Lissi stirred the spoon in her kaffe as her maman puttered around the kitchen muttering about something that drifted over Lissi’s head. Her papan finished his morning meal and lowered his utensils with a final scrape.

“Will you tell me what is on your mind?” he asked, folding his hands on the table.

Lissi offered a smile but the ends curled downward. “Nothing, Papan.”

“I believe it is the Jutak in Torkel’s Unit,” her maman said, joining them at the table.

Lissi’s face grew hot. “Maman!”

Shaya Alonson cast a chiding look in her daughter’s direction. “You have made no secret of your interest in him.”

Her papan sighed. “Do yourself a favor and set your sights elsewhere, Lissi. Rydak Jaard is a difficult male.”

“I don’t have my sights on him.” The lie fell easily and her parents knowing look left her sighing. Lissi shrugged her shoulders. “Anyway, he’s not interested in me and has made it very clear.”

“Life as a Jutak is dangerous. They place their lives on the line each time they respond to a threat. Our military relies on them when ordinary soldiers can’t get the job done.”

Her papan would know. He’d once worked for the government on Enotia.

“Does that mean he can never find love?” Lissi meant the question sincerely.

Her maman placed a hand over hers. “We only worry that you may not be ready to be Chosen to one such as...” She exchanged a glance with Lissi’s papan. “Rydak Jaard.”

She knew a little of the Jaard’s history. In order to be legally declared a couple, women and men participated in a chosen ceremony. The tradition involved men waiting to be selected by a woman who wished to be protected and cared for. As the years went by, it evolved into the current process in which a couple tended to go in together, knowing they would select one another.

It didn’t mean unattached individuals couldn’t participate, it just made things harder. Especially if one came from an illustrious family like the Jaards. Women fought during presentations in an effort to be their Chosens. It was a privilege to belong to Rydak’s family line for various reasons.

“Do you not like Rydak, maman?” Lissi sensed more to her maman’s words.

It was her papan who shoved his chair back and held her gaze as he spoke. “The man you would choose can not be with you, Lissi.”

Her heart dropped and a pit in her stomach opened. Her papan never denied her anything and Lissi tried hard not to put him in a difficult position because of it. “Why would you say that?”

A frown pulled at his blond brows. Even with years gaining on him her papan was a handsome man. He met her maman’s gaze and must have received a sign of some sort. Squeezing her hand once, her maman removed her touch.

Her papan leaned forward. “What do you feel for Jutak Jaard?”

“I love him.” The truth fell from her lips with no prevarication.

Her maman gasped but her papan nodded. “I had hoped not.”

“Papan!”

His pointed look sent a tiny wave of fear through her. “It is not my place to share his secrets but trust me when I say he will never be your Chosen. He can’t.”

Tension crackled on the air. Her heart pounded. They were being too secretive and part of her became frightened. They liked Rydak. She knew that but it was evident they wouldn’t support her love for him. Lissi thought about listing all the good things she knew about Rydak but her brother entered the front door.

‘Torkel!” Her maman was on her feet and curving her arms around Torkel before he crossed the threshold.

Her papan hid his smile behind his hand and Lissi bit her lip to keep from laughing as her brother attempted to close the door behind him and enter the house fully without dislodging their petite maman’s grasp from about his waist. Beside his larger frame, she looked like a delicate flower.

“Greetings, Maman.” Finally succeeding, Torkel leaned over and kissed her temple, his arms hugging her tight.

“Join us and I will fix you something to eat.” Shaya bustled back to the counter and began placing food on a plate.

Torkel grimaced and took the seat beside Lissi. He yanked on her hair. “I’ve eaten already.”

Lissi batted at his hand and stuck her tongue out at him. Not to be outdone, he flicked her nose with his blunt fingers. “Ouch!”

“Lissi, leave your brother be. He hasn’t visited in a while.”

Her mouth dropped. Torkel was always home to visit. If he stayed away at the base more than two days without visiting, their papan called and reminded him to see his maman.

Torkel smirked in Lissi’s direction. “Yes, Lissi. Leave me to enjoy myself.”

Unable to resist, Lissi snickered and reached over to one arm hug her brother. He’d been adopted by Shaya and Marlin as a baby thus he became the son of their heart. After years of thinking he’d be their only child, Lissi arrived. She loved having an older brother and both of them played at winning their maman’s affection when the truth was that Shaya loved them beyond measure.

“Here, Torkel. A little something.” Her maman set a full plate before Torkel.

Instead of protesting, he dutifully began eating.

Her papan cleared his throat. His glance strayed from Torkel to her and back. Trepidation uncoiled in Lissi’s belly. “Perhaps your brother could recommend someone nice for you.”

“Recommend?” Torkel paused, gaze lifting from his plate to meet hers. Lissi’s face flamed.  Though he asked the question, she knew by the way his brown eyes narrowed that he understood.

“Marlin!” Her maman snapped. “One soldier is just as bad as another.”

“Lissi?” Her brother’s deep voice rumbled.

Not wanting to get into an unnecessary argument, Lissi rose to her feet. “Nothing to worry about, Tor.”

He pushed his half-eaten plate away and leaned back in his chair. Lissi hated the unnerving silence of his stare. Right when she thought she’d succumb to his tactic and blurt out everything, he sighed heavily then propped his elbows on the table.

“This is about Rydak Jaard.”

Granting the siblings a moment of privacy, her maman and papan slid out of the door leading from the kitchen. Lissi slouched back into her chair. “I can’t control how I feel. I’m not trying to create a problem.”

“You’re never a problem, Lissi.” Torkel dragged his chair close until their knees bumped. He cupped her chin in his big palm. “Does Rydak have feelings for you as well?”

It took a lot to swallow past the knot in her throat. After Rydak had rescued her that night and they’d kissed, Lissi briefly allowed herself the luxury of thinking he would really see her. Instead, he had returned to his normal taciturn self barely acknowledging her presence if she showed up.

“Lissi?” Her brother stroked a hand through her hair. “You can always talk to me.”

There wasn’t a time in her life when Torkel wasn’t there for her. She could always count on her brother. Despite her pain, Lissi mustered the energy to face him, her lips curling up in a weak smile. “He doesn’t want me. He has made his feelings very clear.”

Torkel’s gaze darkened and the hand in her hair tightened. “Did—”

“No!” She cut him off. “He has been respectful, Torkel.”

Honestly, she didn’t think Rydak could be anything but though his reserve hurt more than she could possibly say.

***

Rydak tried to concentrate on the training as Jahul explained what he wanted. Only the members of Team Three were present for today’s activity. It was a short drive from base and kept them close in case they were called out. They favored the abandoned site for the intense outdoor sessions which took place but they’d never used the sheer rock cliff itself. Every time he focused, thoughts of Lissi invaded.

“Is everyone prepared?” Jahul asked, walking in front of them along the grassy incline.

Bane and Vee agreed instantly. Khane glanced from the cable swinging from the top then to Rydak with an arched blond brow. “We already know Bane and V’hor will do well with this exercise. It’s the rest of us that concerns me.”

It was good to see Khane relaxing enough to joke. At first, he’d held himself back. Watching. Always watching but never shirking his responsibility.

A small smile kicked up the side of Rydak’s mouth. “Agreed. Last one to the top has clean up duty.”

Khane flinched and hurried to check his safety harnesses. As the newest member of Team Three, he always committed to not backing down to any of the trainings and challenges Jahul devised. Rydak smirked as he checked his own latches. Bane ruthlessly destroyed rooms if he knew the loser of any competition had to clean them. It was one of the few gestures of mischief the large Jutak ever made.

“Ready.” Determination filled Rydak’s voice as he pushed Lissi’s disappointed face from his mind.

“I’m a go,” Khane answered right after him.

Jahul signaled to all of them. “I will time the climb to the top. Smooth drop back down and then we’ll do partner climbs.”

Everyone nodded and faced the jagged surface. Jahul wanted this particular conditioning to improve their precision and ability to respond under pressure. It wasn’t a new exercise for them since they worked on rapid extractions from shuttles, rappelling from cables to surface often. Too many missions required speed and agility as an asset but the conditions today—with the wind and rocky surface would make it trickier.

After checking his belts and harness one last time, Rydak braced his gloved palms on the flat of the upright wall. The others on the team mimicked his actions.

“Go!”

Jahul’s command launched all of them upward. As Khane predicted, Vee and Bane started smoothly. The suction pad on the tips of Bane’s bare fingers automatically gave him an edge. Rydak slid his booted feet into barely there holes and edged forward. Vee showed no fear and the fluid surety of his Serpine nature made this part an easy trip for him.

“Fuck!”

Rydak glanced over his right shoulder when Khane cursed but his friend’s progress was slightly ahead of his. He took a deep breath and pried his fingers into the next available crevices and pushed up. Not once did he glance back, focusing on the end goal. Awareness narrowed to the top of the wall and reaching the goal.

“Faster, old man,” Vee teased, hanging by one hand and holding position several feet above. His body made clinging to the rock wall look simple as if he wasn’t hundreds of feet away from the ground. He appeared calm and not unnerved by the danger at all.

Unlike Khane who had sweat trickling down his face, dampening his hair on the edges to a deep dark blond. Slightly to the left of Rydak, Bane snarled, his steady climb lacking Vee’s speed but proving just as efficient. With Bane’s bulk and Vee’s lithe form, it surprised him that both men chose the same exact path, neither veering from the lack of hand or footholds.

Though they didn’t really need them. If this was a true op both men would have used their innate abilities and reached the top long before.

Another curse sounded from Khane and Rydak soon found himself fighting a grin as he passed Khane, closing the gap between he and Bane with his sideways strategy of pull, push and crawl.

Bane sneered at Vee, who appeared surprised to see Rydak getting closer. “Who’s the old man now?”

Vee laughed and sprung into action as he stopped joking to increase his pace. The wind picked up and Rydak leaned forward and tucked his head closer, protecting his eyes from loose debris. As soon as it settled, he continued.

“I hate Jahul!” Khane yelled, sheer determination on his face. Jagged stones ripped holes into his gloves and a long scratch bled on his temple. Muscles bulged beneath his black shirt as he stretched his arms above his head and gripped the tiny cracks.

Rydak shook his head, then centered himself and eased forward. Every step became a struggle since the top provided less slits to place his hands but not about to stop, Rydak kept going. Bane and Vee pulled even with one another. They exchanged glances as they rested their weight on their hips, the harness not showing strain from their weight.

“I win!” Bane declared.

Vee gaped, gaze narrowed. “Not yet you haven’t.”

Ignoring a hand hold, Bane pushed away from the wall and leaped backward into the open air. The harness clinked as it caught and held, suspending him mid-air.

Khane groaned and closed his eyes as he let his head thump the rocky surface. “Why? Why?”

Panic creased Vee’s features as he scrambled, arms and legs moving in concert to race to the top.

Black webbing shot from Bane’s wrists and snagged on the anchors supporting the cables at the top. He hovered mid-air before shooting to the top and landing in a crouch right before Vee slapped a palm down and reached over the edge.

More curses filled the air but this time with a sibilant hiss and trill that signaled Vee’s displeasure. Rydak climbed up and only shook his head. Sweating and shaking, Khane came over last and dropped to his ass with his head hanging between his parted legs. “Crazy fuckers.”

“Now down!” Jahul ordered from below.

Bane clapped Khane on the shoulder, his strength shoving the team member hard enough to tip him over and land close to the edge. Khane jumped to his feet and wobbled back. Vee laughed, already clamping his hook to one of the four cables.

“See you on the bottom, losers.” Vee launched over the cliff, the whine of the winch loud in his rapid descent.

Bane skipped the cable and anchor set aside for him and braced over the side before going over in a backwards flip. Khane made retching sounds but methodically attached his clips and clamps to the third cable and dove over. Rydak checked to confirm his friend really was fine and watched Khane leap and hop every few feet with the expertise of one confident in his skills as he rappelled down.

Much as he complained about heights, Khane excelled at each task Jahul presented.

“Rydak, move your ass!”

Jahul’s order sent Rydak to hustle. He loved the challenge of being on Team Three. The brotherhood and mutual respect from being a Jutak warrior couldn’t be matched. There was no better use of his time and skill set since he could never look forward to spending his life with a Chosen.

Disappointed blue eyes flashed in front of his vision. The face of Lissi Alonson continued to haunt him since that night but Rydak ruthlessly quelled the image once more. At the bottom, the team gathered around Jahul, who handed each of them a fluid supplement.

“Not bad.” Jahul grunted at Khane who had one knee braced on the ground, guzzling his drink. A humorous light flickered in his blue eyes. “For most of you. Rydak, you were distracted and slow. Work on it.”

Rydak smothered a curse and worked the tension from his neck and shoulders before nodding. He finished the supplement and crushed the bio-container in his hands. Mangled bits of ruined leather bared his fingers along with deep scratches and a thin cut.

“Now let’s try the partner climbs while jumping from the shuttle.” Jahul’s gaze glittered with glee.

Khane groaned.