Page 50 of Victoria's Embrace

“That was not your fault. Not even a little bit.”

“I should have been faster, should have seen her attack coming. I am so sorr—”

“Stop it. If we’re playing the blame game, then I should’ve thought to check the other rooms down here when we came to get cloned. I should’ve anticipated she’d do something like that.”

He frowned down at her, shaking his head before she’d even finished. “No. You could not have known she would do something so dishonorable.”

“Exactly. And unless you can see the future and just never told me, there was no way you could’ve anticipated her biting you, so there’s absolutely no reason to beat yourself up.”

“Beat myself,” he echoed then shook his head and swallowed hard, looking tortured. “I was going to hurt you.”

“No, you weren’t. You fought against it. When Snitch and Tesha pinned you down, you could’ve easily gotten free, but you didn’t. So, stop.”

He blew out a breath and searched her face for a moment then lifted her off her feet into a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Pulling back after a moment, she cupped his cheeks. “How do you feel? Really?”

One side of his lips quirked up in a wry smile. “Half starved.”

Surprised, she laughed and kissed him, relieved almost to the point of tears to have her playful giant back. Pressing her forehead to his, she murmured against his lips, “Then let’s get you fed.”

* * *

They madetheir way to the cantina on the lobby floor. Once inside, she shooed Thegan to a table, telling him she’d get food for him. He looked almost equal parts confused and amused, but eventually bowed to her demands.

She watched him for a second to make sure he was actually sitting, then headed for the buffet line, filling plate after plate with food for him.

Thorn, gazing down at her in something between amusement and understanding, brushed a comforting hand over her curls and rumbled quietly, “He will not shrink, my heartsmate. Be at ease.”

She had no idea what he was talking about. A glance at Vi’kail told her he didn’t get it, either. Sending Thorn a confused smile, she replied, “That’s good.”

He nodded solemnly. “Indeed.”

Finished, she walked carefully to the table, four overflowing plates balanced precariously on her hands and forearms.

While they ate, Victoria, Vi’kail, and Thorn took turns filling him in on what he’d missed: Salesh’s death, Aria’s return, putting the complex back to rights, and then waiting outside the lab for news that he was okay.

Despite echoing Thorn’s protests that he wasn’t going to shrink, which Victoria realized must be their version of the hyperbole ‘expire from hunger,’ Thegan cleared all four plates.

Seeing that everyone was finished, and that Thegan was beginning to look tired, she suggested they head to her rooms to clean up while he took a nap.

Thegan perked up and, as was becoming a habit of theirs, exchanged a look with Vi’kail and Thorn, before gazing at her.

With what sounded a whole lot like purposeful nonchalance, he suggested, “Or we could have a wander in the arena. I would not mind the fresh air.”

Wondering at the tone in his voice and the odd tension in all of them, but happy enough to take a stroll if he thought that would make him feel better, she shrugged.

“Okay. Let me get Snitch out of the kitchens, and we’ll head out.”

Chapter 30

Not five minutes in, Victoria got the feeling their walk was less of a wander and more a purposeful march. In fact, a few times, the guys walked so fast they outpaced her before realizing they were leaving her behind and turned around to rejoin her.

Just as they were approaching an area where people had built houses, the tension she’d been wondering at in them ratcheted up a few more notches.

“What’s up? Y’all are acting weird.”

“Nothing!” Thorn damn near barked, looking startled.

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