Page 36 of Jessica's Protector

I send, We need to talk about Noni.

Your former protegee? he asks.

Yes. She’s found me, thanks to learning Jessica’s language.

Bik.

I chuckle. Exactly.

We leave the tunnel and go out into the main cavern. What is she going to do?

She offered to ask the emperor to forgive me but I refused, I admit, feeling stupid sending the words to him.

Well, that was smart, he chides. Origins forbid you let your exile be commuted when you could be here, enjoying all the luxury Aard can bring you.

S’Tou’s right, in a way. Just not in a way I can agree with. I refuse to let that dictator help me in any way.

He faces me as we stand in the middle of the entrance. Your hatred of him is irrational, especially now.

Excuse me? Why now? I ask, irritated by him thinking I’m foolish.

You have a mate to think about, he sends. We both know what will happen if your access is terminated. It’s one thing to stick to your principles as a single man or even in our group. But she needs you to be connected.

“What’s going on?” Nilt asks, looking from me to S’Tou and back again. “Because you two seem to be intense.”

“I’ll answer.” I say. I’ve rarely talked to Nilt or Quin about my former life, so I keep it brief. “The empire has found me and has given an ultimatum. I can either pay homage to the emperor by groveling for forgiveness or have my tech cut completely.”

“Which means?” Nilt prompts, his eyebrows knit together.

I shake my head. “What it sounds like. No contacting Aard, no using the replicator, no tech at all.”

After a hiss, Nilt says, “Pless, you would have had to murder someone to lose every scrap of tech.”

“Cinq didn’t kill anyone,” S’Tou explains. “He tried to alter someone’s nanos—”

“My mate, who was ill, actually,” I interject.

“His ill mate’s nanos,” he concedes, running a hand through his hair. “No matter the reason, he broke the law and has been lucky to be hidden for so long.”

NIlt shakes his head. “You’re also lucky Aard didn’t sell your location to the highest bidder.”

“I don’t have a bounty on my head,” I counter, my voice sounding defensive even to me.

“Don’t you?” he says, frowning. He glances from me to S’Tou. “I thought we all did.”

“I don’t and your bounty should be something we discuss a lot more, Nilt,” S’Tou says.

I need to steer them back to Jessica before she strolls in, fresh from her shower. “Look, if the worst happens and I’m deactivated, I need solid promises from all of you that you’ll keep Jessica safe. She may not think she’s my mate, but my system still does.”

S’Tou holds up a hand. “Wait, you’ve bonded but she’s not convinced? How?”

“I don’t know.” I pinch the bridge of my nose for a moment. “She’s either denying our love or my system is glitching.”

Nilt nods. “Either one is possible. Maybe the glitch is how the empire found you despite your caution.”

“You have a good point,” I admit and set up a reminder for my system to investigate possible errors in the Gharian tracking system.

Quin flies into the cavern and lands in front of us. “What’s up besides me? You all look serious.”

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