The last of the three cycles he’d promised Jazen arrived. Urgency and traces of outright panic thrummed through Nanu. Kaya would’ve scoffed at his uncharacteristic behavior, but he refused to go back on his promise to Jazen.

This was his problem, not hers.

His beast had chosen a woman of another race. Perhaps their genes weren’t compatible enough to form a child.

He ached inside, despite his broad smile for his lover.

Nanu reached for her hand, twining their fingers together and savoring the innocent contact despite his growing disquiet. This walk through the forest to the waterfall and hot pool felt like a march of an execution. He forced the doom and gloom to the back of his mind, determined to focus on his captivating and irresistible Jazen.

She remained quiet, but it was a companionable silence. Despite the crew on the Indy, who were his best friends, he realized he’d been lonely for this soul-deep connection with another being.

He sighed, accepting the truth. The bond was one-sided, and he had to release Jazen and pray she’d keep his word to him.

“Tell me more about your pie shop,” he said. “You must’ve needed a little more currency to complete your purchase. Where are you starting your business?”

She hesitated, her brow crinkling, then seemed to come to a decision. “My brother is always in trouble. He required more funds, and I promised I’d give—lend—it to him, which I did. I’d written a budget and required a little more to reach my target amount. After… I required the proceeds of one more job. Two, if I’d helped Chobe yet again and didn’t dip into my savings. I haven’t decided if I’ll still fund my brother again. My mind goes back and forward on the wisdom of this loan that never gets repaid.”

Nanu admired the way she told him about the jobs without apology. It wasn’t her fault he had a bounty on his head. And this business with her brother—interesting. What trouble? Was this why he’d arrived in Viros? To collect more of Jazen’s currency? He hated to pry too much.

“What if I lent you the funds?” he asked. “To start your business.”

Her head jerked up, and she halted by a large tree. Her brows lifted to arch above her pretty eyes. “A bribe.”

He took a sec to realize his question had upset her and those glorious eyes of hers were shooting salvos of wrath. “What? A bribe? No! That’s not what I meant. All the crew on the Indy own a share. Although Ry is in charge, we reap the financial benefits of a successful contract. I require little since we live at the castle when we’re on Viros. Our friend Jannike is the queen, and we offer the ruling triad help as and when they require it.”

“You are truly friends with the queen?”

“We told you our reasons for leaving Narenda. Camryn and Mogens were required at the birth of the royal babies.”

The tension seeped from Jazen’s muscles. “I didn’t believe you. I decided it was a tale to stop me from collecting the bounty on your head.”

“I don’t know if the king and duke have heard of my past. Jannike is aware of the facts. In truth, she’s more likely to shoot or punch if someone threatens one of her friends. She’s still new at royal duties, although she threatens to toss us in the dungeon if we poke fun at her.” He smiled in memory. “Telling her she was big enough to have twins was a good way of getting the dungeon threat.”

“Has she had her baby?”

Was that wistfulness he glimpsed? “She had twins and has decided she adores the babies now that they are born. But she told Shiloh and Lynx it was lucky they had two offspring because she refused to go through that ordeal again. She told them it was worse than going to war or fighting pirates.”

“Pirates?”

“In our early days, we skirted the law and took risks to save for a bigger ship. Our current ship is the second Indefatigable. Our first ship was lucky and we kept the name, even though we’d outgrown her.”

“It sounds as if you had fun. Have you visited interesting places?”

“We have.” Nanu spoke carefully, considering his level of confidence. For Amme’s sake he’d never mention Earth. “Ornum was interesting. We captured a hell-horse and Camryn trained her to race. My brother died on Ornum.”

“I’m sorry.” She continued walking, and he followed, still holding her hand.

Nanu bowed his head, accepting her commiseration as he waited for acute pain to strike and rob his breath. This time, although there was pain and a sense of loss, the squeeze of Jazen’s fingers, the offer of sympathy, helped him to collect himself.

“My offer of a loan comes with no ties or expectations. I value your company, and I’d enjoy helping you achieve your dreams.”

Jazen stopped again, her brow wrinkled as she whipped around to face him. “You truly mean that, even though I might deceive you at any sec.”

Whitelight highlighted her features. The splash and tumble of falling water sounded closer now, and an owl—a new addition to his chamber—flew overhead to perch on a branch. The landscape outside his gattoc bore subtle differences each cycle, and Nanu sensed that Leeam and Sheera were enjoying themselves with this task. He made a mental note to do something extra special for the two youngsters.

“I cherish you,” he said. “My abducting you hasn’t inspired your confidence, but I’ve yet to hear your list of objections. I hope you’ve enjoyed your time in my gattoc.”

One of those soft blushes collected in her cheeks. “I have enjoyed myself, although your highhandedness upset me at first.”

“This is our last cycle together. What will you do next? You didn’t tell me where you will ply your trade.”

“I haven’t decided where I’ll start my pie shop. I’ve planned the menu and have decided on pricing, but I haven’t discovered a location that suits me yet.”

“Check out Viros,” Nanu suggested, his spirit leaping in anticipation. What if she stayed with him voluntarily? She might come to appreciate him as he cared for her.

“Are you serious about offering me a loan? I have enough currency for rent on a reasonable size building for a rotation.”

“Yes, I’m serious,” Nanu said, an idea occurring to him. “What if you started smaller and applied to rent a stall in the evening market here on Viros? It would allow you to test your product and learn if your pies appealed to customers.”

“Is this possible?” Clear excitement blazed in her face and Nanu relaxed.

“I think so. Or, if a stall isn’t available, I have a friend who has one. They might let you trial your product. That would be a start for you.”

“You would do this for me? Even though I intended to apprehend you?”

Nanu’s hair tendrils hummed as he tested his feelings. His mind and body swelled with longing, and he took a figurative leap. “I trust you. I don’t believe you’d betray me once you’ve given your word.”

Jazen leaned forward and kissed him—a slow, tender caress that made his pulse bound in excitement and his hair tendrils sway against his cheek.

When their lips parted, she reached up to cup his face with one hand. “I believe you when you say you didn’t murder that woman. Besides, the warrant is old and most warrant-takers only search the newer ones.”

“I’m surprised the corporation man is still alive,” Nanu said. “He seemed old when I knew him.”

“You haven’t tried to find out?”

“No, I didn’t wish to raise any alarms. Are you ready for a swim? Hot pool or waterfall?”

“The pool.”

“The hot pool it is. Last one in is a rotten egg.”

Jazen took off at a sprint, and Nanu jogged after her, enjoying the jiggle of feminine flesh. Leaving his chamber would mean donning clothing again. If Jazen stayed, perhaps he could talk her into sharing his chamber.

“You’re a rotten egg!” she called, already immersed to the chest in the steamy waters.

Nanu stepped into the warmth and waded toward her, letting her see his sensual intent.

“Oh, no!” Jazen backed away. “We came here to wash, not fuck.”

Nanu blinked at the harsh word. “I came to wash and to make love with you.”

“Oh,” she said again, seconds before he pounced.

* * * * *

Chobe spent two cycles watching the comings and goings at the main castle gate, and another watching the rear one. Visitors and the castle occupants used the main gate while servants and staff used the other. Some of the castle occupants also used the rear gate when they wished to enter or exit the castle unobtrusively.

He rendezvoused with Hanoid at the tavern they’d made their base.

“Has she moved?” Hanoid asked.

“No. I have to get in there. If she’s dead, it won’t matter. I’ll take her hand and an eye, so we can access her vault.”

“You’d do that to your sister?” Hanoid sounded shocked.

“If she’s dead, she can’t use her savings. She’d want me to have it.”

“And if she’s not in the castle but her comm is?”

“That isn’t what her tracker says, but we’ll face that problem when we come to it. I’ve come up with a plan. I’ve noticed the castle staff drink at the tavern on Fourth Street. We’ll capture one and I’ll duplicate him. That way I can sneak inside the castle. From there, I’ll alter my appearance as necessary. Hopefully, I’ll locate my sister quickly.”

“How will you get back out?”

“I’m not sure about that. It depends if she’s willing to leave with me. I’ll have to make my plan on the fly.”

Hanoid tapped his fingers on the grubby tabletop, then picked up his tankard and drank. He set his tankard back down and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “How can I help?”

“The repairs on the ship are complete. Hire one of those flymo ships they use for transport and wait for me.”

“They’re forbidden to fly over the castle or the square,” Hanoid said. “The pilot let me off on Second Street last blacklight. Told me it wasn’t worth his license to break the rules.”

“What if we hijacked one? You wait on Second Street and once I have Jazen, you can zip over the castle to the grounds out the back to pick us up. With luck, we’ll be quick and they won’t act against us until we’re clear.”

Hanoid scratched his chin, pondering, and wrinkled his nose. “The soldiers are trained to high standards. Not much gets past them. Even when they’re in a tavern after their shift, they don’t drink to excess or carouse. They’re disciplined and loyal.”

“I have observed their close-eyed scrutiny, and that’s the worrying part of my plan.”

“Would they suspect one of their own? What if you duplicated a soldier?”

“I considered it, but they’d have no reason to wander the castle interior, not unless they’re the royal bodyguards. That’s what made me decide to become a male or female servant. All I need to do is knock them out and steal their clothes.”

Hanoid barked out a chortle of amusement. “I bet you’re a sight in female garb.”

“I’m lucky the local race is taller and I’ll blend.” Chobe grimaced. “You might joke but it’s no fun dressing as a woman.”

Hanoid sobered. “If you succeed, I’ll have a drink waiting for you on the other side.”

Chobe smiled grimly. “I’m aware of the consequences of failure, and I don’t intend to watch the Hsilgne gang lord it over us for much longer. They’re goin’ down.”

Hanoid lifted his tankard. “I’ll drink to that.”

Chobe clicked his mug to Hanoid’s and drank to complete the toast.

Failure was not on his agenda.

* * * * *

“Are you ready to leave?” Nanu asked.

In truth, she wasn’t, but Jazen shifted away from the forest view and the tiny red bird flitting from branch to branch. She’d enjoyed this relaxing time with Nanu where she had nothing more taxing to do than decide what to eat or when to explore the forest. She and Nanu had talked about their pasts, their dreams, their daily lives, their likes and dislikes. Nanu had seemed happy to talk instead of fucking…making love all the time.

A flush of heat spread into her cheeks. They’d done a lot of that too.

“I’ll need to blindfold you,” he said with a hint of regret. “I’m sorry but this secret place is a personal one for me.”

Disappointment speared into her. “You don’t trust me.”

“I do, but I—” He straightened his shoulders as if he’d come to a decision. “I trust you. What I’m worried about is you learning I’ve lied to you.”

“You don’t want me?” The thought struck her even harder than disappointment at him not trusting her.

“Of course I want you,” he replied, cupping her face in his hands and staring deep into her eyes.

But he kept secrets from her.

A part of her understood. A handful of cycles ago, she’d intended to betray him, his bounty the incentive. But she’d come to know him and his friends, then he’d abducted her and let her see the real man beneath the humor and swagger. She didn’t believe this man standing in front of her and touching her with such tenderness was a murderer.

“I don’t want you to think less of me.”

Jazen licked her lips, aware this was a tipping point between them. Did she take the risk that whatever he’d done was inconsequential or did she walk away? She ached to trust him, she realized. She yearned for someone to stand in her corner. For once, she wanted to lean on someone for help and support instead of being the one expected to give and give and receive nothing back.

Her younger brother expected her support and financial aid whenever he clicked his fingers. She’d helped him because of the familial ties, because she loved him, and they were a team.

They used to be a team.

Now Chobe had a wife and child. He didn’t need her in the same way, yet he still expected her to help him with finances. Yes, her decision to withhold her funds was the right one. It was time to consider herself and to follow her dreams.

“Hey.” Nanu tapped the tip of her nose. “Where did you go?”

“Family stuff. My brother expects me to give him currency and support him when he is never there for me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Chobe needs to stand alone, and it’s time for me to cut ties and concentrate on my own interests. If your offer of a loan is still there, I’d be happy to accept.”

He smiled, and she placed a finger over his mouth to halt his words.

“We will draw up a contract and I will pay you interest. It will be a business document.” She lifted her finger.

“I agree,” Nanu said. “We will get the king and queen to witness the document, so you understand the sincerity of my offer.”

“And if I break my word, they’ll throw me in the dungeon,” she said drily.

“No doubt,” Nanu said. “Jannike is protective of her friends, which brings me to the truth that I didn’t tell you about earlier.”

Jazen tensed, her eyes widening as she studied his face. Apprehension crept back into her. She swallowed and nodded. “Tell me.”

“We’re not in the forest. We’re still in my chamber at the castle.”

Jazen’s mouth fell open. She stared at him, then focused on the trees, the bright red butterfly flitting from wildflower to wildflower. She scanned the gattoc with its filmy sides, the basket where Nanu kept the food and cold drinks. The food… The supply had been constant and fresh.

“No,” she said. “We’re in the middle of the forest. The breeze is cool on my cheeks. It’s colder today.”

“Making love with me seems to make you sleepy,” Nanu said. “Once every cycle, I left my chamber to get more food.”

“No, I would’ve noticed you leaving me alone. We’ve been together every cycle.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ll prove it to you in a mark, but there is one other thing. Your brother has arrived in Viros. He told spaceport control his ship required repairs. When they questioned him further, he admitted he’d come to meet with you.”

“Phrull,” she said. “You said Ry let my transfer go through? I sent what I could. Chobe told me he was in trouble and needed funds. What if he was telling the truth?”

“Ry did. Your funds were sent to your brother. We’ve seen no evidence of him being in trouble. He is here with a woman and a man named Hanoid.”

“No children?”

“No.”

“That’s odd. If Sergy is with him, I’d expect his son to be there too.” She gasped. “Unless something happened to Raffey. No, he would’ve sent me another message, pleading for more. I’ll speak with them. Chobe will leave once I tell him I have no spare savings to give him, and that I intend to stay here on Viros.”

“With me.”

She grinned at his possessiveness and satisfaction. “With you, although I disapprove of the way you abducted me. And why did you trick me about our whereabouts? Why are we in your gattoc, yet still in the castle?”

“A gattoc is a traditional mating place for my people. Ignoring this ritual would’ve made our relationship less in my mind.” He shot her a worried glance. “That sounds bad, but my yearning to build a gattoc proves my intentions toward you are serious. And as for the castle gattoc, it was a matter of safety. For both of us.”

“Huh! You have yet to prove we are actually in the castle.” She studied his sincere expression, the hint of anxiety and melted inside. “I can understand following the customs of your people. You’re lucky to have the rites and beliefs in your family. We have both made mistakes, and it is time to step past them.”

“All right then,” Nanu said and clasped their hands together. “Let’s go.”

He seemed to enjoy touching her, holding her and more. How could she not return his affection when he offered it so freely to her?

Nanu led her deeper into the forest, until the gattoc was no longer in sight.

“We’re still in the forest. There are birds and I can hear the waterfall. Oh! Look, an animal.”

“A deer.” Nanu kept sauntering onward until they passed the waterfall and the hot pool. Once there, he guided her across the small stream. His steps slowed, and he reached out his free hand. Part of his limb disappeared.

She could see his upper arm, but in the space where his hand should be, there was nothing. A faint click sounded, and a doorway formed. Nanu tugged her through and into the corridor beyond. She stared in disbelief, yet her eyes weren’t deceiving her. Nanu hadn’t been lying either. She’d spent cycles with him, alone in his castle chamber.

“How? Why?”

“I’ll explain later. Right now we need to find Ry or Kaya and learn what is happening with your brother.”