“Other than bruising, scrapes, and torn skin, your shoulder is okay. What did you do to it again?” Dr. Savelli asked.
“A blast hurled me into a tree.”
“Auditory canal and tympanic membranes are responding to treatment. You will be sore for a few days. You got lucky. Had you hit that tree a few inches more to the left, you might have broken your neck.”
“I sense disapproval, Dr. Savelli.”
“You should. I feel a great deal of it. Here. Have a pain patch.”
Eventually, I entered the lift with Nico and Zared flanking me. We took it to the Imperial deck in silence.
“Mommy!” Niklos yelled. I bent down and held my arms open to catch my son as he ran into them. Closing my eyes, I inhaled his scent and rested my face on his hair.
“Where have you been?” Neema asked angrily.
I thought carefully about my response. “I had an assignment to do.”
“Oh, Neema learn colors.” She nodded sagely.
I spent my time with my children, grateful to have them, and lavishing them with my attention. It allowed my mind to decompress. After dinner, I played with the children and Thunderdrop until they were tired, gave the children their baths, nursed Peter until he fell asleep at my breast, and tucked them into their beds. Then, I watched them sleep until Fitz came to get me.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Fitz asked.
“Not yet. If you want to help, return all of these calls for me. It seems Gram, Grandmother, and everyone else wishes to speak to me all at once, and that’s not what I need right now.”
Fitz kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll take care of it.”
Drex and Eli had gone to listen to Felix’s drug induced semi-coherent ramblings. I still wasn’t sure if I could trust either of them, but Xavier swore to me that my prisoners would not escape. A deep weariness had set into me. I knew I needed sleep, but I didn’t want it. What I did want waited patiently for me, had been waiting patiently for weeks.
I walked to Nico where he sat on the couch and watched me. Reaching down, I took his hand. Standing, he willingly came with me to the bedroom. “Zared,” I said softly as we stepped inside of our room. Nico raised a questioning eyebrow at me. Opening his jacket, I moved my hands over his chest, running my palms over the fabric and up to his shoulders before pushing it down his arms to fall to the floor. I stared into Nico’s brown eyes and pulled the protective silk shirt he had worn from his pants and over his head. He had taken precautions for his safety. Nico had no intentions of falling victim to an attack and leaving us. My eyes threatened to spill over with the knowledge.
I sensed Zared behind me. He gathered my hair to move it over my shoulder, so he could reach the closure of my dress. My knuckles skimmed over Nico’s skin as I pushed his trousers down his thighs. My dress pooled at my feet, and I stepped closer to Nico until his warmth seeped into me. My lips found his neck. I had been too close to losing him.
“He was about to take you from me, as he took Luca and tried to take Zared.” A hard ache rose up to lodge in my throat. “I couldn’t bear losing you. I need you, so does your son.”
Nico trailed his fingers down my throat. “I know exactly what you need, woman.”
I laughed at him through my tears and wrapped my hand around his hot, thick, manly appendage. Nico and Zared both laughed at me.
Nico said, “Oh, you’re getting that.” He picked me up and laid me on the bed, covering my body with his own and burying himself inside of me. He said, “Come with me…”
I giggled. “We just started.”
Nico chuckled softly as he drew his hips back and pushed them forward. “To Apellan or any planet you wish. I think you need to get away for a while. All of us could benefit from it. What do you say?”
I moved my legs up and felt Nico’s hips and sides against my inner thighs. Zared joined us in bed, capturing my left breast in his hot, wet mouth. In my thoughts, Zared asked, “Do you like that?”
Moaning, I said, “Oh, yes. Yes.”
Nico said, “It’s settled then.”
My Laconian husband began spiraling so much pleasure through me that their little trick to procure my verbal agreement didn’t matter to me.
The next day eager to return to a schedule, I went to meet my team in the gym. Seeing to Peter’s needs had already made me tardy. Rushing into the lift, I stopped short in surprise when a clawed hand prevented the door from closing. Farowyn’s brown eyes met mine as he entered the lift command. Then, he stared straight ahead. I stared at his pointed ear until the door opened. He silently followed me from the lift. Then, he went over to where his men waited.
“Her majesty finally graces us with her presence,” Inquisitor Rovek said rather snottily.
Through a mouth opened as though ready to scream, I dragged in a shocked breath. “I thought you were dead!” I stumbled toward him. “I thought they had killed you!”
“So, did we,” Cedrenus said quietly.
Rovek gave me a bored look. I kept staring at him, trying to understand what was going on and how he was here. “Continue to stare at me like that, and I will count it as insubordination.”
“Yes, sir,” I said. I shot a glance at Clark. He looked like he had seen a ghost. So, it wasn’t just me.
Eli approached us. “Teagan, Rovek isn’t one for acknowledgements of bravery or accolades. He responds best to cadets who follow protocol. Allowances have been made for your rank and familial situation. Inquisitor Rovek may seem harsh, but I assure you he is not.”
“But…”
“Teagan, you must learn to be prompt. It would be better for you to practice doing so here than at the Academy.”
Was Eli deliberately misunderstanding me? Rovek was alive and standing in front of us. I thought he had been stabbed to death protecting the boys.
Eli continued on as though we were having the same conversation which confused me and the boys. I could tell from their eyes that we had the same questions. “He isn’t as strict as the expression on your face suggests. During my days at the Academy, my team and I had a loathsome instructor. He once left us naked on a mountain in winter for a week and ordered us to survive.”
“Oh, Eli! That’s wretched! Was he punished?”
Eli tilted his head and met my eyes. “No. We banded together and lived. However, during that first night, we vowed revenge. We knew what would happen should we be caught, but made it our mission to play an evil prank on him each week until we graduated.”
“Did you ever get caught?”
“No, I never got caught and neither did Rovek.” Eli grinned at me.
I scowled at him and glared at Rovek. So, they were buddies. Great.
“Probus and Ross, spar,” Rovek ordered.
With a sigh, I put on my gloves. The way Ross sparred with me reminded me of how Nico play wrestled with Niklos. Afterwards, the two of us sat to the side of the mat and drank water while I caught my breath. Ross didn’t need to. He grinned at me sheepishly. Clark and Binder had replaced us on the mat and were tearing each other up. My attention strayed from them to the other side of the gym where metal sounded against metal. Farowyn and one of his men had stripped down to their shorts and were sparring with long knives. Their faces had been transformed from their intense concentration. I watched the muscles slide beneath Farowyn’s skin as he twisted and brought his blade down. One of his men caught me ogling Farowyn and grinned. I blushed and turned away in time to see Clark hit the mat with his back. Cedrenus and Levi were next. I sneered at them. They were hitting each other as hard as they could.
“Why do you wear such an expression?” Ross asked.
“I’ll never learn to protect myself if my sparring partners are always babying me.”
Clark said, “I once allowed myself to be manipulated into actually sparring with you. It is something I deeply regret. Speaking of manipulation, did you notice that?” he asked Ross.
I looked back and forth between the two of them.
Ross said, “I did.”
“What?”
Clark said, “Inquisitor Beck and Inquisitor Rovek used a misdirection technique to change the subject from Rovek’s supposed death. They are hiding something.”
“I want to know what it is,” I said quietly.
“We’d better find out carefully,” Ross said under his breath.
Talking out loud to myself, I said, “As Inquisitors we are taught to gather intelligence, learn the secrets of our enemies, and punish those who break our laws. We must serve loyally without allowing our personal feelings to affect our judgement.” Something or everything was feeling off to me, but as soon as I started to grasp an idea as to what, Rovek interrupted.
“Two miles,” he ordered.
I groaned. I hated running. It took me longer than everyone else and made my boobs hurt. I had finally finished and noticed the boys had surrounded a sparring mat to watch. Being nosy, I squeezed in between Levi and Stayton so I could see. Eli and Rovek circled each other. They were bare from the waist up and held dull blades in each hand. In a burst of speed, they came together. The clashes of metal filled the air as they dueled with the four blades striking too quickly for me to keep up. I tried concentrating only on Eli’s right hand. It frightened me. Even more terrifying was that they stared into each other’s eyes as they stabbed, parried, and deflected as if the blades were extensions of their arms in some deadly game of pat-a-cake. I gasped as Eli crossed his blades in front of his face to catch Rovek’s blade. He lashed out with his left foot as Rovek angled his second blade at Eli’s unprotected side.
By the time they had concluded their match, I held my hands clasped together under my chin hiding my lips with my index fingers to keep myself from crying out.
Calmly, Rovek announced, “Once you learn hand-to-hand, you will begin sparring with wooden batons. Dismissed.”
I hunkered down into myself a bit more. The Inquisitors hadn’t even broken a sweat. I wondered if the demonstration had been for us or for Farowyn and his men.
When I returned to my quarters, Nico met me in the shower and kept me there until my fingers were shriveled. We had started laughing and were still doing so as we came because of the sound my rear made as it slapped against the shower wall. Nico handed me a towel for my hair. I told him about the demonstration Eli and Rovek had put on for us.
“Teagan, there is something you should know.” Nico’s tone had turned serious.
I waited wondering if it had to do with Felix or with Flavin and Maxim. “What is it?”
His hands moved lovingly over my wet hair. “For the duration of your training at the Academy, you along with other students in levels nine through twelve will be tested by various Inquisitors as they return from assignments for fun.”
“For fun?” I asked as I looked at Nico as though he were nuts.
Nico laughed. “Participating as villains in cadet training activities is enjoyable for seasoned spies. It’s a relaxing game, requires very little effort, and allows for them to interact to an extent with the children while giving back to the program.”
“Children? I’m not a child!”
“Teagan, when you are a few decades older, Academy students will seem like children to you,” Nico said in a placating tone.
“Do I seem like a child to you?” I scowled up at him.
“No, and don’t forget that I know why you want to graduate, for our own daughter.” Nico kissed my scowl away.
Later that day, I was sitting on a couch with Niklos looking at a picture book. His bare foot was in my hand, and I gave it a gentle squeeze. It was a fat little foot and almost as long as my hand. I kissed his toes. Niklos laughed and pulled his foot away from me. Fitz had been pensive and now held Peter, who had a calming effect on him. He brought his index finger down to Peter’s nose, making him go cross eyed. Peter trilled and grabbed Fitz’s finger with both of his clawed hands. Thunderdrop sat on the floor with Neema and allowed her to pet him. I took a deep cleansing breath. My family was safe for now. However, I continued to fear the accomplices of Flavian and Maxim within the Inquisitors Branch and any others who might be sympathetic to their cause.
Fitz said, “Teagan, I see the look of fearful torment on your face. Felix is captured, and you are safe as long as you keep a guard detail with you at all times and aren’t so foolish as to wander off alone.” He had brought Peter up to his shoulder and was rubbing small circles on his back.
“Until this is settled, I won’t even go to the Academy without my guards.”
I looked up at the wall-mounted vid-screen. Since their capture, I had kept a live feed open upon it at all times and watched Felix, Flavian, and Maxim in their confinement cells. Flavian hadn’t received any further punishments from my husbands for what he had done to me, and it was souring my feelings toward Drex, Nico, Zared, and Fitz. Had they forgiven him for what he had done to me? Was Papa intent on being the one to punish him? Due to my feelings of hurt and anger, I didn’t broach the topic. It seemed my husbands were purposefully avoiding me. Perhaps, they sensed my mood and didn’t want to fight. However, I also suspected that Drex, Nico, and Eli worked together to discover those who were working with the traitors.
Flavian persistently asked to speak to Clark. Clark had refused. At least he was loyal to me. All of the cadets were loyal to me, and none of us understood why Flavian and Maxim weren’t being tortured for answers, unless they had already confessed everything they knew which hadn’t been shared with me. Felix was recovering from the knife wounds I had inflicted. He would be well enough to stand trial, and this time I intended to be there for it.
When we docked on Parvac, Papa, his entire Military Advisory Committee, and my own came aboard the Empress. They didn’t come to my deck but instead went to the confinement cells. I rushed to join them eager to learn what my prisoners’ punishments would be. I arrived in time to see Papa enter Felix’s cell. He was sitting upright on his bunk and watched Papa approach. I moved closer afraid that Felix might hurt my Papa in some way. Everyone was silent, waiting to hear each of Papa’s words, to hear him confront Felix for all of the pain to which he had subjected us.
Papa’s hands reached out and closed around Felix’s throat. Felix brought his own hands up trying to break Papa’s hold. Papa tilted his head back as Felix attempted to gouge at his eyes. Papa squeezed harder. Felix started to turn a deep red and made ugly sounds as he tried to get air in through his nose and mouth. He brought an arm up between Papa’s hands, trying to break his hold. Papa didn’t budge. He just kept squeezing Felix’s throat. Felix kicked and tried to twist away. His gasps for air, and feet and legs as he thrashed against the bunk, made the only ugly sounds. He started to claw at Papa’s hands and left lines of bloodied flesh on Papa’s skin. Papa made no sound. He kept squeezing.
I saw desperation and then fear enter Felix’s eyes from where I stood, but all he could see was Papa. The empty, sightless look I had seen in Luca’s eyes as he died in my arms appeared on Felix’s face. Only then did Papa remove his hands from Felix’s throat. He took Felix by the chin and back of his head and in a quick move twisted. I heard a snap. He had broken his neck. Papa clasped his hands behind his back and gazed down at Felix. Then, he turned and left the cell. Noticing my attendance at Felix’s execution, he paused. It was as though he were afraid to look at me, afraid of what he might see in my eyes, but Papa wasn’t a coward. He lifted his eyes and stared into mine.
Raising my chin, I stared right back. Then, I gave him the lowest curtsy I could manage, bowing my head to him as I did so. All of the officers went down to their right knees beside and around me. We remained that way in silence.
“Rise,” Papa ordered. When we stood, I noticed Eli, Drex, Nico, Fitz, Rovek, and Captain Ricimer. Papa said, “Open these cells.”
Captain Ricimer obeyed. I wondered what Papa would do to Flavian, another male I hated with a passion. Papa motioned for Flavian to exit the cell. I anticipated watching Papa’s fist hitting him square in the face. Flavian came out, stood at attention, and saluted. Maxim did the same.
Papa said to Eli, “You have done well.”
Eli bowed to him. “It was a team effort, Emperor Probus.”
Papa shook hands with Eli, Flavian, Maxim, and Rovek. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. Papa turned his attention to me. “Daughter, I use my warriors to accomplish my goals. Attaining certain goals often requires pain, sacrifice, and subterfuge. You volunteered to be one of my warriors, but rather than fighting, I needed you to play a part, one that you played quite well. Capturing Felix took months of careful planning. We have Eli and his team to thank for it.”
“The list…”
“Prefabricated,” Papa said.
“The Inquisitors opposed to...”
“No one dares oppose me, daughter.”
“Flavian and what he did...”
“He drugged you, Teagan. Other than kissing you and removing your attire, he did nothing to you. It was a ruse. If you hadn’t truly feared him and believed him, Felix wouldn’t have either, and he would still be roaming free to strike at us again.”
“Clark and the boys...”
Papa said, “Every cadet faces the harshest loyalty tests devisable. They passed theirs.”
I stood with my mouth open and thoughts that made my head dizzy.
“We will speak of this again. Nico, get her home,” Papa said.
Nico gave me his arm and escorted me to the lift. I searched the stoic faces of Eli, Rovek, Flavian, and Maxim as we walked by them. They didn’t make eye contact with me. Once the lift doors closed, my confusion turned to anger. I shoved Nico away. “How could you?” I yelled.
“I didn’t know until we had them confined on the ship.”
“You didn’t know?”
“No, Eli told me to keep me from killing Flavian. Yukihyo, Drex, and Fitz didn’t know either.”
“But, Eli knew and so did my Omnes Videntes? They knew the entire time but said nothing?”
“They were under orders from Emperor Probus. They owe him loyalty and obedience above you and everyone else. You know that. With Felix alive, none of us would ever have been safe. If you don’t want to be a piece on your father’s stones board, leave the Academy,” Nico said. “Otherwise, play your part with the rest of us.”
Nico and I stepped from the lift and out onto the Imperial deck where I paced. It was best that no one spoke to me in those moments. Pierce and Lorca had the children in the nursery, and Thunderdrop watched me from his web above Sue. Eventually, I sat with a cup of coffee and noticed that everyone watched me as if in limbo. Sparrow seemed agitated to visit her lab. It was all she had been talking about.
“Xavier, take Sparrow home.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Go. Take Violet, Poppy, and Kaoti with you. I need to sit here for a while.” I wondered if it might be better to spend the night on my ship. I wasn’t in the mood to speak to Papa, not right now and maybe not tomorrow. “Go! All of you, out!”
Finally, they listened. I watched the vid-screen in silence. Felix’s remains had been removed from my ship. The Inquisitors had disembarked along with Papa and his guards. Terre remained with me along with the children, Pierce, Lorca, Nico, Zared, and Farowyn.
“Chirp?” I looked at Thunderdrop. He showed me an image of bunny rabbits.
I nodded to him in silent agreement just as the lift doors opened and Vice Admiral Dario Galerius entered. “Now isn’t a good time, Dario. I’ve just decided to leave. You should go.”
“Is my company unwelcome?”
“No….”
“Then, it’s settled. Where are we going?”
“Ephors.”
“Captain Ricimer accompanied Tavere,” Nico said.
With a challenge in my eyes, I looked at Dario. “Take us to Ephors.”
Dario saluted me and went to the bridge.
Nico said, “Fitz accompanied him as well.”
“Whatever. They can find us on Ephors or not. I really don’t care.” To the room, I asked, “Are you coming with us or getting off of my ship?”
Terre sat and folded her hands demurely on her lap. Nico strode off to the kitchen and made himself a sandwich.
“Teagan,” Zared started.
“I don’t want to fucking talk to you. You knew. All of my Omnes Videntes knew. You knew that Flavian hadn’t sexually assaulted me, but you allowed me to believe it and suffer. Fuck you, fuck all of you, and fuck Eli.”
Zared tried to touch me, and I slapped his hands away. He said, “We were under orders from Emperor Probus. Would you have us disobey him and commit treason? You made us swear oaths to him.”
I felt my ship lift off. Within seconds, my vid-screen was signaling. I answered it and saw Papa. He stared at me before speaking. “Have I frightened my daughter away?”
I thought my eyes would dislodge. “Frightened me? Frightened me? I’m so pissed off at you! You lied to me! It was all a manipulation! You know what, Papa? Fuck you, too!” I ended the communication.
Terre, Nico, Zared, and Chef all looked like they were about to have heart attacks and die. My vid-screen came on without me accepting the call. It was Papa. I hurled a pillow at his face.
“Young lady, you will not speak to me in that manner.”
“Okay. How about this?” I smiled sweetly. “Fuck you up your…”
Papa ended the call before I could finish. Nico choked on his sandwich, and Chef whacked him on the back to help dislodge it. Seconds later, two warships were flanking us.
“Who the hell is that?” I asked. The calls started immediately in answer to my question.
Answering, I saw Drex. “Dearest one, why have you left? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to Ephors.”
“Teagan, your father loves you. I’m certain he didn’t wish for you to witness Felix’s execution.”
“I don’t give a shit about Felix. I’m glad the bastard is dead. I would have killed him myself if Nico hadn’t pulled me off of him. After everything he did to us, he got what he deserved.”
“Then, why?”
“Why? Is that a fucking joke? You don’t know why?”
Drex looked at me with a blank expression. I ended our call. The other warship was captained by Eli. Rather than speaking to him when he called, I flipped him off and contacted my bridge.
“Dario, refuse all communication from Inquisitor Eli Beck. Better yet, each time he calls, tell him to fuck off, and then end the call.”
“Yes, Princess.”
I stormed into my room, ripped my dress while changing into exercise clothes, and went to the gym. Thunderdrop came with me.
“Chitter chitter chitter!”
“You’re right. They’re all fucking assholes. Did they think that I was too stupid and weak to be trusted with plans to capture Felix?”
“Chirp.”
I scowled at Thunderdrop. We had the gym to ourselves. Everyone was afraid of me, or so I thought. Terre joined me. She had changed and now activated the treadmill beside me.
“I can’t believe you told Emperor Probus to go fuck himself. You should apologize.”
“Nope. Not gonna happen. He can go fuck himself repeatedly. Eli can go fuck himself. Zared can go fuck himself. Everyone who knew that Flavian didn’t really assault me can go fuck themselves.”
“It was shitty of them,” Terre agreed. The very prim and cultured way she had spoken those words had me laughing.
“Yes. It was shitty, and I’m pissed.”
“Felix is no longer a threat to you or your family.”
“No, but Flavian let me think he meant to kill my children and my family on Tora. Who the fuck does that, especially if he was supposed to be on our side the whole time?” The sounds our feet made were the only ones that we made for some time.
“Teagan, from what I know of the former Ambassador Felix Jiri, he wasn’t one who was easily fooled, nor was his discovery and capture a simple enterprise. How many have hunted for him, and for how long have they done so?”
“Chirp chirp.” Thunderdrop showed me a mental image of a rat that squeezed into a small deep hole.
I shrugged at Terre.
She said, “Perhaps, your anger will lessen.”
“Doubtful,” I said in a petulant tone.
“Teagan, there you are,” Dario said as he walked over to us.
“Yes, and here you are. Why aren’t you flying my ship?” I wiped my sweat off on the inside of my shirt.
“She is in capable hands. The Emperor is demanding to speak to you.”
“So?” I kept up my pace.
“If I do not bring you to speak to him at once, I will be flogged upon arrival at whichever land port we dock. I do not fear punishment and will submit to it if it is your wish,” Dario calmly stated.
Terre stumbled to a stop and gaped at me.
I slammed my hand down against my treadmill’s control panel to stop it. “Damn it!” I turned to Dario who waited patiently for an interpretable response. “You’re a Vice Admiral. Surely, he wouldn’t have you beaten to punish me.” The look on Terre’s face told me otherwise. “Fine.”
I followed Dario to the bridge with Thunderdrop on my shoulder. Papa was watching the bridge activity from his office on Parvac. He filled the main viewscreen. Dario stood at attention. The bridge crew seemed terrified. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at Papa.
“Daughter, you have every right to be upset with me and everyone else for as long as you deem necessary. However, your mother is undeserving of your temper. She has taken to her bed in distress.”
Forgetting my fury with Papa and the Inquisitors for a moment, I asked, “What has upset her? Isn’t she relieved that Felix is no longer a threat?”
“It had nothing to do with Felix and everything to do with you.”
“What did I do?”
“You left.”
“So?”
“Call your mother, immediately. And, Teagan, I love you. In your anger, try not to forget that I love you.” I could see the hurt in Papa’s eyes before he ended the call. It made me feel like shit, even though my feelings were completely justified. I called Momma, who answered immediately.
“Teagan, my baby. Please, come home. Don’t leave.”
I was shocked by her appearance. Momma looked absolutely disgusting. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her nose was red and running, and her skin was splotchy. Momma was the reason I looked ugly when I cried.
“Momma, why are you crying?”
“I heard you left immediately after arriving. I haven’t seen you or the babies in weeks, and you left without a word. Why, Teagan? Felix is no longer a threat. Come home where you belong.”
“Momma, don’t cry. Please. I’m going to Ephors to cool off.”
“Why?” Momma sniffled.
“Ask Papa. Feel free to join me on Ephors if you want, but I’m too angry to be around Papa, the Palace, or his Inquisitors right now.”
“So, you’re not moving to Arachne?” Momma asked as she noisily blew her nose.
“No, Momma. I’m going to Ephors to clear my head. I couldn’t ever leave you anymore than I could leave my children. You mean too much to me. Alright?”
She nodded and wiped at her eyes. Her delicate shoulders shook, and for a moment I felt that our roles had reversed. Other than her years spent in captivity, Momma had been protected and pampered. She might be bossy, but beneath it all she was fragile.
“You really wouldn’t mind if I were to come to Ephors? I don’t want to be separated from you at the moment. How do I go about the arrangements?”
The question made her seem rather helpless to me. “I’ll tell you what, Momma. Go wash your face, pack a few things, and we’ll come back to pick you up. Alright?”
She wiped at more of her tears. “You’ll come back for me?” Momma started crying again.
“Yes, I’ll send a transport for you once we dock.” I tried to make my voice as soothing as possible.
“Alright, my sweet. I’ll be ready. How long will it be?” Her voice shook slightly as she tried to calm herself.
“A few hours,” I assured her before ending the call. Then, I used every expletive I had ever learned on Earth, Amphictyon, and Malta.
“Impressive,” Dario said.
“Oh, stuff it. Go get my Momma.”
Thunderdrop and I returned to my deck. Through the viewport in my bedroom, I could see the two warships changing course to follow us. The stars seemed to whiz by much faster on our way to Parvac than they had on our departure away from it. My vid-screen signaled.
“What?” I asked angrily as I answered it.
Yukihyo gave me an annoyed look. “Do you mind telling me what you are doing, Lady Wife?”
Since we had spoken every day and night since I had returned to the Empress, I knew Jazon must have had a recent conversation with him. “Let me guess. Jazon told you about today.”
“No, Kaoti called. He’s angry with you. He said you tricked him into leaving you behind on the ship and then left. What is your plan?”
“My plan is to clear my head and calm down on Ephors, but now I have to go home and get Momma. I learned something. It’s all her fault that I look ugly when I cry.”
“Why is she troubled? I would have thought she would be relieved.”
“She’s crying because I left. We are going to get her. So, how long before you arrive on Ephors?”
“It will be a few weeks. We will dock on Arachne in a few days. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”