Page 79 of May the Stars Have Mercy
Clipping her hair up on top of her hair, she stepped out into the chaos of the healer’s bay and crept her way back to Xexis. Her data pad was tucked under his left thigh. Pulling it out from under him, she opened the screen to a wall of text.
Aphrodite Kerso, may I have a better body when you have a chance? I do not like being stationary. I cannot move and I feel most useless stuck in this body.
“Hold on, Buddy, I’ll get you a new body as soon as I can,” she giggled, watching the screens flip back and forth as he wiggled inside the device.
“Aphrodite?”
She nearly tossed the data pad across the floor at the sound of Xexis croaking her name. Aphrodite scrambled to the front of the stretcher. Setting the data pad beside him, she cupped his face. His pincers sluggishly danced in front of his face as he blinked. Large, obsidian eyes, glazed over, fell to her. Every passing second, his face warmed up as she came into view.
“My Mate,” he breathed.
“You’re okay.” She kissed between his brows, massaging her thumbs against his cheeks.
“I dreamed of your face, of your voice telling me stories.” He trembled, attempting to move only to give up and settled back against the stretcher. “How long have I been out? Are we home?”
Her lips quivered, happiness flooding her. “We’re home. Everyone’s home.”
“And Buddy?” He furrowed his brows.
“He’s safe, he’s healing up inside my data pad till I can get him to that back up body I made.” Aphrodite actually had been, up until they left, improving upon the design. Making it less bulky, giving him more space for the upgrades, and yet was still a cute little guy. It sat on her desk down in the labs, awaiting a Buddy to stuff into it.
But that was for later, for the moment, she just wanted to feel Xexis against her.
She lay her forehead against Xexis. His arms flopped around her and hugged her as close as she could get to him. The room was full of noise. Beeps and boops from machines, people talking over others, curtains whooshing, and feet slapping against the ground was the background track to the pair. And yet, all she could hear was the gentle breathing coming from her mate.
“He valiantly saved me.” Xexis rubbed her back. “Give him my thanks when he’s conscious again.”
They lingered, tangled in each other, for a long time. Xexis eventually was able to sit up. They sat hip to hip on the stretcher, looking at the data pad. He leaned against her, head on hers, letting her explain everything that happened while he wasunconscious. Technician’s came and went, doing more scans and giving him injections. After an hour, Reevar skateboarded his stretcher over to the couple with Kiefgr as his co-pilot. Grooug opted to sit on the ground, back against the cool crystal pane window.
The pack was back again.
Finally, Xnasis came to visit. The pack hadn’t been given their discharge yet, so they were to stay in the healing bay until stated otherwise. Xnasis stepped into their curtain section, arms folded on his chest.
“We’ve sent out reports about the Brexzkit, and things to look out for. The Council of Beings has this as a public health crisis, and everyone is to be vigilant and subject to health scans at random until the crisis clears. The human delegation is not happy, but as they have no leading government power at the moment, the Council has stepped in to hold fair, democratic elections.”
Aphrodite barked out a laugh. “Oh, this ought to be good.”
Xnasis spared her a knowing smirk, pincers writhing with wicked glee. “They’re begrudgingly complying. And Vivian Darkwater has already accepted the transfer. Once the crisis has been cleared, she’s been approved to transfer to our station.”
Reevar flew off the stretcher, flinging Kiefgr into the crystal panes like he weighed nothing. “Vivian’s transferring here?”
Aphrodite grinned from ear to ear. “I’m having her come over to be my personal healer.”
Reevar dropped to his knees before Aphrodite. Grooug was helping peel Kiefgr off the windowpanes. The hunter before her,put his hands in a prayer at her knees and groaned, “You bless me, Mphronatch.”
Xnasis eyed Reevar, but Aphrodite didn’t catch what Xexis said while chuckling to his brother in Vrozian. The two shared a few laughing words while Reevar praised Aphrodite and returned to his stretcher.
Finally, the crown prince looked to Aphrodite. “After the wedding ceremony, we will look to having you going to the Council to collect the humans for transfer to the station; it will look better if you’re the contact and the face of the move.”
She nodded, “I can do that.”
“Then, we shall have the ceremony soon and by then, the crisis should be handled. Xexis, when you are well, we should talk about the hunt and next steps. Also...theKorzavichas requested an audience with the both of you before the ceremony.”
Aphrodite felt a limestone drop into her stomach as Xnasis bowed his head to the pack and left them.
Chapter Forty-Five:
Xexis
