One moon cycle later…

Khiva’s hearts pounded at a different pace in his chest, making him feel slightly breathless, as he opened the hatch to the Keriv’i-inspired forge, retrieving the stone he’d worked tirelessly on inside.

Next to him, Kavik asked, his tone urgent, “Is it…were you successful?”

His eyes examined the stone he dropped into his glove. Khiva’s breath hitched, turning it in his protected palms as it cooled, and he felt a sense of awe and pride fill his chest.

He’d done it.

He’d done it.

Because cradled in his palms was a perfect firestone. They would break off a chunk to use in the generator just to be sure, but Khiva already knew. He knew everything about firestones, from their weight, the red sheen that glimmered golden underneath the clear surface, the smoothness of it, its clarity, the way it reflected in the light. He looked at the firestone in his hands, transfixed by its beauty.

And he remembered.

He remembered the first time he’d successfully created one, on Kerivu, when he’d been much younger.

But that moment, right at that moment, he felt twice as proud.

Khiva held it up so Kavik could see. Kavik’s eyes widened.

“We did it,” Khiva said, his voice quiet. He grinned. “We did it.”

“No,” Kavik said, reaching out to touch the firestone when it cooled. “You did it, Prince.”

Khiva looked down at the firestone, thinking that he would never get tired of looking at it.

He smiled, knowing that he would never have to. Because this firestone, at least a piece of it, had a personal purpose.

Kavik handed it back to him and Khiva said, “Come, let us test it.”

He took it over the work bench in the lab, where he’d worked long hours, testing, experimenting, losing blood and sweat and time, to create the single stone in his hands. But now that he had the process, the correct formula using new resources, Khiva could produce multiple firestones at once, with more ease, without as much waste.

Carefully, he drilled off a small piece at the bottom. Khiva rolled that small piece in his fingers, pleased with the strength of it, before taking it over to the generator that powered their lab. He took out the fuel source that powered it presently—a type of crystal that only powered the generator for two days. Immediately, the lights, their equipment, and the forge went dark, a quiet hush in the air.

In the darkness, Khiva replaced the crystal with the firestone shard.

Then, with a deep breath, he powered the generator back on.

The first thing he saw as the power restored was Kavik’s delighted face. The forge and the equipment all flared to life, humming with even more force than before.

Khiva closed his eyes, feeling a massive amount of relief, of joy.

“The power gauge is at full capacity,” Kavik announced, checking it with excitement. “You did it!”

Because he’d told his leeldra he would. Because he told his leeldra he could. Because he believed he could.

Khiva clasped arms with Kavik, a gesture among friends, and looked at the power gauge himself, grinning when he saw the levels.

He couldn’t wait to tell Evelyn.

But first, he had something to make for her.

Kavik went around to his work area, where he had tablets and communication lines set up for his exports. He’d already lined up potential merchant vessels that were interested in firestones. And according to Kavik, there were already rumors of Khiva’s return, though nothing had been confirmed.

Khiva shook his head, grinning, when Kavik procured a bottle of Keriv’i brew. “Where in the universe did you get this?”

“I bought it off a trader on Mecena,” Kavik said. “The price was worth it. And something told me to save it.”

Kavik uncapped the bottle and offered it to Khiva, who gestured that he should take the first swig.

Kavik sighed after the brew slid down his throat and Khiva remembered that burn well. “There is nothing like Keriv’i brew. Perhaps that can be our next project.”

Khiva laughed, taking a swallow of it himself. It burned fiercely down his throat, but he felt it immediately warm his belly. “I am no brew master. You would have better luck.”

He handed the bottle back to Kavik and they passed it between themselves as they held their own small celebration. A celebration that truly felt like something more.

Khiva went back to the firestone, carefully cradling it in his palms, turning it so that it glinted in the light. He saw his reflection there.

Kavik said softly, “It is a piece of home. It is a memory. You have brought it back to life.”

Khiva corrected, once again, “We. Because if you had not planted the seed, or aided me in resources and equipment, this moment would not have been possible. I thank you for that, my friend.”

Kavik took another swig of the brew at that and Khiva joined him in one last taste, before he knew he should stop. He needed steady hands and a clear mind for the remainder of the night.

Eventually, Kavik said, “I will leave you now. I think I will go celebrate in a different way. With my female.”

Khiva laughed, wishing he could do the same right then. Kavik had taken a Laoti lover and seemed taken by her, spending his nights with her in his bed. Khiva was glad he had found that comfort.

“I will see you tomorrow,” Kavik said, but it sounded more like a question.

“Yes,” Khiva answered, his gaze back on the firestone. “I will see you tomorrow.”

Kavik inclined his head and then left Khiva alone in the labs. He inhaled a deep breath, savoring that moment. Digging into his pocket, he took out the unfinished ring he’d purchased from the market over a month ago.

He set it on the table, smiling when he thought of his female, his leeldra.

He looked at the firestone.

Then he got to work.

“There you are,” Eve exclaimed from the landing, peering down at Khiva when he approached their jivera tree. She had her feet dangling off the edge and she grinned, her belly fluttering as it always did when she saw her male. “I thought I would have to come drag you out of that lab again.”

Khiva shook his head, smiling, as he began to climb up the ladder. A lift would be going in next month, they were just waiting on supplies, which delighted Eve. There would be no more multiple food hauls up the ladder, at least, which would come in handy once she was deeper into her pregnancy.

Eve patted the spot next to her when he got up to the main landing and he lowered himself at her side, his thigh pressing into hers. He deposited his satchel next to him.

She smiled, leaning into her male, and he gave her a kiss in greeting, a sweet one that made her head spin.

And despite the fact that she wanted to jump his bones right there and then, she wanted to enjoy the night first. It was a cool evening, with little humidity, and a soft breeze that felt good on her cheeks.

The air was perfumed with the scent of the jivera flowers and soon, she knew the cold season would be coming and they would hibernate until the planet rotated into the hot season once more.

So for right then, she savored the smell and the silver light from the moon that was filtering in through the trees. A golden glow from inside their dwelling illuminated the landing enough so that she could see her male clearly.

“Hi,” she whispered against his lips. “How was your day?”

When Khiva pulled back, he was watching her in a way that made her straighten with awareness.

“What is it?”

“I love you,” he said, catching her off guard.

She smiled, her heart fluttering. “I know.”

“I…I do not know how I am supposed to do this,” he said next, which confused her.

“Do what?” she asked, furrowing her brow. Next, she joked, “You’re not breaking up with me are you? Might I remind you that I’m carrying your child?”

The edge of Khiva’s lips lifted and then he turned to his satchel, rustling for something inside as Eve wondered what was going on.

Then her breath left her completely.

Because in the center of his palm, which he held out to her, was a beautiful ring, with a silver band. And at its center was a red, faceted stone, the color of a ruby. The inside glowed gold.

It was the most beautiful stone she’d ever seen and she looked at it, swallowing, before locking her bewildered gaze to Khiva’s.

“What is this?” she asked softly, her heart thumping in her throat.

“A firestone,” he said.

Eve gasped, reaching out to squeeze his thigh. “You did it?” she asked, a slow grin spreading on her face. “Oh my God, you did! Khiva, I’m so proud of you!”

Khiva returned her smiled and she sensed his pleasure, his contentment with his accomplishment. It radiated off him, a calm confidence.

“I did, leeldra. Just this evening,” he said. “Then I broke a piece off that firestone to craft this for you.”

“You broke it,” she asked, flabbergasted. “But why?”

“Because I always wanted you to have the first one,” he replied and Eve’s eyes flickered back to the ring, his words bringing unexpected tears to her eyes. He was used to her crying by now. The hormones from her hybrid pregnancy did all kinds of strange things to her emotions.

But right then, all she felt was awe and love and happiness and joy.

“Among the Keriv’i,” he began softly, “chosen mates are bound in a simple ceremony.”

Eve’s breath hitched, her whole body stilling.

“It is private and intimate and I can say the binding words to you right now, if you will have me,” Khiva continued.

Eve’s lips parted. Because she realized he was proposing to her.

Her whole body seemed to warm and soften at the realization, her heart thumping so wildly in her chest she felt like she had two, just like her male.

“I confess I do not know how humans bind themselves, how they marry. But a Laoti female at the market told me that a ring was a binding mark for humans.”

On Old Earth, it had been. On Everton, rings hadn’t been used for a long time. Marriage marks were gold tattoos imprinted on the flesh. But truthfully, it had never appealed to Eve.

And Khiva knew she liked old things, old traditions…so she loved the ring, she loved what it meant.

He was still speaking and it took Eve a moment to realize he was nervous. He said, “We can bind ourselves in the human way or the Keriv’i way. Or both. I do not care, as long as you are bound to me and I am bound to you. As long as you know you have my love and respect and that I will cherish you and our children for the rest of our lives in this universe and the next.”

Tears pooled down her cheeks and when Khiva opened his mouth again, she leaned forward, pressing a kiss to quiet him. Because she had a feeling that he would keep talking through his nerves if she didn’t.

“Yes,” she whispered when she pulled back, her eyes meeting his. He inhaled a sharp breath at her word. In his language, she said, “Pax.”

“Pax?” he rasped, his beautiful eyes so dark she saw her reflection in them.

Eve nodded, kissing him again, before pulling back to inspect the firestone more closely. She laughed, happier than she thought possible, and she held her hand out towards him, gesturing to the correct finger.

Khiva slipped it on. A perfect fit.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, in awe, watching it shimmer and dance in the light.

And he’d wanted her to have it. If that didn’t speak of his love, she didn’t know what did.

Eve cupped the sides of his face, kissed him again, and said, “I don’t want to wait. Let’s do it now.”

Khiva whispered, “Vauk, I love you.”

“Are those the binding words?” she teased.

Khiva huffed out a small laugh, then he pulled her up to stand, so they were facing each other.

In front of him, he laid his hands flat, palms turned upwards and she hesitantly placed her hands over his, feeling the heat radiate into her own.

He brought her closer and then leaned down until their foreheads were touching, their eyes connected. And her chest ached so much because she loved this male, more than she ever thought possible.

“Close your eyes,” he ordered softly.

“Do I need to say anything?” she questioned.

“Veki,” he said. “Just…feel.”

Eve closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips, and took a deep breath. Even Dumera seemed to quiet around them, in anticipation of his words. The soft fragrance of the jivera flowers met her nostrils, the gentle humming of Dumerian insects she didn’t yet know the names of provided a soft music through the forest.

Then Khiva began to speak. Her pulse fluttered.

He spoke in Keriv’i, soft, slow words that floated over her like honey. She felt the cadence of them, the rhythm, like the words were a dance of gentle sways and spins. She went a little dizzy at their beauty and her lips parted, tingles radiating up and down her spine as she listened to his whispers.

And she might not know exactly what he was saying in his language, but she felt the power of those words. She felt their meaning, the message behind them. She felt his love for her when his voice went hoarse, when his hands trembled beneath hers, and she knew, as tears escaped her closed lids, that he was as affected by that moment as she was.

It was pure poetry and she’d never heard anything more beautiful.

Between them, their child grew and though they still had a long way to go in her pregnancy, she swore she felt the baby move in her womb, responding to the beautiful words too.

All too soon, it was over and Khiva’s voice dropped off into a gentle hush, the sounds of the Dumerian forest rushing back around them, enveloping them. Eve kept her eyes closed and her breath mingled with Khiva’s, breathing him into her lungs.

Eventually, they opened their eyes, coming back to reality.

“We are bound now, in the Keriv’i way,” he told her, his voice still hoarse.

“Human weddings,” she said softly, “are sealed with a kiss.”

Khiva’s eyes warmed and he dropped his palms from underneath hers so that he could wrap them around her waist instead, bringing her flush against his body.

And then, right on the landing of their tree dwelling, with a cool breeze drifting over them, and a firestone on her finger…they sealed their bond with a kiss.