Page 18 of Second

“What are you doing?”

“Fixing your eyesight,” he said absently. “These eyeglasses you wear are archaic. And they are damaged making your vision less than optimal.”

“You mean, Iwon’t need glasses anymore?”

He adjusted a few settings. “Hold still.” A slight buzzing came from the device. “And no, you will not need glasses ever again.”

Afterward, Elara sat cross-legged on the wide, cushioned bench in the ship’s observation chamber, beyond delighted by her visual acuity. Never needing glasses again… She grinned in delight. Maybe there were a few things about life in the Nine Galaxies that were an improvement over Earth.

The faint hum of his vessel became a comforting background noise. Zar’Ryn stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the swirling expanse of stars beyond the wide viewport. His expression was unreadable, but tension radiated from him like a tangible force. The silence between them felt heavy, almost stifling.

She broke the silence. “You’ve been quiet. Too quiet.”

Zar’Ryn’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t look at her. “There is much to consider.”

Elara leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. “It’s the bond, isn’t it? What happened between us—it’s because of the bracelets.”

“It is more than that.” His voice was low, weighted with emotion he refused to show. “Everything is more than it should be.”

Before she could press him further, the ship’s console emitted a soft chime.

“This is a live broadcast,” said a smooth, detached voice. “The judgment of Jo’Nay and his human mate, Winn, has concluded. Asummary follows.”

Elara’s brow furrowed. “Judgment?”

Zar’Ryn moved to the console and activated the visual feed. Asmall holographic projection appeared, depicting a sterile tribunal chamber. At its center, Jo’Nay stood tall, his white hair gleaming under the harsh lights. Beside him, Winn clutched his arm, her expression defiant but shadowed withfear.

The voice of the Head Councilor rang out, cold and deliberate. “You stand accused of violating the sacred laws of Vetta. You have taken a mate, fathered a hybrid child, consumed an unapproved substance that altered your genetic makeup, and refused to take your Final Flight. Do you deny these charges?”

Jo’Nay’s voice was steady as he replied, “I do not deny the actions. But I challenge the premise that these actions are crimes.”

Elara gasped softly. “That’s brave. Or reckless.”

“Both,” Zar’Ryn muttered, his jaw tightening.

Elara gestured to the projection. “Wait—four charges? Let me get this straight. The mate, the child, the substance, and… refusing the Final Flight?” She turned to Zar’Ryn, her brows knitting together. “You’ve done three of those things.”

Zar’Ryn stiffened, his gaze unwavering on the feed. “I have consumed the substance and refused the Final Flight. Ihave not taken a mate or fathered a child. There is a distinction.”

“But the Council doesn’t seem to care about intent,” she pointed out. “How is what Jo’Nay did worse than what you’ve done?”

“It is not a matter of worse or better,” Zar’Ryn replied, his tone clipped. “It is a matter of the code. The code binds us. It is absolute.”

She crossed her arms, frustration bubbling to the surface. “You’re hiding behind the code. What does it even mean to you now? You’ve already broken it.”

His jaw tightened further, his voice low. “I have not broken the most sacred tenet. Ihave not bonded with another. That is the line that cannot be crossed.”

Elara recoiled slightly, her voice softening. “And if you did? What happens then?”

Zar’Ryn hesitated, his shoulders stiff. “If I did, Iwould no longer be a Warrior. Iwould no longer be anything. Iwould take my Final Flight.”

Her stomach clenched at the finality in his voice. She couldn’t believe he truly thought that way, that he’d end his life for breaking the warrior’s code. “That’s not true. You’d still be you. You’d still be Zar’Ryn.”

“No.” He turned to face her, his gaze hard and laced with a ruthless certainty. “The code is what defines us. Without it, we are unmoored. Jo’Nay’s defiance endangers the galaxy. It sets a precedent that cannot be allowed.”

Elara rose to her feet, her frustration bubbling over. “And yet you’re here, defying it too. You didn’t take your Final Flight. You chose to survive. Doesn’t that mean you’re already unmoored?”

His gaze darkened, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he turned back to the projection and resumed thefeed.

---