Page 57 of I Married Amreth

I smiled and gestured with my head for us to go back to the shuttle to bring in the samples we had gathered.

“Like you, it’s a family thing. Both my parents are plastic surgeons. They were extremely happy when I told them that I was following in their footsteps by entering the medical field. But I quickly burst their bubble saying I wouldn’t go into plastic surgery. They’re still proud of me, but annoyed by many of my choices,” I said with a hint of self-derision.

“Like what?” He asked with genuine curiosity.

“Over the years, I received some pretty flattering offers to take on prestigious positions in the medical field. But those roles turn into more of a public relations thing, political and administrative where you just hold conferences, mingle with the stuck up elite, and really lose that hands-on connection with the magic of healing. Like you, I want to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Those fancy roles or my parents’ even fancier clinic didn’t do it for me.”

Amreth opened the door of the shuttle and gestured for me to go in first before following me in.

“Plastic surgery isn’t only related to vanity modifications,” he countered softly. “For many patients, reconstructive surgery was the only thing that gave them back their lives after a grievous accident or injury, not to mention those born with serious birth defects.”

I nodded. “That’s absolutely true. Actually, I seriously considered it at first. My parents even offered to add that as a new service in their clinic. But the adventurous bug bit me something fierce. I wanted to go out there and face the type of challenges that I would never encounter in the controlled setting of a local clinic. The worlds and people I have visited and discovered have changed me in ways that I could never put into words. In all the ways that matter, those experiences have made me a better person.”

“I understand what you mean,” he said pensively. “Working closely with my inmates has also opened my eyes and broadened my horizons. Unless you interact with them directly and over a long period of time, you forget that they’re people first, and criminals second. It has forced me to learn about their various cultures and circumstances. As strict as I may be about upholding the law, being a Warden reminded me that people are not born criminals. Society and circumstances are usually toblame. I love that I can try to undo the damage that brought them to that place to begin with.”

“Just like I can try to undo the harm caused to my patients whether it came to them intentionally or because of an accident—especially when due to some idiot’s carelessness,” I said, a sliver of anger seeping into my voice as I thought back on the circumstances that led to the tragedy plaguing the Kreelars. “I just wish I could tell my parents that all is well, and that I will be home sooner than later.”

“They already know,” Amreth said in a hesitant tone.

Shocked, I nearly dropped the container I was about to place on the counter of the shuttle’s hold, which we had turned into a makeshift lab.

“WHAT?!”

He heaved a sigh and appeared to choose his words carefully before answering. “Remember how I mentioned that Maeve helped me track you down here?”

“Yes,” I said, the irritation in my voice indicating clearly that I didn’t see what that had to do with the question I just asked.

“She requested I send a message as soon as I got visual confirmation of your presence,” he explained. “Initially, it would have sufficed for the Peacekeepers—and maybe even the Enforcers—to come charging in had you been in any kind of danger or displaying distress. So before I got captured, I sent Maeve the recording of the three of you walking out of the lab while I was still scouting.”

“Right,” I said, tension bleeding out of my back. “That makes sense. But it doesn’t confirm that she received it or that she passed it on to my parents. After all, you said yourself that we are in the Dead Zone, and communications with the rest of the galaxy is a gamble at best before the signal travels far enough to be picked up by one of the relays.”

“That would have been true if not for the fact that I found Maeve’s response when I returned to the ship this morning,” he countered.

“What?! Why didn’t you tell me that sooner? What does it say?” I asked, feeling somewhat offended.

“It said that they received both my messages.”

“Bothyour messages?!” I exclaimed before he could continue, interrupting him.

He nodded. “The first message was the one I told you about. But that first night, when Aku allowed me to go fetch my personal belongings, I sent a second message informing her that we were fine, safe, and that we were voluntarily staying to help cure their people. Without that, they would have sent someone to investigate, and things might have turned ugly. If not the Enforcers themselves, I can guarantee you that my family would have come looking for me.”

“Fair,” I said, still taken aback by the whole thing.

“When I went to fetch the shuttle this morning, I found yet another message in which Maeve confirmed that all three of your families and the Enforcers have been informed of the situation,” Amreth continued. “They won’t interfere but remain on standby. In truth, I believe they’re either in orbit or not too far from here.”

I frowned. “Why? What makes you say that?”

“Her responses are too quick,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Without a relay nearby, it should take on average a couple of days before the signal gets picked up.”

“But why didn’t you tell me any of this sooner? What’s going on? I’m not a fan of secrecy, especially under the current circumstances,” I said, staring at him uneasily.

I hated the powerful flashbacks I was getting of my douchebag ex-fiancé. He kept so many things secret so that he could take advantage of me that I now had trust issues.

Amreth ran a nervous hand through his long, silver-white hair, a frown creasing his forehead covered in dark scales.

“I’m stuck in an odd position,” he said, sounding frustrated. “I believe they want me to be very discreet.”

“Discreet?” I echoed, baffled. “About what?”

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