“What I should have done before. I can’t leave you here alone.”
“Why?”
“You know why. You knew long before I did. We’re supposed to be together.”
“It doesn’t matter. If you don’t want me, it will end the same way some time in the future. I would rather just have it end now.”
“Are you dying?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it matters. Why aren’t the doctors fixing you? They should be here. Giving you medicine and doing things. I thought you were healing.”
“I was healing from the bomb blast. I’m dying because of mate sickness.”
Veda’s words came back to Cyra, but she had to hear it from him. “I’m making you sick?”
“Once a Din’Gale male finds his mate, he needs to bond with her permanently or he must be in her presence constantly. It was fine while we were on the ship, in reasonable proximity.”
“Why didn’t you tell me.” She grazed her fingers across his furrowed brow, seeing his pain and hating that she was the cause.
“Every time we talked about it, you insisted that we were temporary and you would be leaving me here. I did what I could to convince you that we should be together, but ultimately, it’s your decision.”
“Veda was right. I’m an insane idiot. I didn’t believe you would die. I didn’t realize that I love you.” She grazed her fingers down his sunken cheek.
“You love me?”
“Yes. I hurt so much, knowing I was never going to see you again. I couldn’t channel any emotion to leave. I’m not supposed to go without you. I believe that, the crew believes it, and it seems even the ship knows better than me.”
“You came for me because you couldn’t take off?”
“No, I came for you because I love you. I couldn’t take off because I was trying to leave the best thing that has ever happened to me. I’m sorry, Dez. I’m so sorry.” She clutched his hand where it lay on the hospital bed. She wasn’t looking at him, but she was sure he knew she was crying anyway. She hated crying, especially if someone was watching, but she couldn’t help it.
“What do you want to do?” He asked her.
“I already did it. I transferred ownership ofThe Treasureto the crew. And you. They have to make deposits to your account here so that we have warm clothes and good food.”
“We?”
“I’m staying. I’m your mate. You can’t live without me, and I don’t want to live without you.”
He turned his hand and gripped her tighter. “You can’t give upThe Treasure. It’s your dream, your future, your freedom. My captain?—”
“Your queen.”
“That too, but you can’t. There’s no way you can live on Kolben. They don’t have water tanks. Your beautiful skin will suffer. And it’s dangerous. I might not survive very long here. You’ve seen the statistics.”
“My parents were very traditional. They clung to the NOAH traditions that were carried from Earth. Things like being wed to one person forever until death do you part. And I rejected them and all they wanted for me. But the teachings, the beliefs, don’t disappear so easily. I don’t care how long we have Dez. I’m here with you. Until death do we part.” Cyra bent and pressed her lips to his. Warmth, peace, the sense of being home flowed through her. Sadness and regret no longer swamped her. He was her future and her dream for as long as it lasted.
“I love you, Cyra. I don’t want this for you.”
“I do. I want this because it’s you, Dez. I don’t want a life that doesn’t have you in it. Even if from the outside it looks like the worst possible situation, it will be my heaven. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. We belong together becauseyouare my treasure not the ship.”
“My beautiful mate.” Dez sighed and closed his eyes.
She lay her head next to his on the pillow, bent over his bed. She wouldn’t leave the room. Not until he did. And then they would figure out what came next. His breathing deepened. She matched her breaths to his and settled into the rightness of being exactly where she was meant to be.
“Mr. Cuocua?”
