The Lonely Orphan (The Lost Planet 5)

When we finish our rounds, Zoe’s already knee deep in studying data from the multitude of tests she and Avrell have devised. I leave her with the promise to take it easy for the next few weeks and head to see Willow for our scheduled comms with the Facility to check in before they depart in a few days.

Theron and Hadrian are busy preparing their ship for the journey back across Mortuus to collect Avrell. When not working on the ship, Theron has been training Willow to use their weapons and how to safely use their suits. She won’t be able to go into the Facility to see her mother, but she’ll be able to see her from afar.

I should be jealous, after all, I’ve been waiting to see Aria for most of my life, but surprisingly, I’m not. I’m content. Having caught The Rades, I’m still highly contagious and don’t want to bring the virus back to my sister and her new son. As soon as Avrell has cleared everyone, we’ll move the prisoners to the Facility and let the guards to fend for themselves. They won’t have any comms units to communicate with Earth II or any ships to leave the prison. They’ll be stuck there, like we were, which is a fate better than what they deserve for how they treated us.

I find Willow in the command room, speaking animatedly with her mother, who only looks to be a few years older due to all of us being on ice while we traveled to the prison.

“Sweet baby Jesus,” Molly was saying, “I can’t wait to see you, my sweet girl. We’ve got so much catching up to do.”

“I won’t be able to see you for long, Mom. It won’t be safe.”

Molly waves a hand. “A few minutes will feel like a lifetime. Once Avrell gets there and gives that virus a kick in the pants, it won’t be long until every one of y’all is back here for good. I can’t wait for you to meet your sibling and Draven and the rogcow.”

Draven stands like a hovering thundercloud behind Molly. If any of the morts look like a monster it’s him. I don’t know how a sweet woman like Molly could mate someone so intimidating, but she flutters around him, full of enthusiasm, and he watches her with eyes full of love. Who am I to judge? I never thought I’d end up mated to man like Hadrian either.

“Rogcow?” Willow asks.

“Oh, you’re just going to love Eileen, I promise. Oh, hi, Limerick, I mean Lyric. I bet you’ll want to talk to Aria. You’ll have to forgive me. Sometimes I just get to talking and I can’t stop.”

Her bubbly personality makes me smile. “No rush. We’ve got all the time in the world now.”

“You sure you don’t mind me going with Theron?” Willow asks as Molly runs off to retrieve Aria.

“Of course not. We’ll be fine here. Hadrian will stay with us.”

“As if he’d leave at this point. I don’t think I’ve seen him leave your side unless he’s working on the ship.”

“I’m not complaining.”

Willow rolls her eyes. “I am. Because when he’s with you Theron has no one left to annoy but me. If it weren’t for Mom, I’d tell him he could go to the Facility by himself.”

“What’s he been doing?”

Willow, who has always been cool under pressure, begins to pace. “He’s so full of himself. He thinks he’s God’s gift to Mortuus. Strutting about, eyeing everything with a pair of breasts. No wonder they’ve been cooped up for so long. The world would simply explode if it had to deal with morts on a daily basis.”

“Has he…done anything?” I ask with grave seriousness. I didn’t think Theron was the type, but after everything we’ve been through, there’s no way I’d let any of my women be harassed.

Willow immediately looks contrite. “No, no, of course not, it’s not that. He’s just so infuriating. He gets under my skin.”

“If you don’t want to go with him, I’m sure we can figure something out. I just know how much you wanted to see you mother, even if it’s only for a short time.”

“Hell no!” she protests, and I see a flash of her mother on her face. “I’m not going to let him stop me from going. I can ignore him. I shouldn’t even be complaining about it.”

I wrap an arm around her shoulder. “No, don’t say that. I’m happy to listen when you need it. Just let me know if he’s too much. I know how the morts can be.”

“Particularly Theron,” comes a gruff voice from the speaker.

We turn and find Breccan and Aria waiting for us. In Aria’s arms is a baby. The sight of him steals my breath away. Somehow he’s the perfect blend of Breccan’s alien strength and Aria’s beauty.