Page 121 of Tempting Cargo
Garrison bent down, giving my forehead a kiss before sitting next to me on the sofa, and handed me a mug of chrya. “What’s up?”
“Airida.” I didn’t have to say anything else.
“Just give him time.”
I sighed. “I know. I assumed he’d want to stay with me here on theDorimisa. And it hurts that he doesn’t. But a ship is too out of his comfort sector, I think.”
“Just because I was held captive on a planet doesn’t mean I don’t want tobeon a planet.” Airida leaned in the doorway and made his slow way over to us. “I’d sooner be on a planet than a ship.”
“Hi, Airida.” Garrison let my brother’s bitterness roll off him, and I wished I could do the same.
“A couple of my friends live on Vadias too,” Garrison said. “They’re new to living in the galaxy, new to all the different species who live here, and they’re doing okay. And you can too. With the shaa'ith there as well, it might be a better fit.” He turned to me with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Sho.”
Airida began arguing again, and I let it happen. The gods knew, he’d been through so much. It didn’t stop it hurting though.
I nestled into Garrison’s arms, and he held me tight. Gods, how had I lived without this?
“I cannot stay here, Ohri,” Airida said. “It was not meant for me to fly amongst the stars. I was almost happy, you know. I had my art. My garden. I was good at finding trades, was I not?”
Guilt wormed its way through me. “You were. I hope you will be again? The analyst share of the profit is yours if you do, of course.”
He considered my offer, intelligence twinkling in his eyes. “Do you still plan to get a ship upgrade? I will analyse for you when you get a new ship. I do not think I could while it is still this one.”
My mouth dropped open. His first instinct when I’d mentioned trading in theDorimisafor something else had been horror.
Not having Airida on my ship, and not having him involved in trades either? Kheh, just as well I was already nearly decided. “I will miss this hunk of junk.” I loved her, but theDorimisaneeded too much work doing, and she was far too old to justify the credits. Without the constraints of Orith, I could get anything, within reason.
“It has some good memories.” Garrison’s voice was husky, but a cheeky smirk spread across his face. “Though Muzi will be pleased to get a XK55 Cruiser.”
I thumped him on the arm, and he winced. “Ha. She fancies. I refuse to captain a cruiser. Freighter or death.”
His airy laughter filled the galley, catching me in its spell. I’d tease him about being fragile later. He rubbed his arm, and I pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, kissed the bulge of muscle there, breathed in that musk and fresh air scent that smelled like home.
I paused under the weight of Airida’s gaze. He found it hard to put aside his prejudices, to accept my mate was human, but I knew he cared for my happiness. That alone gave me hope we’d repair our relationship. All I’d wanted was for us to be free. Now, I wanted him to be happy too.
“I think you are right,” he said, after our laughter died down into the kind of heated gazes that meant we really should go to our room. “About Vadias. As everyone keeps reminding me, I am not kri’ith. I have no choice but to learn who I am.” Tears leaked from his eyes, and he swiped them away.
The more I said things would work out, the more I began to believe it. If I’d allowed myself to trust before, I wouldn’t still be kicking myself about what a fool I’d been every time I held Garrison in my arms.
Change hurt. Good things lay beyond. I had to trust the gods would give the same to Airida.
I rested soft eyes on the man next to me, on the male shuffling back to his room. In the haphazardly stacked bowls on the counter, and the discarded awmi bar packets I saw my crew.
Family. I had my family. And for the first time, it was good.
Garrison
IT WASMORE of a homecoming than I’d expected to land at thesmall spaceport on Vadias. With Shohari at my side, there was no trace of last month’s trepidation, and even the earthy smell of the greenery was tolerable.
We took a speeder straight to the shaa’ith village of Zyamzh. Airida’s withdrawal was going through a particularly hard stage, and I cringed at every jolt of the speeder, knowing how it must be affecting him.
The photo Imani had sent didn’t do the village justice. In the growing twilight, torches illuminated the plain, low buildings, lambent shadows dancing on the stone walls. As the speeder’s engines shut down, the whooshing whine gave way to the trill of nighttime insects and the rustling of trees.
A number of shaa’ith rose from around the central fire to greet us. To my delight, Fenn and Imani were also among them, looking healthy and more relaxed than last time I’d seen them.
Their faces lit up, and Imani ran to me with a delighted squeal. “Garrison! We missed you.”
I scooped her up in a hug, ruffling her hair. “It’s good to see you too.”
