Lium thumped her on the back, nearly knocking her down before Paal swept her up against his body in a tight embrace.
Prince Zander barked orders about finishing the patch on the outer shell, and clearing debris, but she only half-heard. Instead, in the cavity of the helmet, she listened to the amplified beating of Paal’s heart, just beneath her ear.
Being held by him brought an unbelievable comfort. Emotions she hadn’t thought she ever desired to feel ricocheted through her chest. She felt cherished by him, protected. She sensed his approval, his happiness at her success. He was proud of her. Maybe even impressed by her.
And it wasn’t over sex.
A new hand touched her back and she reluctantly pulled away from Paal’s massive frame. Prince Zander loomed over her, beautiful and regal. “What is your name?”
“Leticia, my lord.” She dropped a curtsy.
“Thank you for your help. You have earned your place here with us and are welcome.”
She never knew the gooey warmth that came with belonging. With being accepted into a group. Welcomed.
Her cheeks heated as she curtsied, once more.
The prince changed his focus to Paal. “Get her back to the crystal bath until the air has cleared. Report to me the status of the rest of the females and young.”
“Yes, my lord.” Paal looped an arm around her waist and ushered her away from the wrecked side of the pod, to the dome-shaped crystal bath room. With the power returned, the doors should be working now, but apparently the warriors had broken them with their rough handling. The huge warrior who’d stayed to guard the bath—Granit, she thought she’d heard him called—was struggling to refit the door into the mechanism.
“All beings safe?” Paal asked.
“Yes. How about out there?” All the faces of the females and children turned to listen.
Paal squeezed her. “Leti fixed the wiring and restored the power and the hole has been patched. Prince Zander ordered you remain here until the air is clear.”
“And then what?” Bayla asked.
Paal shrugged, but Lamira spoke. “Then they go to war.”
5
Zander let out a string of curses in their native tongue. Three planet rotations and they would've taken the Finn by surprise.
Or maybe they wouldn't have. What if they had a mole and that's why the Finn struck this planet rotation?
He stood at the helm of the pod, where Seke and the rest of his advisors had gathered to both brief and counsel him.
"The pod is completely secure and flight worthy, my lord," Lium reported. "Just give the order and we can leave Ocretion airspace and put it in hiding."
He nodded. "And the attacker?"
"Dead. Single battleship, as far as we can tell. There was no sign of any other craft. The Ocretions supplied us with their recorded data, and it appears to have entered the airspace alone and without authorization," Erick said. "The Ocretions are, of course, swearing they had nothing to do with it and cooperating with our effort. That said, I'm sure they won't mind a bit when we relocate."
"And the target for relocation?"
"The Aurelian ambassador has agreed to keeping it in their airspace," Erick said.
Thank veck he had Erick to work the diplomatic channels, because his temper was far too frayed to do it well himself. "For how long?"
&nbs
p; He met Erick's somber gaze across the oval table. "Indefinitely. They understand our plans and know the majority of us may not return."
"Have they offered any other assistance?"
"None. They refuse to break their vow of neutrality."