Page 3 of Krin

I’d barely spoken to her. And when I did, it seemed all I did was upset her.

How was I to know Riley had been contemplating joining a human colony. Or if that statement held any truth at all.

I believed she enjoyed living on Alara because she had Grace and Olivia here with her. The trio had become close friends.

Why would she want to start over in a colony?

Then I recalled a few seemingly random discussions I had with Grace, Trex’s K’sha. She repeatedly stressed that Riley was a warrior, often referring to her as a special forces soldier.

The attractive, outspoken female had already impressed me with her courage, leaving me in awe.

Trex persisted. “Riley admitted to Grace her reasoning for wanting to leave was because she has skill’s she feels would be useful within the Protectorate’s allied forces.”

I clenched my palms against the chair’s arms, feeling them tighten.

“Are you going to tell me what these skills are? I need a little help here.” My throat constricted as I finished speaking.

Trex leaned forward, placing his forearms on his desk. His deep voice shifted to a conspiratorial pitch. “Riley mentioned her previous training included combat. I suspect there is more she is not saying. From my understanding, she is also capable of comprehending and effectively using advanced technology, including data retrieval and computing. Perhaps she would be suited to a position in the command center? Navigation perhaps?”

“How do you know any of this?” There was a stirring of envy in my chest, but I was able to control it. Compared to me, Trex displayed a higher level of impulsiveness and faster reactions.

“I heard her speaking to my K’sha. And I was assured by Grace that if Riley asked for a job, she would excel in any position she believed was suitable for her.”

I scratched my head, the worry gnawing at my thoughts and refusing to let go. “What about her safety? How can I protect her if she is off doing things I can’t control?”

Trex let out a laugh that echoed through the room.

“Have you learned nothing of females yet? You can’tcontrolthem, Krin. You can only be there for her, and support her. If you want your K’sha to be happy, do what you can to honor her requests.”

“When Grace wanted to use her medical training to work with Rekna, I tried to advise against it at first. She didn’t let it go, and soon I realized it was something that would make her happy, so I agreed.”

Grace worked at the palace infirmary, and was being mentored in Alaran medicine by Rekna, the Chetok’s former head medic. She was a stubborn female, but I knew Trex honored and loved her more than anything.

Trex cleared his throat before adding. “Krin, this is not my business, but as your friend I have an obligation to say something.”

I acknowledged him with a nod, concealing my emotions. I clenched my hands tightly as I shifted them to my lap.

Trex continued. “When I met Grace, I was unfamiliar with human females, just like you are. I assure you, if you leave here without your K’sha, you will regret it. It will seem as though a piece of you is absent. Trust me on this.”

The bond he and his K’sha shared was something I could only dream about. But Grace was not like Riley. And I was not as confident around females as Trex had been.

I shook my head, cursing under my breath.

The very idea of claiming Riley led to a whole host of problems in my mind. The main one being her safety. If she was to stay with me, I would be putting her in harm’s way. Yet leaving her behind felt unbearable.

“You are telling me to do whatever will make her happy, while keeping her safe. That may not be easy,” I stated. “What if I cannot do that?”

Trex released a long sigh.

“The longer you delay claiming Riley, the more difficult it will become for both of you.” It was clear that Trex held a steadfast belief in this. “The fated mate bond must not be ignored.”

I hung my head in shame.

Trex’s brows rose in a slow arch. “You have spoken to her about her being your fated mate, have you not?”

I scratched the back of my neck, grimacing. “Kind of.”

Of course, I had not addressed the fact she was my K’sha. How could I when we barely spoke to one another.

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