Page 23 of 3 Secrets to Love
“What happened?” I asked the guard.
He shook his head, ushering me ahead to another of the armed officers. “You will be briefed once you are safely aboard the minister’s ship.”
Chapter Fifteen
Xacalla
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Though I could see my sister on the comm screen, and I recognized the living room of my parents’ house in the background, I needed Brely to answer me honestly.
“Yes.” My sister closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m at Mom and Dad’s for now. We have guards at our house and there are some at Zander’s, too. And Manox’s team has landed on Eurebly already to practice there until all this gets sorted out.”
“Good.” I sat on the bed feeling slightly relieved about having to leave my family behind, and without seeing them. Phalon and I had been taken on board the minister’s private ship for Quadrant Four while guards took Brely into the spaceport. It turned out, the spacecraft we were supposed to have taken to Eurebly from Saog exploded shortly after takeoff, and authorities were still investigating the cause. “I’m sorry you got wrapped up in all this while pregnant. And I’m sorry your vacation got ruined.”
“Hey.” Brely tapped on the screen. “Stop. None of this is your fault. And it’s not Phalon’s, either, so don’t take it out on him.”
I tried to smile, but the best I could do made my sister laugh. “What? I don’t blame Phalon. It’s just that I thought I would be with him while I was back on this planet. Instead, I’m locked in this room, reminded over and over while I’m here that I lost my job and my home because of this whole situation.”
Putting her feet up on the couch, she rubbed her belly, somehow reminding me of the distance between us and how I didn’t know if I would make it back there in time for her delivery.
“It sucks. I get it.” Wrinkling her face, Brely pushed on the top of her stomach, a reaction I recognized from when one of the babies was pushing a foot into her rib. “But…it won’t be this way forever. Something I must remind myself as these little ones fight for space in my belly.”
“I know.” I lay back on the bed, holding the comm tablet above my head. “But I’m bored. I’m not used to not having anything to do.”
“Then find something to do,” Brely snapped before I had a chance to react. “Do research on Yatak, and Kalpier’s involvement there. Learn what the narrative was before versus what the news is saying now. And learn what you can about Phalon’s parents, the former leaders of Yatak. I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.”
“Yeah.” I’d already dug up a little information on the situation, but not very deeply. “Either that, or he won’t want to talk about it at all.”
Brely chuckled. “I would tell you to fuck him to make him forget it all for a bit, but you’re you, and I know that’s not your thing.”
My cheeks warmed as I recalled the night we had spent together on Gaunb and what could have happened if I hadn’t stopped him. “Does it hurt?”
My sister stared into the screen with her eyes wide. “Are you talking about sex?”
I nodded, unsure if I wanted to have this conversation with Brely, but I didn’t think I could stop after I’d already answered.
“Well, yes and no.” She adjusted her position on the couch. “I don’t want to lie to you. The first time is uncomfortable because you’re not used to it. But it does get better when you’re with someone who knows what they’re doing and cares about your pleasure. Promise me you won’t do it because you feelobligated to, though. That’s not at all what I meant when I said that.”
“It’s something…” Though hard to believe I was confessing all this to my sister, I couldn’t imagine telling anyone else. “I want to try. With Phalon.”
Brely grabbed a pillow and covered her mouth before I heard her faint scream. I had no idea whether she was excited or believed sex with Phalon would be a mistake.
“Okay.” She put the pillow down and took a deep breath. “That’s not something I would have imagined I would hear you say a few star cycles ago, but I get it. He’s cute. I heard he… Never mind. But promise me you will make him use mesodenka. Do not have sex without it. You can get pregnant and STIs your first time. Anyone who says anything different is a liar and you need to steer clear of them.”
I nodded though my head spun and yaflats danced in my belly at the idea of it all.
Brely suddenly sat up and glanced to the side. “Oh, hey, Mom and Dad are here now. Say hi.”
I waved to my parents, who were still sleeping when I’d called, thankful for the warning from my sister. I only knew Brely was up because she had messaged me right before, unable to sleep because of her babies moving around. But I did not want my parents to hear me talking about having sex with Phalon. After talking to my mom and dad for a bit, I ended the call, unsure how much longer I would be on my own in the hotel room. I needed a plan to convince Phalon I wanted to be intimate with him and the confidence to follow through.
***
The click of the door woke me from my slumber. I don’t know how long I’d been asleep, only that I’d lain down after myroom service dinner, waiting to see if Phalon would come into my room. Though I’d been on Eurebly for a couple days, I hadn’t become accustomed to their day cycle. And the lag from planet hopping was brutal. Even while on Omisu, I hadn’t had time to get over all the day cycles I’d experienced since my very last wish mission. Oh, how I missed that job, having something to do.
Yet, tiredness and the guards outside my door kept me from getting back out on the streets of Eurebly to keep myself occupied. Phalon and I had separate rooms again, but there was a door between them to allow us to pass through without having to go out into the hallway or use the balcony.
I glanced up, hoping it was Phalon coming through the door and not a guard or one of the people who’d threatened my life. I wasn’t exactly awake enough to fight back or run if I needed to.
“Hey, it’s only me,” he said, yet I couldn’t see much beyond his silhouette.
