Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 91775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Even though the answer is expected, it still hurts.
“Then I will join you in bed, and we’ll make a baby. But I want you to do something for me. I want you to take a journey to the Ancestors’ Ship with me. I want you to get the language lasered into your head. I want us to be able to talk. Really talk without any confusion, any interpreters. After that, I won’t hold you if you have to go.”
Noj’me translates as best she can, but she gets the point across, more or less. They both get confused when I mention the “language dump,” as Georgie calls it. It takes a bit of explaining for them before I settle upon telling Rem’eb and Noj’me that the “Oracle” of our people will provide learning to them at a very quick pace.
“It will be a journey of several days, and it will have to be after we have fulfilled resonance,” I admit. I don’t think I can travel far feeling the way I am.
“I do not mind a bit longer,” Rem’eb says. “I will take our time together and be grateful.”
Grateful. I smile thinly. I guess I can be grateful too, right? Or I can try.
“I will come as well,” Noj’me says eagerly. “Set’nef the Wanderer and Tal’nef the Swiftest will wish to come, too.”
Suuuuper. But I can’t exactly say no. If they plan on staying above with everyone else—and from what I can tell, the brothers don’t intend to go back, and Noj’me wants to stay and learn a while but plans to go back later. They all need a translator chip or the language dump if they’re going to be able to communicate. It’d be the height of selfishness for me to insist Rem’eb and I go alone, no matter how much I might want that. “Of course.”
“And perhaps some of the clones and taters,” Noj’me continues, chattering happily. “This is exciting!”
Rem’eb just watches me. His hand goes to my knee and he rubs it, and I swear, even through leather, his touch burns me. “Are you all right with this deal?”
“It’s the only choice I have, isn’t it?” I whisper.
Noj’me leans in, a hand to her ear. “I miss your words. Speak again?”
“I said yes, I am happy,” I say louder.
We can’t keep going on like this, after all. And if I vomit out everything I’m feeling to Rem’eb and it changes nothing? Then it was never meant to be anyhow.
Noj’me claps her hands. “I will speak to Colleen and the other clones. Perhaps they will enjoy a journey. Surely they want to see more of this world.” She pauses, thinking. “What about the dragon man?”
I pry my gaze from Rem’eb’s, trying to concentrate on her excited words. “Ashtar? No, I don’t think he’ll come.” If it was a smaller group, I might suggest that Ashtar fly us to the Ancestors’ Ship. It’d be far quicker. But Ashtar has been wary around the ancestors ever since Rem’eb started asking questions about healers. I think he worries that someone’s going to get it in their head to steal Veronica, and since Ashtar can be quite destructive, I think it’s best to keep the two groups separate. “No Ashtar. Just Rem’eb and Tia.”
“Rem’eb and Tia,” Rem’eb agrees, the hand on my back skimming over my spine. It’s like we’re alone together in that moment, and I can’t take my eyes off of him. I ache with how badly I want him. Need him. “When do you want to start, my Tia?”
Start? He must mean him and I…when do we want to try to make a baby?
No sense in waiting any longer, I decide. I take his hand from my knee, lift it to my lips, and kiss his fingertips. “Now.”
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
TIA
Iforget all about Noj’me as I kiss Rem’eb’s hand, the very fist that he’s named for. His scent carries on the air, and I can’t define it as anything specific…just him. Just perfect. I kiss his knuckles again, gazing up at him.
“Now?” he echoes, repeating me.
I nod. I’m tired of being tortured by resonance. If we can’t come to an agreement about our future, at least I’ll be able to tell him how I feel before he returns to his people. Maybe we can set up some sort of co-parenting schedule, though thinking ahead to that lonely future makes me ache.
Now, I remind myself. Focus on here and now, or you’re just going to cry all day.
I don’t want to cry. Not when Rem’eb moves toward me, cupping my head in his big hand, and gazes down at me as if I’m the most gorgeous thing he’s ever seen. His eyes are so soft and full of love that I have to believe in this moment. I have to believe that everything will work out after all.