Linnea woke with her back flush against Nestan’s chest, his heavy arm draped across her waist. His steady, deep breaths rustled the fine hairs on her neck. The denser hair of his beard pricked against her shoulder, and his body blazed with searing heat.

Since moving to the space station, she’d woken up beside more than a few men. But it had never been like this. Never had the feeling of being trapped against someone actually felt nice. Comforting.

Felt like she wanted to wake up this way for the rest of her life.

Smiling to herself, she disentangled his limbs from her own. With a muffled grunt, he rolled onto his back and fell right back to sleep. She watched him for a moment, searching for any sign that the nightmares were chasing after him again, but he slept peacefully.

He’s home now. With his friends. His people. The wounds his father had left on him would heal with time. He wouldn’t always be this broken, scarred man.

And where would she be? Back on the space station?

Space had been Jude’s dream. Linnea had followed because that was what younger sisters did. Even now, she was still following Jude. She’d followed her halfway across the galaxy to an alien planet. And all she could think was, What now?

In answer, her stomach rumbled. Moving as silently as possible, she redressed in her Katu sheath dress and pulled her hair back in a messy ponytail. She tiptoed to Nestan’s front door and, with a lingering glance back at her resting, sexy alien, she slipped out.

Jude sat cross-legged right outside his door. She looked up, her eyes bloodshot and tired, and said, “Morning.”

Linnea carefully closed the door. “You look awful.”

“I didn’t sleep well last night.” With a grimace, Jude scrubbed her hands across her face.

Even exhausted and wearing the same clothes from yesterday with her hair slapped up in a bun, she looked beautiful. Her skin glowed with happiness, even if she was miserable for the moment. She was trim and fit, her tan perfectly even. It was hard to not feel slightly bitter since Linnea could feel the rind of dirt on her skin.

“Please tell me this place has coffee,” she grumbled.

A hint of a smile twitched along Jude’s lips. She sprang to her feet. “It has kava, which is even better, once you get used to its bite.”

“After you.” Linnea waved her sister forward, not feeling like a smile.

“Lin …”

She looked up and found Jude staring at her, her dark eyes wide and shining. Jude was the only one who ever called her Lin, and it was only rarely. So rare that she could count the number of times Jude has used the nickname on one hand. All the instances were radical, life-changing moments in Linnea’s life, like when Jude had told her their mother had died. Lin, she’s gone. She’s just … gone.

And now this moment. The first time in her life where she’d questioned if she really knew her sister.

“Jude,” she said with a sigh, “I just want coffee right now. Or kava. Whatever. Then we can talk. Okay?”

Jude nodded, the motion jerky. She blinked rapidly and turned her face away. With a subtle brush of her hand, she wiped the tears away. “Okay. Follow me.”

She led Linnea away from Nestan’s quarters, her long-legged stride forcing Linnea to hustle after her. They didn’t speak, and Jude wiped her cheeks a few more times, which tugged at Linnea’s heart. Jude never cried. That had been Linnea’s token trait.

They walked back through the center of the cavernous mountain. Yesterday, when they’d first arrived, Linnea had barely had a chance to see much else of the mountain aside from the narrow corridors Nestan led her through, but this time, she glanced around.

And then, she looked up.

Gasping, she stumbled to a stop, gaping up at the roof of the mountain.

Jude glanced back at her. “Oh,” she said, smiling when she realized Linnea’s focus, “the worms.”

“The what?”

Jude laughed. “The worms dig little tunnels through the top of the rock. It lets the light through in that pattern.”

Linnea sucked in a deep breath. The roof of the mountain was like delicate frosting strung across the expanse of the ceiling. “It’s beautiful.”

“I think it looks like lace.”

Smiling, Linnea turned to her sister. This was the Jude she knew. This was her sister. “I think it looks like a cake.”

“Of course you do. Come on.” Jude waved her forward. “Let’s get you a cup of kava.”

“How big is this place?” Linnea asked as she resumed walking with her sister. They passed a large pond with a bridge over the top. A large market with booths selling food, spices, and folds of silken material buzzed with activity. There were so many people bustling about, going about their morning chores, that Jude had to practically shout to answer.

“It’s huge. This is just the outer edges. You saw the center and the donjon yesterday. But there are also tunnels that weave throughout the bottom levels and around the outside. Plus, flight decks and spires …” Jude sounded breathless, her eyes shining brightly. As she prattled on about all the places inside the mountain, Linnea realized something significant.

Jude loved this place.

Like, she really, really loved it.

She’d never spoken about the space station with this much love. If Linnea was honest with herself, she’d never even heard her sister talk about the Falconer Elite program with this much excitement.

“This is home to you,” she stated, interrupting her sister mid-description of the laundry ponds.

Jude frowned. “What do you mean?”

“This is why you didn’t come back. This is your home.”

Her smiling glow dimmed, and she bit her lip, lines furrowing her brow. “Linnea, I just … I wanted to come home. I was doing everything I could. I killed a Draqon, and I met Gerrit, and then the Hylas tried to take me prisoner and Gerrit had to marry me to keep me safe, and then we had to go to the Vydal city and …” Jude trailed off, her shoulders heaving.

“And you fell in love,” Linnea finished for her.

Jude offered a sad smile. “And I fell in love. He’s my true mate. I can’t leave him. I don’t want to.”

Linnea wanted to be completely happy for her sister, but a part of her—a larger part than she wanted to admit—still felt anger. She hadn’t been enough. She hadn’t been home for Jude. She’d met a man and Linnea had taken second place.

With Nestan last night, she’d felt more than she had in years. If she thought about him long enough, she started to understand why Jude had wanted to stay in this place. But even though she’d slept deeply wrapped in Nestan’s warmth, she still felt exhausted deep in her bones.

She was tired of never being enough.

“I’m so sorry, Linnea.”

She didn’t know if she would ever understand what Jude felt for Gerrit, but she knew how much she loved Jude. And for Jude, and for the sadness in her eyes she saw now, Linnea took her sister’s hand and said, “It’s okay. Really. I’m here now. We’re both safe. It’s okay.”

“I’ve felt horrible. The guilt—”

“Doesn’t matter.” Linnea squeezed Jude’s hand. “Really, Jude. I want you to be happy. I’m glad you found Gerrit. Your … your mate.”

Jude’s shoulders slumped with relief. She took Linnea’s other hand. “And Nestan? Does he make you happy?”

“Nestan?” Linnea said in surprise. “We’re not together. He … well, his father really hurt him. He’s healing.”

Jude’s mouth twitched with another smile. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. And people don’t have to be single to heal from the damage their asshole fathers do to them.”

Linnea laughed. “I guess I should know that better than most.”

“Oh, please.” Jude rolled her eyes. “Those guys before were just fun for you. I’m not blind, Linnea. I’ve seen the way you look at him, too. He’s different for you.”

“And if he is?” she asked quietly. “What would that mean? I have to stay here?” She glanced around the mountain, at the people who called it home, and the beautiful ceiling. “It’s nice, but I don’t know if it’s my home.”

Jude’s smiled stretched wide and knowing. Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

Linnea cocked her head, frowning. “What do you mean?”

Jude pulled her forward and they crossed deeper into the market, where conversations and discordant music flowed over Linnea’s ears like waves. “It’s not the place that makes you feel like you’re home,” Jude answered, bumping her shoulder against Linnea’s, “it’s the person.”

Linnea huffed, feeling her cheeks flush with heat. Jude stopped them at a stall selling beautiful swaths of flowing silk. Unable to resist, Linnea reached out and fingered the hem of a jade-colored dress with flowing sleeves and a deep neckline. “Since when did you become so wise and all-knowing?”

“Since I found a mate who knows exactly how I like to take—”

“Okay!” She threw up her hands, laughing. “I don’t need to know the details of your crazy, kinky, shape-shifter sex life. That’s just messed up.”

Jude’s smile grew, all traces of sadness leaving her eyes. “You don’t even want to know what Gerrit can do with his—”

“No! Oh my gosh. You’re insufferable.”

Jude waved to the shopkeeper in the back. “Can we get this dress? And maybe that lavender one over there as well? Oh! And that shirt. That’s cute.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The shopkeeper nodded, smiling wide beneath Jude’s approval of his wares. He fluttered about, sweeping the dresses off their displays one after the other.

“I don’t need all those clothes,” Linnea said quietly. “Are they expensive? They look expensive.”

Jude winked at her as the shopkeeper started carefully packing up their purchases. “Perks of being married to the Alpha, sis.” She turned to the shopkeeper as he offered them a paper-wrapped package. “Thank you so much! Have an Avilku blessed day.”

“And you as well, ma’am.” Still smiling, he nodded to Jude then Linnea.

As Jude led her out of the shop, Linnea noticed more than a few people flood into the store, their eyes tracking Jude as she left, no doubt interested in where the Alpha’s mate was shopping. Even here, on an alien planet, Jude was setting trends. Linnea just laughed and took her package from Jude so she didn’t wrinkle the delicate material.

“Am I going to get that coffee you promised?”

Jude practically bounced on her toes beside Linnea. Their world was right again, now that they’d exorcised the darkness between them. “I’ll get you the best cup of joe you’ve ever tasted. Let me give you the tour. Trust me. You’ll learn to love this place as much as I do.”

Jude tugged her arm, but Linnea just stared back at her sister as she realized something very, very important. “I’m staying?”

Jude cocked a brow. “Were you thinking about going back to the station?”

“No,” Linnea breathed out, the weight of the understanding settling on her. Or maybe not. Maybe it was a weight lifting. Maybe she’d come here to save her sister, but she’d ended up saving herself instead.

And Nestan. She’d be here with him. And when his wounds healed and he could accept her touch without a cringe, when he truly understood in his heart that he deserved her because he was a good man—the best man—she’d still be here. With him.

“I guess I’m not leaving,” she said, amazed, her heart so full. “I’m staying. Here. With you.”

Leaning over, Jude planted a smacking kiss on Linnea’s cheek. “Welcome to Kladuu, little sis.”