The ceremony ended. It was official. Caayn and Smyrna were handfasted. Mates.

Rush exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and nodded to Caayn as he and Smyrna made their way down the long, long crushed red-velvet carpet leading to the amphitheater’s exit. Now bonded, the couple was pelted with flower seeds and ice-cold water.

“How strange,” Katrina murmured under her breath.

“What’s that?” Rush glanced at her, glad she wasn’t still irritated with him. Though, it amused him when she was, especially the way her cheeks flushed and her bottom lip flared out, almost in a pout, practically begging to be kissed.

She was lucky she was betrothed to another man. Otherwise, he’d have made her his own.

“Throwing that stuff on the newlyweds— I mean, newly handfasted couple. We do that on Earth. Mostly, it used to be rice then I think some people used birdseed instead.”

“We’ve always used birdseed.” Rush watched as Caayn put his hand at the small of Smyrna’s back, escorting her toward the vehicle that would take them to the suite where they’d spend the next few days. “Is it really so strange? Considering your culture is descended from ours?”

She made a scoffing sound.

“Not a believer?”

Katrina pursed her lips as if considering the matter. “When you grow up thinking you’re the only ones that exist anywhere, it’s hard to accept you’re a spin-off.”

He nodded. “I understand, but does it really matter?”

She shrugged. “I guess not, but it’s still not easy to wrap your head around it.” She glanced around as though looking for someone.

“What is it?”

“Well…” It seemed she was thinking of something then, suddenly, as though blinds had been pulled over her emotions, her face became expressionless. “I’m wondering what I’m supposed to do next.”

Though Rush had only known her for a few short days, one thing he was certain of, she wasn’t good at keeping her thoughts and emotions in check. And she’d just lied to him. On that, he’d bet his final coin from the last job he and Caayn had finished.

But why lie?

And what was she hiding?

“The governor will be here to discuss your handfasting. From what I saw on the schedule, Caayn and Smyrna’s was first, then you and Maz’n, and last, Emily and Boron. One every other day in a national celebration of our world’s bond with yours.” He leaned in. “Or some sort of nonsense like that.”

She raised a brow, a quizzical look on her face. “I didn’t take you to be a cynic. Thought that was my job.”

My life has made me cynical. He smiled, crushed under the weight of all he was and knew. “I’m a realist, not a cynic.”

No sooner than Caayn and Smyrna had exited, the governor came to Katrina in the reserved section they’d had for the ceremony.

Those officiating and planning the event had placed Boron and Emily on one side of the altar, and Katrina and Maz’n on the other.

Except there was no Maz’n in attendance. And no explanation for his absence thus far. Though, with the flurry of activity of Caayn and Smyrna’s handfasting, Maz’n’s location probably had not been a top priority.

Truth be told, it was no priority for Rush at all. He’d just as soon not meet Katrina’s intended mate. He’d rather not envision the man she’d be lying with the night of her handfasting. Realizing how it irritated him, he unclenched his fists and forced a smile to his face.

The governor approached Katrina, his perfunctory smile from the ceremony gone, replaced with a look of disquiet. He held out his hand. “Katrina Lopez?”

Rush wanted to curse out loud. The governor was probably here to collect her and take her somewhere to get ready for her handfasting in a couple of days. He ground his teeth as silently as possible while wishing the ground would open up and swallow the governor. Or maybe a volcano would suddenly appear and erupt under the governor’s feet.

He let a breath out slowly, urging himself to calm down.

Katrina shook the governor’s hand. “Nice to meet you.” Her tone was terse.

Rush noticed she fiddled with her necklace. It seemed she bothered with it whenever she was ill at ease. Did the locket hold a picture of her family?

The governor cleared his throat. “I’m Gorn. Governor Gorn Gastruximus.” More throat clearing. “I’d like to welcome you to Janus, and we are all thrilled you’ve made this journey and this commitment.”

More fiddling from Katrina. The necklace reflected the sunlight and sparkled, catching Rush’s attention again.

The governor continued, “I hope the welcoming committee was accommodating in lieu of my personal attention while I tended to the details of the first handfasting.”

“It’s fine,” Katrina’s tone was tight. “Everything was fine. Thank you.”

“Excellent. The schedule has your handfasting listed for the day after tomorrow, but I’m afraid I have to deliver news.” He adjusted his shirt collar as if it were too tight. “Not good news. Word has reached us that Maz’n has fallen victim to an attack during one of his patrols. Reports are he has not survived. His troop was out of radio communication on Marcomal, but the last account of the skirmish has left all dead or fatally injured. A fine soldier from one of the best families on Zama, one of the Cardinal Few. We had counted on him to become a part of this great effort.”

By the volcano’s ash, that sounds rehearsed.

The governor shifted, feet shuffling, adjusting his weight from one foot to the other, his hands restless and twitching. Finally, he clasped them together. “We are working on the matter diligently. All we ask for is your patience. We are going to switch the order and put the second handfasting—yours—third and bump the second one up to replace yours.” He frowned. “For now.” He took Katrina’s hand in his. “But do not fret. We will fix this. We will.”

Nice spiel.

Rush glanced at Katrina.

Why did she look relieved, almost happy at the news? Wasn’t she looking forward to her upcoming joining with Maz’n?

Rush knew there’d be no better time than this moment to intervene, even if the intervention was only temporary. Maz’n might show up, after all, to claim his betrothed. But for now, that didn’t mean Rush had to let the governor whisk her away.

“Governor,” Rush began. The man looked at him as though trying to remember if he’d met him before and should recognize him. “I’m first mate on the Javelin. Captain Caayn Fellish’s first mate. Let me assist. We can secure Katrina’s—Miss Lopez’s—wellbeing on the Javelin. She’s comfortable there, and—”

“Oh, I don’t know…” The governor wrung his hands together.

“It’s a good idea,” Katrina interjected, her face lighting up with a smile. “I feel comfortable there. And my things are there, and…”

The governor nodded as though relieved. “It’s unorthodox, but there are no precedents. I’ll sign off on that.” He clapped his hands together as though dusting them off. “In the meantime, I’ll have my office look into your intended’s disappearance. To find out if he’s alive—” He froze, studied Katrina’s face as though gauging how broken up she’d be about it.

Rush didn’t think she looked upset at all. Quite the opposite.

“And then,” the governor continued, “we’ll determine what the next course of action should be. I’ll communicate with Earth, let those in charge of Operation Outreach on your planet know we are completely in charge and you’re well and happy.” He paused. “You are happy, yes?”

Katrina nodded.

“Good!” More hand clapping, dusting off. “I’ll make sure they know.”

And with a flourish of a spin, he whirled a one-eighty and made for the exit.

Rush did a double take, appraising Katrina. He could have sworn she just exhaled a sigh of relief. “Don’t tell me you’re happy.”

She gave him a dirty look. “Mind your own business.”