“So, you have already done the math.”

“A thousand times.”

“Which way are we going?”

She pointed to the left, and they walked toward the well-worn path that would take them to the overlook.

He nodded, and they kept walking, silent for a few minutes while she wiped the tears from her cheeks.










Chapter Seven

Nanitha sighed. “Ican’t help but feel guilty. She was so small.”

“That leaves me with a serious question.”

“Okay.”

“If you were stuck as a drake, how did you change her diaper?”

Nanitha laughed. “Oh, that. She went free-range, and I used a light cleaning fire on her butt and bits. Fortunately, she potty trained shortly after we met.”

Orwon nodded. “Sensible. So, when we have little ones, I think it is best for all that we do it in the biped form. Mating your larger form would be difficult. Not impossible, but I think your gestational appetite would wreak havoc.”

She felt heat flare in her cheeks. “You seem very sure.”

“Do our frequencies match?”

She sighed. “They do. Rikian is very close to one of my cousins, but I would have to see them together to confirm it.”

“And you just blurred over the fact that we are a match.”

Nanitha wrinkled her nose. “Caught that, did you? So, you are a dark star?”

“Yes. Nice and dense.”

“Your markings?”