Page 17 of Homecoming

His eyes widened. “You can remove it?”

“You told me to take care of it, right? I took care of it. Now you are here, I am going to give it back.”

Sohar swallowed. “You still have it?”

She focused and closed her eyes, gripping her chest with her fingers and pulling outward. Pain ripped through her as it came out an inch. She heard panicked whimpering and kept going as she eased the diamond out of her chest.

She heard someone shouting at her, but then a hand pushed over hers, and the diamond slid back into her. She slumped over and panted.

Sohar stroked her head and held her hand. “It is integrated into you now. It isn’t coming out.”

“Well, fuck.” She kept focusing on her breathing until she could lift her head up. “That used to be easier. I am getting old.”

Sohar was appalled. “You used to pull it out? That was there to keep you alive.”

“Yes, but I posited that human tissue heals itself in just under six months. So, I pulled it out, checked my pulse, and then put it back in for safekeeping because I didn’t want a twenty-carat diamond lying around. And it didn’t go with a thing I owned.”

Loken smiled. “He jammed an emerald into me when we met. Similar situation. I tried to save him but ended up carved to pieces. He produced an emerald and jammed it into my chest, and I suddenly felt better.”

“It is an interesting dating tactic. Weirder way to make friends.” She leaned back and covered her eyes.

Sohar sounded concerned. “Do you have pain?”

“Just the feeling of a rodent caught in a trap. Until I realized I was in the maze, the world was mine.”

Loken nodded. “And now?”

“Now, it is just a lifetime of suckitude.” She grimaced.

Sohar said softly, “I am trying very hard not to take this personally.”

Aeryn sat up and looked at his confused features. “Damn. I hurt your feelings. I am sorry.”

He cocked his head and held a hand out to her. She grimaced but slipped her skin along his and let his grip pull her out of her chair and onto his lap.

She looked up at him. “So, is this what the very obliging ladies do?”

His confused look made her smile. “You know, the ones who get naked the moment they step on the yacht?”

Loken groaned. “You didn’t tell her that.”

“I may have mentioned it.”

Aeryn settled and looked at Loken. “Oh. Yes. He did.”

“What did you feel about that?”

“My immediate thought sprang to disease-testing.” She shrugged. “It just means that no one is putting one finger near me. I like my body unravaged by disease. My immune system is pretty good, but I don’t want to stress it.”

Sohar frowned. “What about you? What is your medical history?”

“Oh, I just had a full workup for insurance for the Ministry of Tourism. I am fine.” She smiled brightly.

He gripped her hips and scowled. She saw a dark colouring crossing his features. “Ah, Sohar, you need to get your ass back in the water and go back to being an island.”

He smirked. “Is that what you think I am?”

“It is how you appear.”

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