Page 99 of Alien Warlord's Fury
"For Varek, it was practically effusive," Nirako agreed, his tone dry.
Night was falling over the settlement, lanterns being lit along the pathways. People were returning to their dwellings, the day's activities winding down. The normal rhythm of life continuing, despite all that had changed.
We walked together toward the residential area, our steps synchronized without conscious effort. My body ached with fatigue, but my mind felt clearer than it had in months.
"Here," Nirako said, stopping before a small dwelling near the edge of the settlement. "The council assigned this to you before we left. It remains yours."
I pushed open the door to find a simple but comfortable space—a sleeping area, a small hearth, basic furnishings. Someone had left fresh bedding and a pitcher of water.
"Where will you stay?" I asked, suddenly uncertain. Our bond hummed between us, intimate and powerful, but we hadn't discussed what would happen once we returned.
Nirako met my gaze. "The dwelling on the north side assigned to me when I arrived remains mine. Unless..."
He left the sentence unfinished, the question hanging in the air between me and him.
"Unless I'd prefer you stayed here?" I completed.
He nodded once, his expression carefully neutral, though our bond revealed his hope.
I stepped closer to him, placing my hand against his chest where his lifelines traced patterns beneath his clothing. "I would."
His arms encircled me, and I leaned into his solid warmth. I felt his relief and joy mingling with my own through our bond.
"Tomorrow will bring questions," he said softly. "The council will want to understand what happened with the Nexus, with Hammond."
"Let them ask." I closed my eyes, listening to the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear. "We did what was necessary. What was right."
"Yes." His hand stroked my hair gently. "And now?"
I pulled back slightly to look up at him. "Now we rest. And tomorrow, we begin to understand what all of this means—the Nexus, our bond, these markings."
My silver patterns glowed softly in the dim light of the dwelling, steady and controlled. No longer a mark of Hammond's cruelty, but a connection to something ancient and powerful. No longer a burden, but a purpose.
NIRAKO
Iwoke to the scent of healing herbs—sharp, pungent, and somehow comforting. Selene moved around the healing chamber with practiced efficiency, her silver markings catching the morning light as she prepared fresh poultices. The wound across my ribs had nearly closed, but the deeper damage from Hammond's corrupted energy weapon still ached when I breathed too deeply.
"You should rest another day," Selene said without looking up.
"I've rested enough." I pushed myself to sitting position, ignoring the protest from my side.
Selene made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. "Stubborn as the mountain stone. Kavan said you would be".
I swung my legs over the edge of the sleeping platform. "Where is Claire?"
"With the younglings. They respond well to her." Selene handed me a steaming cup of bitter tea. "Drink. It will help with the pain you're pretending not to feel".
I accepted the cup. The younglings needed Claire more than I did right now. Her silver markings had stabilized, the erratic flares replaced by steady, ancient patterns. The younglingsseemed drawn to her, perhaps sensing her connection to the Nexus.
"The council meets today," I said after draining the bitter brew.
"Yes. Which is why you should rest." Selene took the empty cup. "But you won't".
I stood, testing my balance. The pain was manageable. "No. I won't".
Selene handed me a fresh tunic. My lifelines pulsed steadily beneath it.
"Thank you for your care," I said.
