Page 42 of Fourth

Vaeyra inclined her head. “That has been noted and approved.”

Maya exhaled slowly, steadying herself. The terms had been laid out clearly now. Formal archive access for Riv’En, full scans for her, observation protocols. It wasn’t just a formality. It was a test. And not one she could afford to fail. For all the quiet steadiness of her robe’s color now, gold and warm against her skin, there was no ignoring what had been agreed to. Her pulse steadied because it had to. Because showing fear here would only make it worse.

The Emissary continued. “You will submit any personal weapons beyond defense class. And for the duration of your stay, both of you will be subject to observation protocols.”

Riv’En nodded once. “Understood.” He turned his gaze fully toward Vaeyra now, his expression as unreadable as ever. “Regarding the vessel that shadowed us before orbit entry. What action does the Council require?”

Vaeyra’s pale gaze flicked between them. “We detected its signature as well. It has not yet breached Elaroin orbit, but it lingers within outer perimeter range. You will provide all scan data and identification markers.”

“And if it attempts entry?” Riv’En asked, his voice quieter, sharper.

“Then it will be eliminated,” Vaeyra said without hesitation. “You will assist our patrol units in identifying it if necessary. If there are allies aboard that you wish protected, state them now.”

“There are none,” Riv’En replied.

A subtle chill ran through Maya. His absolute certainty settled like a stone in her chest. Part of her wanted to be reassured by it. Another part wondered what it truly meant to be so cut off from everyone else, to have no one else but each other. That reality pressed against her ribs, undeniable and sharp.

The tension in the room rose and eased into something quieter, like a tide pulling back after a wave. The silence wasn’t critical anymore. It was expectant. Her fingers brushed lightly against the seam of her robe, fortifying herself in the steady warmth of the fabric. The simple motion helped her breathe. Around them, everything held perfectly still, waiting not with pressure, but with patience. Her pulse slowed into somethingsteady and calm, as if her body finally caught up to what her mind already knew: they belonged here,now.

Vaeyra’s gaze shifted once more between them. “We will reconvene once scans are complete and Council review is finalized.”

The words carried finality, but to Maya they raised more questions. How long would that take? Hours? Days? And until then, what exactly did observation protocols mean? Quiet guards outside their door, or silent watchers hidden in every surface? And what about Riv’En’s heat flashes? Would they be able to protect him from Final Flight?

Just the thought alone had her bursting into speech. “Wait,” Maya said, her voice sharper than she intended. “The scans—do they include testing for Final Flight? Can it be stopped? Cured?” Her words hung in the air, frantic and urgent.

Vaeyra turned back toward her, pale eyes narrowing slightly as if considering not just the question, but Maya herself. “We will determine what is possible,” she said at last, her voice steady, but offering no easy promises.

Maya hesitated, her mind still circling the question of Final Flight, what had just been agreed to pressing hard against her ribs. Her thoughts tangled between fear and the steady gold of her robe. As Vaeyra turned to leave, Maya’s pulse spiked one last time, words caught behind her teeth.

But she held them back. There were no more questions to ask, not here. Only things to prove.

As the door closed behind the Council, Maya turned to Riv’En, her voice quiet but steady now. “Will they ever really accept me?”

Riv’En inclined his head slightly, the faintest curve of something dark and certain in his mouth. “That is not what matters,” he said quietly. “I have accepted you.”

Chapter 10

HEAT RIPPLEDunder Riv’En’s skin like a living thing. It crawled along his spine, prickled at the base of his skull. But instead of giving in to it, he stood silent beside the ship’s viewing panel, eyes locked not on the readouts but on the planet swelling large in the window before him. Elaros.Home.

And beside him, Maya.

Her profile tilted toward the light, eyes wide and unblinking as the colors of the atmosphere caught across her face. Silver-blue glare shifting over her cheekbone, soft purple across her jaw and neck. There was no fear there. Only wonder. Only quiet focus that made something deep in his chest pull tight.

If this is the last thing I see... there are worse ways togo.

A quiet breath escaped him, and for the first time in days, he allowed his gaze to leave the planet and focus entirely on her. Maya. The human who wasn’t supposed to matter. The anomaly. The threat. And yet, she stood there as if she belonged. Herhair caught the filtered light, glowing like spun gold, athousand shades weaving through the strands. Her hand hovered just above the glass, fingertips almost touching the surface, as if she could reach throughit.

Riv’En’s voice came out rougher than he intended. “We will land shortly.”

She didn’t look at him. “It’s beautiful. Ididn’t expect it to be beautiful.”

He swallowed hard against the heat filling his chest. “Elaros is not known beyond our people. It is... private. Sacred.”

Her eyes flicked toward him then, pale blue bright against the shadows in the cabin. “You grew up here?”

He shook his head once. “No. My mother’s people did.”

Her expression softened, her features shifting in a way that made something sharp twist in his chest. The edges of her mouth lifted—not quite a smile, but close, as if understanding had settled there, quiet and certain. Her eyes searched his face with unspoken intent, like she saw something he hadn’t meant for her to notice—something hollow beneath all that restraint. Aflicker of something unguarded.

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