Page 48 of May the Stars Have Mercy
“No.” Xnasis seemed displeased.
“Oh, that’s good.” She slithered out of view and followed Vivian into the medical bay. Trying not to take it personally, she headed directly for Reevar’s side. She watched his face, smooth and resting with his pincers flopped against his mouth.
“So, uh,” Vivian laughed nervously from across the bed. “Which one?”
“Which one what?” Aphrodite sputtered to life.
“Are you like mated toboth?Or like, just this one or that one? I just, I heard the Vroz take the whole mate thing seriously. And, well, I think I saw some sort of news article? I don’t watch a lot of television as of late, so I’m not sure whose uh…wait.” Vivian’s eyes fell to Aphrodite’s clothes as if noticing them for the first time. Then she snapped her attention to Xexis and her eyebrows shot up. “Wait, no way.”
“It’s kinda a complicated story,” Aphrodite wheezed.
“You’re a space princess now, gears!” Vivian tossed her hands up above her head. “Tell me everything. My patient’s not going to wake for at least an hour. So, you’ve got an hour to tell me how you ended up mated to one of the princes of the Vroskrowz!”
Aphrodite groaned, “So…there was this…fucking haunted ship…”
Chapter Twenty-Nine:
AphroditesatnexttoXexis on a bench at Reevar’s side. They’d been there more than an hour. The anesthesia had worn off but apparently Reevar needed the rest. Xexis laid his head against Aphrodite and dozed in and out while she kept herself busy on her data pad. Buddy ran place to place, scanning and gathering intel the best he could without being caught. In between patients, Vivian returned to ask her about being Mphronatch and how things had been since they grew apart. It’s like there was never space in the first place. They were right back where they left off.
Vivian’s snark was comforting to hear as she checked on Reevar again. “And then I was telling him, you break the heel off my designer shoes and I’ll break your—oh hey! Big guy, looks like you’re coming around.”
Aphrodite and Xexis lept to their feet. Hovering over Reevar, his eyes fluttered open. At first, he saw Xexis, his pincers weakly wiggling.
“Kannatch?” he croaked.
“Yes, Reevar,” Xexis exhaled heavily, putting a hand to Reevar’s chest.
“Mphronatch?” Reevar smiled sleepily to Aphrodite. “Are the? Er-max dead?”
She snorted, stroking his arm tenderly. “Yes, the Max is dead.”
“Good, I dislike that one,” Reevar groaned. Stiffly turning his head and arms, he bumped a fist into Vivian’s hip. He glanced her way. His mouth opened to speak but nothing came out. Vivian smiled down at him, taking his hand gently. A weird shock and awe fell over Reevar as Vivian inspected his face.
“Reevar, can you tell me where you are?”
“Council station,” He breathed, chest rising and falling quickly.
“Good, that’s good, big guy.” She pulled out her stethoscope and pressed the round disk to his chest. The healer worried her lower lip as she stared at his bare chest. “Heart rate’s a little elevated. I need you to take a deep breath, that’s it, breathe with me Reevar. Don’t want to shock your system too much. As things start to come back online, you need to take your time.”
Vivian pulled back, placing a tender hand to his bicep. Reevar’s hand trembled as he clasped it around hers. Aphrodite devoured the moment between them and knew. She saw it.The moment the knowledge came to Reevar.His face softened and he leaned toward her. Only, he hissed, wincing with pain. Vivian jerked to life, “Oh, no—don’t you dare move yet, mister. Your stitches haven’t fully settled yet. Hold on, big guy.”
She cranked the bed up a notch or two before excusing herself to get him water. Reevar reached for her with two of his hands before they fell limp at his side.
Aphrodite let out a low whistle before she glanced up at Xexis. “Is that what it looks like?”
“Reevar has found his mate,” Xexis teased, poking his friend in the arm.
“She has the prettiest blue hair,” Reevar croaked, rolling his head to face them. He was tinted lime green in the cheeks. Aphrodite beamed, petting his arm.Oh shit, wait.Reevar stared past them dreamily as the reality set in.
“Reevar,” she hissed, bending to meet his glassy eyes. “You have to tell her, before the hunt.”
“Her lips are like the sun,” he murmured, blinking sluggishly.
“He’s a goner,” she grumbled.
Xexis pulled Aphrodite in tight and pressed his forehead to the side of her head. “Do not fret, my mate, Reevar is far more elegant than I. He will not be as foolish.”
Vivian returned with a water cup and bendy straw, helping Reevar move his head. He stared at her ravenously as she helped him take slow and steady sips. Vivian’s cheeks turned to dusty roses as she nervously laughed. “You guys are intense when you first wake up, huh?”
