Page 67 of Romancing Rem'eb

Noj’me becomes radiant once more. “Yes?”

“Don’t lead her on,” Colleen protests. “You’re just setting her up for a world of hurt.”

“How would you describe a computer, then?” Harlow’s expression is patient. She kneels in front of the sled, smoothing her small daughter’s pigtails and straightening her rumpled clothes in a motherly fashion as the girl continues to hug her doll atop the sled. Harlow glances back over at Colleen. “She’s not praying to it for rain or asking it to smite her enemies. She thinks it holds a great deal of knowledge. Which it does. What part of all that is misleading?”

“I just don’t like her being led on, that’s all,” Colleen grumbles.

“Let’s just make camp,” I say, interrupting. “It hasn’t been all that long since someone was last here. We can probably use their firepit.” A short distance away, I can see the snow-covered remains of an old firepit and some rocks that encircled it. There’s nothing but a light crust over the pit, which means we’ll set up there. I gesture at it. “This area looks like it falls in the shadow of the ship, which means it’ll be a little bit colder overall, but we’ll also be protected from the sky.”

“We’re staying out here? Shouldn’t we go inside?” Colleen asks. “So, you know, we don’t get eaten by giant birds?”

Rukh takes his daughter off the sled, kisses her round cheek, and hands her over to his mate. His son, he ruffles his hair and stands still while Rukhar links himself to his father’s belt. “We stay down here,” Rukh says, and his tone sounds final. “Smoke keeps away sky-claw.”

“Besides,” Harlow says in a gentler tone. “There’s no level surfaces up top. Once you go up, you’ll see what I mean. We’re here to use the computer, check on a few things, and then return home.”

“Should we sleep in pairs as well, then?” Chalath asks, giving Natalie an expectant grin. “I will make room for you in my furs and keep you warm.”

Natalie grimaces, pulling her rope free from his belt. She walks a few feet over to Colleen and Noj’me and grabs Colleen’s belt, silently tying herself to them as a third.

“No,” says Noj’me. “Three tied together and one alone is less safe.”

Poor Natalie grimaces again and reluctantly holds the end of her rope out to Chalath once more. He takes it and ties her to him again, smirking at all of us as if he’s won a prize instead of being her last choice.

My amusement at their antics dies quickly, because we’re here. My time with Rem’eb is going to be measured by hours now instead of days or weeks. The moment he gets the language beam into his mind, the countdown begins. The knot in my throat grows unbearable, and I want to collapse in misery.

How am I going to do this without him?

I fight back my grief, because this is what I agreed to. I can’t go back on it now. I just clutch tightly at Rem’eb’s hand and hope I have the strength to do this. It’s not like he’s going to be instantly taken away from me, after all. We’ll still have a bit of time together.

I just have to make the best of it.

We set up camp and start a fire. Chalath and Natalie set up tents, still tied together. Chalath does the heavy work while Natalie hands him things. Rukh gets the children settled and unpacks the sled with his son Rukhar while Harlow checks the rope ladders. “Everything looks just as sturdy as we left it.”

“I go up first,” Rukh growls at his mate. “To make sure.”

“Yes, yes, I know. I’m just impatient.” She beams at him, and a small smile curves his hard mouth in response.

Just their happiness makes me ache. They know each other so well after years of being together. I’m envious. So very envious.

I take over the fire-making and cooking duties, letting Rem’eb assist me. We’re still tied together, and part of me wants this rope around my waist forever. I’m just being impractical now. My grief over what I’m about to lose is affecting my mind.

“Shall we go up tonight?” Harlow asks, once the fire is blazing and her children are settled in the tent. Her eagerness is palpable.

Her words send me into a panic, though. “Tomorrow,” I blurt. “We can’t go tonight!”

Everyone stares at me.

“It’ll be dangerous,” I point out, forcing myself to keep my voice a little more level, less frantic. “What if something has frayed on the ropes? What if there’s been a collapse in the ship? Best to go when there’s enough light.”

Rukh grunts, nodding. “Tomorrow. The kits are tired.”

“You’re going to make them go up?” Colleen stares at him in shock.

Harlow laughs, shaking her head as she sits down next to her mate by the fire. “Making them? I won’t be able to stop them.”

“Are they good climbers?” Natalie asks, her expression solemn.

“Their father is,” Harlow says. Her hand goes to her mate’s thigh. “And he doesn’t mind climbing up and down twice.”

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