Page 40 of Invasion of Sorority Z

He knows me well enough to spot the fib.

“Little blossom, tell me what saddens you. It has only been moments with your distress being shown to me, and I am going out of my mind trying to fix it. But I do not know what I am trying to fix. Speak truthfully to me.”

I sniffle. “Rem said he would take Sarah tovisit, after he spoils her. So that I won’t miss her.”

“And this makes you sad? You would not like their company?”

“No!” I groan, eyes burning with fresh tears. “Why would they have to come visit, Marrec? Are you leaving me here when you go?”

He rears back, eyes filling with shock. “I would not leave you in a different building than I, let alone a different planet! What could make you imagine such a thing?”

“He said visit! Like fly back here for Sarah and we will see each other again,” I cry, shoulders shaking.

“My mate.” Marrec sighs, gathering me into his lap. His warm arms tangle around me in a protective hold. “Rem only meant that he would come to our home with Sarah once they are settled. To visit there. Of course I am not leaving you behind. I would sooner stay on this abandoned, dying planet than return to Aprix without my little blossom.”

The pure devotion in his voice allows a bout of relief to settle into my stomach.

“Y-you mean it?”

“I do,” he says firmly. “I say this in truth, I would steal you away to my planet as soon as you are ready to leave. I did not want to pull you from your friends until you were ready.”

“Well, I’m ready,” I pout.

He chuckles, wiping away the tears from my cheeks. “I am seeing this.”

“So we can go?”

He nods, kissing my hands. “We must gather the books and belongings you wish to bring, and call for a small ship. It may take a day or two, my mate.”

“I can live with that.”

“This is good. Terum would not be happy with me if I were to steal his.”

I have to laugh at that. Imagining Marrecstealinganything is crazy. “You would do that for me, huh?”

“I would do many more drastic things for you, my Stee-vee.”

“Would you?”

“Without hesitation.”

I cup the sides of his face. “I wouldn’t ask you to, you know? It makes me happy that you don’t have to do dangerous things anymore.”

“It pleases me as well,” he admits. “I would be saddened to leave your side for battle.”

“You never have to do that again, if you don’t want to.”

“And so I won’t,” he agrees, smiling lightly. “Now let me clean your hands, my mate. I know you do not like the touch of dirt.”

This time, the tears that fall are happy ones.

17

Oahu Stenogyne: A fuzzy member of the mint plant family, once believed to be extinct.

Stevie

Slamming into a bare wall of muscle, I trip over my feet and can’t scramble in time to avoid the fall. I’m expecting to smack my head straight against the metal floors of the ship, already anticipating the horribly worried face Marrec will make when he finds me. But I’m wrong. It’s so much worse than that.

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