“Please,” they said in unison then chuckled at each other.
Wren stared at them a little too long, trying to pick up any thoughts.Just a sense of well-being, of happiness.“Plain coffee or something fancier?”
“Not picky,” Ava said, smiling.
“Cy?”Wren called on her way to the rehydrator.
Whatever you are having, thamani.
Once everyone held a mug, she sank into the chair beside Cy.“Why do I feel this is more than a morning coffee?”
“I wanted to meet you, of course.”Ava cradled her cappuccino.
Kanzo smacked his lips after sipping his lemon juice.“And I have news.”He put his mug onto the low table.“Ambassador Barro is behind Iphara and the attack last night.Xeus has yet to inform Queen Alllero considering her poor health.Same with regards to the ship Barro used.”
“And while we have it?”Cy asked, downing his coffee with relish.
Kanzo grinned.“Etterians do not steal… Unlike operatives.Zive and Yelur mentioned your insistence that we learn what we can.”
Cy shrugged, throwing his arm across the back of Wren’s chair.He caressed where he touched her, drawing patterns with his fingers.“What would Malo do in this circumstance?”
“Indeed,” Kanzo said.“Xeus has asked Prince Citus to visit the queen and ask her for the information.”
Cy pursed his lips.“Diplomacy.”
“Yes,” Kanzo said.“Serratu Kayarra Korre has been prepped for transfer to the Caverns of Dooirin.She will be honored for her service.”
Cy bowed his head.
“The Durn Zucis revealed his intentions, granting Jokta time to secure the women.According to the interrogation, he used this mission to flee the clutches of Yithia.”Kanzo glanced at Wren.“The lima kuu are now searching for the marker Korre mentioned.”
Wren frowned.“What?I thought all was well.”
“Korre revealed the sexual compatibility was not the only goal.”Cy caught her hand and shifted it to his thigh.“Some sort of trigger once the Ethera occurs.”
“Like a time bomb?”Wren gasped.
“Something like that,” he said.
“Well, that’s not good.Does Ariez know?”Why had the man let her go with an all-clear?“And what does this thing do?”
“We do not know…yet.”Kanzo grimaced.
That happy cloud she’d woken up with evaporated.She tried to reason with her sinking heart.Cy wasn’t her Eth, so she couldn’t kill him.
“Have you told the women?”she asked.
“Without his Dar Eth, the male is guaranteed death.We cannot say with certainty that she will kill him.”Kanzo leaned forward.“As soon as we learn anything, I will inform you…two.”
Whatever happens, we will face it together.Cy squeezed her hand.
“As to the issue Cylo asked me to investigate: Earth Armed Forces has requested your presence.I have set a time and date on Demeter Station.I do believe that was your home?”
Wren blinked.“I’ve violated so many of the stipulations that they’ll want to arrest me.”
“I would not agree to the meeting if that was the case.Olin’s findings caused an uproar among your leaders.”Kanzo smiled.“TheKevolhas been assigned to you.Fyca and Durok will join you since both their Dar Eths wish to visit Earth.Where you go afterward is for you to decide.”
She rubbed her temple.They’d just landed, and here she was heading into space again.
