The skystalk stood out against the dark sky, lights flickering along its length as capsules raced up and down it. It was good to see that trade continued without me, and I just had to hope that nothing too bad had happened in my absence.

We were nearly home now, close enough to signal the castle and let my people know I was back. Fliers leaped into the sky to greet us, warily circling as the Halloran drew close to the island. No one wanted to trust a ship like this close to the island — pirates weren't above trying to attack a settlement if they had the chance, and our port would be a rich target indeed.

Not today, though. The Halloran drew close without loading its weapons, and there were smiles all round as we parted. Several of the crew offered me crude but well-meaning suggestions for how Gemma and I should celebrate our return. I hoped that she didn't understand them, but the blush on her cheeks was proof that she at least got the gist.

"You're welcome to stay a little while," I offered Captain Orshak as a flier dropped down to pick us up. "You've been a good friend, and I'll not turn you away."

He laughed, a booming sound that filled the air. "We'll trade some of the supplies we picked up," he said. "Then we'll be off. I don't want to spoil our friendship by making you put up with my lads on shore leave, and besides, I need to get the Halloran to a shipyard. Need some work done after that fight."

I nodded, understanding all too well. His ship came first for him, just as Rohar came first for me. This was the first time I'd felt sympathy for a pirate, and it felt strange.

"You'll get good prices here," I promised. Orshak smiled and nodded, clasping my hand.

The guards on the flier that came down to collect us were wary, keeping their hands near their weapons until Gemma and I were aboard. Only when the flier lifted off again did they really trust that this wasn't a trap of some kind with us as bait. Their leader, Kaldash, turned to us as soon as we were airborne.

"Welcome back, Protector," he said, flashing us a grin. "We'd almost given up hope — the search parties found nothing, not even wreckage."

Not too big a surprise, given how far the storm had carried us. There must have been hundreds if not thousands of small islands in that area, and only so many of the Rohar could be spared for the search.

I clapped him on the shoulder and nodded. "I know that you all did your best. Now the question is, how are things at home?"

Kaldash's face froze at the question, and I knew that I wasn't going to like the answer. Instead of pushing, I looked ahead to the palace. We'd be there in a minute, and there was no point in making a guard uncomfortable.

"Never mind," I told him. "I'll speak with the Elders when we land."

Kaldash nodded quickly. "They'll be able to answer better than I would, Protector."

His words left me worrying for the rest of the short flight, but there was no help for that. Sitting back, I took Gemma's hand and squeezed it. Partly to reassure her, partly to draw strength from her presence. That reassurance was something I hadn't realized I'd been missing before I met her.

She smiled up at me and all my worries melted away. As long as we were together, it felt like nothing could defeat us.

The flier landed in front of my castle, and the Council of Elders was there to meet us. Not just them, either. It looked like almost the whole island had turned up, and the joy on the faces of my people should have made me feel happy and welcome. It did, in a way, but it was frustrating too. There was clearly no way I was getting a quick answer to any questions.

Gemma leaned into me and whispered in my ear. "Let them celebrate that you're back. They must have been worried sick."

I sighed and smiled down at her, squeezing her hand. She was right, of course, and I knew I should be patient. Whatever new problems were waiting for me here, they could wait another few hours. We should celebrate our return.

The look of relief on the Eldest's face was almost comical, and I had to shake off the urge to laugh as the crowd pressed around me. It wouldn't suit the dignity of my role as Protector, after all. And besides, the Eldest looked almost as frustrated as I felt when it became clear to him that the party would go on all day.

We were both going to have to be patient, it seemed, and neither of us were good at that.

The clanswomen threw flower petals that rained down around us, and Gemma laughed delightedly as the multicolored cloud drifted around us. The sound lifted my spirit instantly and I drew her forward into the party. If there was going to be one, we might as well enjoy it, and I looked forward to something civilized to eat and drink. Something, anything, other than fish.

We had precious little chance to speak during it. The crowds wanted my attention, and I found myself bouncing from one member of the clan to the next, each with a welcome, a greeting, a prayer for my safety. Each one I received as graciously as I could, though I ached to be able to spend time with Gemma alone. But this was part of my duty as well — my people needed to know that their Protector was back and able to protect them.

It helped that I had a war story to tell, though I was soon sick of repeating the tale of the sea serpent's defeat. Gemma, on the other hand, seemed to relish the story, and after a few attempts I let her take over telling it. Her accent was still strong, but the words were clear enough, and where her vocabulary failed her she filled the gap with hand gestures.

I found myself smiling as I watched her, my heart swelling with pride and joy.

A hand tugged at my arm and I turned to face Toprak, the young man who'd let Gemma take the flier out on her ill-fated journey. He looked nervous, so nervous I was surprised he'd found the strength to approach me.

Then I saw his parents standing behind him, Misha's steely glare on her son, and I knew that he hadn't come entirely of his own free will.

"Protector, I'm so sorry," he started, speaking quickly and nervously. "I didn't realize... I mean, I shouldn't have let that happen."

His eyes darted around as though he was looking for a way to flee, and I didn't blame him. His foolishness could have cost Gemma her life, and facing me after that was dangerous. I felt my muscles tense, my claws extend, and I had to breathe deeply to hide my emotions from the crowd. Toprak could see them, though, and shied back. He was no coward, but we both knew that he couldn't face me in combat.

"You are right, you shouldn't," I told him. Then I looked past him at his mother's pleading eyes and sighed. Getting control of my anger, I continued. "What you did was foolish, but we both survived. So you are fortunate — you have the chance to learn from this mistake at only the cost of the flier and your wings. Both can be replaced, unlike a life."

Toprak nodded quickly and I held up a hand before he could speak. "That doesn't mean that you get away without any consequences, Toprak. You will have to make up for the loss of material, and that means no flying until you've repaid the clan for what your foolish decision cost us. Understood?"

"Yes, Protector," he said, looking less happy now. Good. He needed to know that his actions had consequences, and a few months without flying was enough punishment for that. With a little more caution, he'd be a good warrior for the clan.

His father nodded his thanks to me, taking Toprak's arm and leading him away. Misha followed, and once again I was alone in the crowd.

Enough is enough, I thought. Gemma was still enjoying the party, but now that I'd started dealing with Protector's business I couldn't get back in the mood. It was time to find out what had happened in my absence.

It took a while to cut the Eldest out of the crowd, but finally I managed to corner him and get him away from the party.

"What happened to the negotiations?" I asked the Eldest as soon as we were out of earshot of the rest of the clan. He smiled and shook his head, pretending that he wasn't glad to get back to business.

"Not even one day without focusing on your duty, Protector?"

"It's been too many days already," I countered. "Why waste one more?"

He shrugged, letting out an unhappy sigh. "Everything stayed as it was, pending your return. Not a great situation, but about as good as we could have hoped. Alishan Perhar was extremely reasonable."

That last word was spoken with enough irony to make me wince. We'd been the ones who needed to change the terms of our dealings with the other clans, and sticking with the old agreement favored the Perhar a lot more than us. But since it was my disappearance that put the negotiations on hold, I could hardly argue that they'd cheated us.

Indeed, they'd likely argue that we owed them concessions for their patience. I wasn't even sure that they were wrong.

"We can get them back to the table now," I said. "The sooner the better. We need that agreement if we're to repair our lands and modernize the port."

The Eldest nodded reluctantly. "As you say, Protector. But we mustn't seem too eager. If the Perhar smell desperation they'll gouge us for everything they can."

I growled at that. Things had already dragged on too long. They'd been dragging on since before the first meeting, let alone now. But that didn't make the Eldest wrong. "Fine. We'll set up another meeting soon, but it can wait a few days. Anything else?"

He smiled and put a hand on my shoulder, looking me in the eye. I felt the shadow of his old strength — as a young man he had been a formidable warrior. "Just one thing. How are you and your human mate getting on, now that you've spent some time alone together?"

"She is not—" I cut off the reflexive protest and snarled. The Eldest showed remarkable restraint, not letting the slightest sign of amusement onto his face. Getting control of myself, I stepped away from him and looked out to sea. Below us the waves glittered, and we could see the Halloran slowly making its way into port. For once they'd be welcome as traders, though I made a mental note to make sure that the guards were alert. Friends or not, they were still pirates and I would take no chances with my clan's safety.

"I enjoyed my time with Gemma," I said slowly, answering the question without looking back. "Very much, in fact. The Celestial Mates' system does work, I won't deny it. But that doesn't change anything. She is not safe here, that much is clear."

The Eldest said nothing, walking up beside me to watch. Pods full of trade goods made their way along automated tracks from the skystalk to our port, waiting to be loaded onto the gigantic trade barges. I wondered what the crews of those mighty ships would think, seeing the Halloran coming in beside them. The pirates would usually be a deadly threat, but not today.

All the goods that came onto the planet came through our port. And every ounce of export left through it, too. That was wealth worth killing for, and I knew that one clan or another would try sooner or later. Before that day we had to be able to defend ourselves, and that meant a hard struggle to repair what the earthquake had destroyed.

It was a battle I'd been born to fight, but dragging a stranger into it? No. No, I couldn't. Gemma deserved better than that.

"She'll be safe on her homeworld," I said aloud. It sounded weak as I said it, but the Eldest stayed silent. Another pod raced past and I swore under my breath. "I'll send her home with enough wealth to look after her for the rest of her life. Then she can move on and survive."

The Eldest looked out to sea as he spoke. "You're the Protector, Corvax. If you decide that's what's happening, then the decision is made. But if you will listen to one last piece of advice from your elders, don't make that choice too quickly."

"You think I haven't thought about this for long enough?" I snarled. "It's been on my mind constantly."

"Now you're home, and it's different here." He straightened up and stretched, turning to leave. "There's still time before the spaceship arrives. Try to give her a chance."

He was gone before I had an answer ready, and I sighed. "This is exactly why I didn't want anyone meddling in my affairs," I said to the uncaring sea. No answer came, of course.

The celebration was still going on, and if I stayed away too long people would worry. Squaring my shoulders, I went to do my duty.