Page 89 of Meteor Storm

27: Penny

I was in that room for what seemed like hours waiting for someone to say something when finally, Vahko returned and exchanged a few words with Innifer. Surprisingly, it wasn’t in English, but in his valerian tongue. Then he left again. Everyone had something to do except me. All I had to do was sit and stew in my self-pity.

After another hour or so, Innifer seemed to get some kind of message over an earpiece that was so subtly installed near her ear that I hadn’t noticed it until she pressed a finger to the little black device. Finally, she turned toward me and motioned for me to follow her.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“We’re heading back to the Deimos. Vahko will meet us there.”

Panic reared its ugly head when I thought about leaving the Edda without even seeing Thilar one last time. I gulped and Innifer placed a hand on my back as if she knew I needed an anchor.

“There will be more news about what’s going on when we get there,” she assured. “You’ll see Thilar again. Trust me.”

I sighed sharply as I swept my hair back and twisted it into a tight knot, out of my face.

“So?” I said. “What now? You two take me back to the Nexus? Take me along on your adventures? Just like that?”

“Who knows. We’re playing it by ear.”

“I thought there would be more formalities.”

“Well, the thing is, holding humans against their will would present problems for the monrians and right now, they’re trying to get in our good graces. It’s good for business.”

“So, I’m free to go.”

“Obviously.”

As we walked, I kept glancing over my shoulder, hoping I would see Thilar, but the hall behind us was empty. When we got back to the transport, Yuros and Sunhai were standing awkwardly across from each other, waiting.

“Leaving?” Sunhai said with a smirk.

“I suppose I am.” I shifted my eyes to Yuros. “Tell him thanks for… whatever he did.”

Even though I wished it had ended with Thilar and me getting a moment alone before I was carted off into space again.

“I already did,” Sunhai replied.

“Where will you go?”

She looked Yuros up and down. “I petitioned to go with him to find this Caelis, but this one seems to not like me. So,” she sighed. “I go with you. I have decided I do not want to return to a trade station. Boring.”

Something about that made me happy. Through everything, Sunhai had actually become something of a friend. I glanced at Vahko only for him to confirm what she was saying.

“Come on,” Innifer urged, beckoning me into the transport. “The Deimos is pretty streamlined. You’ll like it.”

“As long as it’s not thirty-five degrees in my room,” I said flatly, though, I could have endured low temperatures if it meant Thilar would always be there to warm me.

On the transport, I tried to take in my surroundings again, but despite the alien cityscape, it all felt dull and uninteresting. I was deep in my tangled thoughts, trying to untie the knots, when Innifer nudged my arm with her elbow.

“Trust me,” she said. “I think things will be just fine.”

I smiled emptily and nodded. “Sure.”

Vahko stepped forward, a small, silver orb in his hand that expanded into a disk displaying a 3D image of his ship, the Deimos.

“There are still a few things to do to get the Deimos ready for a jump,” he said. “We will be here for at least another day. Whatever happens, they’ll let you see Thilar again.”

I nodded, that time more solemnly because if we did see each other again, it would likely be to say goodbye. I’d never been so equally excited and fearful of a reunion in my life. When Vahko put away his little device, he reached out and urged Innifer into his arms. She casually stepped up to his side as he wound his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. I watched him press his lips lightly to her head and suddenly, realization struck. Even when I’d been told that they were together, I didn’t truly think about how that looked until that moment. Vahko, a valerian, and Innifer, a human. Before them, valerians were unwilling to even remove their helmets in the presence of Nexus employees.