“Don’t be an idiot, Niki.” My voice is soft, and my chest squeezes. “The Federation fucked us all over, but you especially.” I shake my head. She was so proud and happy to have been picked to head up this mission, only for them to throw her away at the Suevans like so much garbage. “You should have been next up for a huge career bump, and instead they sold you off.”
“And you, too.”
“Yeah, but I’ve always been an asshole and a thorn in their side. I bet I was first on their list of women to sell off.”
Niki snorts, but we both know it’s true.
“How are the rest of the crew handling it?”
“Everybody’s still adjusting,” Bex says, combing her fingers through my hair. “It would be easier if our husbands weren’t acting so fucking weird about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“When they found out we’d been tricked, they refused to get near us. Besides, most of us still can’t communicate.”
“I want you to do the Warlord Trials with me, Gen,” Niki interrupts, her attention focused on me. “I think it will be good for the crew to see us both in action again. Good for morale, and it might help everyone settle into their new lives here more easily. Going back isn’t an option.”
“She needs to take it easy,” Carmen says.
“She’s fine,” Niki replies, arching an eyebrow at me. “Aren’t you?”
“Nothing a good night or two of sleep can’t fix.” And some rigorous talk therapy, but I know that’s not what she’s asking about. “When are they, again?”
“Two weeks. Two weeks to train and get ready. We work as a team.”
“Warrior princess Genevieve Durand,” Bex interrupts, tugging at my hair.
“What do I have to do?” I say, because I can’t say I’m not all in on this idea.
Niki’s lips curve into an evil smile, and I grin back at her.
We’re gonna kick some Suevan Warlord ass.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
GEN
After dropping by the main crew’s myza and taking stock of how everyone’s doing, Niki walks me through the streets of Edrobaz, pointing out the market and stopping to buy me a delicious, fizzy drink.
“I had a team sent to prep a myza for you and the prince to stay in,” she says. “Just in case you weren’t Stockholmed into liking him.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Thanks, Jacks.” I sip the drink, savoring the refreshing taste. “This is good.”
“It’s not all bad here,” she says quietly, rubbing her arm. “I know that all of this is… horrible, frankly, but I want to help the women carve out a life here, with or without their husbands. It’s the least I can do.”
“Niki, stop.” I take her by the arm, locking eyes with her. “None of this is your fucking fault. Those assholes at the Federation are the ones who take the blame.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m going to just forget about the crew and gallivant around Sueva with my hot husband while they suffer.”
“Obviously not, but that doesn’t mean you have to beat yourself up over a situation you had no part in.”
“I am the captain. They are under my command. And their lives were ruined under my command.”
“Because of our superior officers,” I say softly, shaking her arm. “Don’t do this to yourself.”
She inhales, and it’s a shaky breath. “Okay. I know you’re right…”
“But it’s hard. I hear you.” We lapse into silence, the sound of muttered Suevan conversations babbling around us like water in a stream. As we walk, my glow draws a lot of irritating attention from the few Suevans shopping.
“Are you okay?” I finally ask her, as we round a corner to a quieter street. Lightning bugs the size of hummingbirds flit overhead, bobbing illumination that casts a soft light.
She heaves a sigh, then smiles. “I am more okay now that you’re here. I was literally sick with worry over you. But I love Draz.” She shakes her head, her expression rueful. “I never would have imagined this life for me, but I do love him. We’ll figure the rest out as it comes.” Her hand goes to her stomach.
“Here it is,” she says, and my gaze flits to the myza in front of me. “And look, here they come.”
Sure enough, two hulking Suevans stride toward us. Draz, with his huge sword and devilish scar, and my Kanuz, smirking and swaggering beside him. They’re deep in conversation, but when Kanuz glances up and sees me, he does a double take, standing still as his gaze rakes over me.
Warmth heats my cheeks and chest, and Niki lets out a low laugh.
“I’ll go ahead and leave you two, for now. There’s a comm tablet in there with my info programmed in it already. I’ll call you in the morning and we can train for the Trials together.” She gives me an exaggerated wink, and I shove her shoulder as she laughs. “Don’t get too frisky, Durand. We have work to do!”
With that, Draz scoops her up in a hug, and Kanuz finally gets a grip of himself, walking towards me as the oversized fireflies dip and swirl overhead.
“My flower,” he says quietly, tucking a strand of stray hair behind my ear. I lean into the touch, smiling up at him.
He pushes the arched door open, and I sigh with relief at having him near again.
“The Roth is going to help,” he says, closing the door softly behind us as though he hasn’t just dropped the nuclear bomb of information.
“He what?!” I explode, my heart rate spiking as I stare, open-mouthed, at Kanuz. “You know as well as I do they can’t be trusted.”
“He has two brothers,” Kanuz continues, running his hands through his hair. “They are entering Suevan territory now, in a small freighter. He bargained to help us save their lives.”
“It’s a trick,” I exclaim, angry. I tug at the cropped, silky pink top they dressed me in, feeling stupid for being made up and draped in this silly dress. No wonder I stopped caring what I looked like. I don’t feel like I can be taken seriously in all this, even though it made me feel pretty and put together for the first time in years.
“I understand your apprehension, Gen.” He shakes his head slowly.
“You promised you’d rip out his spine for me!” I poke at his bare chest, and he catches my hand in his, some humor returning to his face.
“And you politely declined, if I recall correctly.”
“That doesn’t mean I think we should make an alliance with the Roth!”
“We are not making an alliance with the Roth. We are allowing one Roth’s brothers to leave our space with their lives in exchange for strategic information against the Roth Overlord’s operations.” His lips purse, and I stand still, letting the information compute, letting it get through the cracks in my initial anger.
“I didn’t think a Roth would even care about their family.”
“I was likewise surprised. Perhaps, next time, you will accompany me on business and I will be spared your anger because we can decide together.”
“Deal.” I heave a sigh, finally taking in the interior of our temporary home. “This is nice,” I say, changing the subject. I don’t want to think about the Roth. Not right now, at least. Right now, I want to hang out with Kanuz. I want to sleep. I want to sleep with Kanuz as part of our hanging out.