Page 53 of Roar Letter Word

Skoll looked a little confused. “I guess that’s true. I haven’t experienced it personally. But I know enough people who have that I know what it’s like.”

“You might be surprised how much you don’t know,” Gerri murmured. She looked away to make it clear she didn’t have anything further to say to Skoll at the moment. Skoll brushed her off.

“And you’re really sure about that offer?” Addie asked. “I’d totally understand if you weren’t. You’re talking about uprooting your whole life.”

“You’re worth uprooting a life for,” Mahes replied. “I knew that before you got kidnapped, but that confirmed it for me. Just the thought, even for a moment, that I might not be able to find you again and that I’d have to go back to my old life without you … I realized just how little it really meant to me. At least, when compared to you.”

Addie nodded. She had never expected Mahes to be willing to set aside his throne for her. It only made what she had to do next harder.

“That’s a very kind offer for you to make,” she said. “But I can’t accept it.”

Mahes looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t want to go back to Earth.”

Franny started. “Are you serious? First Bruce and now you …”

“I’m serious,” Addie insisted. “When we first planned that concert, I thought of it as a sort of goodbye to Nova Aurora. But I think it showed there’s a real audience for me here. Sure, a lot of them came because I’m Mahes’s mate, but by the end, they were there for the music. I could feel it.”

“That’s certainly true,” Ruzyll added. “I’ve been swamped with people asking about where to get her music. I’ve even gotten some musicians who said they were interested in playing her tunes.”

“You did?” Franny said. “Can you get them in touch with me?”

“Just the musicians or everyone?”

Franny thought about it for a second. “Send me anyone who talks to you. If she’s going to build an audience on a new planet, she’ll need all the help she can get.”

Ruzyll smiled. “I like her. She’s ambitious.”

“Is there any chance we could find a space for Franny?” Addie said, turning to Mahes. “Obviously, I don’t want to ask you to use government money to fund my music career. But Franny’s a sharp mind. She’d be a big help with … well, what is it that queens do, anyway?”

Mahes laughed. “I think just about the same thing that kings do. Listen to what people need and try to find a way to help whenever they can.”

“That sounds like a job that’s made for Addie,” Franny said. “She’s always listening.”

“I do my best,” said Addie. “Maybe you could try to plan a tour for me sometime in the near future. I’d return any money I made to the country, obviously. I’m sure you’ve got causes that need funding.”

“Oh, always,” Ruzyll agreed. “Perhaps I could work with her in order to ensure a successful outcome?”

There was more than a professional interest in the way he said that. Gerri watched the two with shining eyes.

“Well, I suppose with Bruce dead and you here …” Franny trailed off, obviously sad about Bruce. They all were. Bruce may have been a pathetic pawn in the beginning, but in the end, he risked his life to save them all. And he had.

Then Franny took a breath and looked at Ruzyll with a smile. “Well, why not? Ministers, right? That’s what you folks call managers in this business? I can do that?”

“Then I guess that’s that,” said Mahes. “You’re staying here. I assume that means …”

“Of course,” Addie said, grabbing onto him. “We’ll be a mated pair forever.”

At that, Gerri stood. “It looks like my job here is done.”

“You don’t have to leave if you don’t want to,” Mahes said. “What I mean is … Well, I don’t know if there’s any way I can thank you for what you’ve done. But if there is anything I can do …”

“I’m afraid I have more work to do,” Gerri answered. “There’s always people who need to find love. But don’t worry. Love each other. Help each other love the world. That will be enough payment for me.”

She walked toward the hall, then paused and turned back. “I’ll talk to you soon, Skoll. And I think I’ll have good news.”With that, she left. Skoll looked a little puzzled, but Mahes and Addie knew exactly what she had just promised.

Pritesh popped her head into the room. “Is there anything you need? It sounds like you’re getting along pretty well, but I wanted to check.”

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