change who you are, and you deserve the title more than he does.”

“Why?” Nani was suddenly furious. “Because I had an affair, got pregnant, then caught, and ended up the soul of a hunk of twisted metal and computer chips? Hardly worthy of royalty, don’t you think?”

Mahat Zabin stood suddenly and rounded on her as vehemently as she had lashed out at him. “Because he forced you into a marriage to gain your title and the empire.”

They stood nose-to-nose for several moments. Nani was shocked. No one knew that. Not even Damon. “What else do you know?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer to that question, but there it was.

“All of it. I know about your heritage as well as Darian’s. I also know that you were perfectly within your rights to take any suitor you wanted, so don’t give me thatyasatshit about not being worthy of royalty. You are royalty! Whether you admit it or not.”

He turned away angrily and stared at the computer screen on his desk. It was obvious he didn’t really see it. “You lived a life no one should ever have to experience. But would you rather have been killed? That was your only alternative.” He didn’t look at her -- he just punched buttons on his console and watched as a stream of data scrolled quickly across the screen.

“At the time, I’d have preferred it. Many times over the years.” She refused to leave even though she knew he wanted her to. “It was only when we actually encountered theSword BreakerI began to have some hope. At least we could touch each other’s minds. This --” she wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes as emotion threatened to overwhelm her again, “-- is more than I’d ever hoped would happen. I know how difficult this was to achieve. I’m not sure more than a handful of doctors in the entire known universe could have accomplished this. I thank you.”

He looked at her, the anguish and anger in his face so fierce, Nani stepped back a pace before she could stop herself. “Do you know why I was able to do this, to put you back in your body? Do you remember anything about that day?”

“I -- no. Well, some of it. Only in bits and pieces.” She crossed the room to sit in a chair across from the doctor’s desk. She had a feeling she needed to take this sitting down. “I was in shock, I think. I’d just given birth and was grieving, begging Samair not to do it.” She shivered and squeezed her eyes tightly shut at the memory. She’d fought fiercely, hoping Samair would simply kill her. But he hadn’t.

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