Page 32 of Draevan

Cora had told him more about her childhood and about her years as a performer on Earth, about the pressures of fame and the strange experience of having so many people always recognizing her.

In turn, Draevan had told her about his own childhood growing up in a remote mountain village on Vaxxlia, as well as his life as a warrior.

He’d spoken of his training, his first battles, and the time he’d spent fighting the Irrcons. He’d told her things he had never willingly discussed outside of his unit, including some of the darker experiences of war that still haunted him. Like how he sometimes enjoyed killing, how he sometimes hungered for another battle, and how he turned into something he didn’t recognize during war… a brutal, heartless warrior who liked to torture his adversaries a bit before finally killing them.

Cora had listened without judgment.

She never tried to tell him she understood his experiences or what he was going through when she hadn’t walked the same path as he had. She simply held his hand, sometimes wrapped her arms around him, and let him speak.

He treasured those moments, and he found healing from her quiet reassurance. He’d spent most of his life believing that strength meant suffering without complaint, enduring hardships without complaint, but Cora was slowly teaching him that sharing the burden with others could be truly restorative.

He glanced from Cora to Meela as they ate breakfast, his throat burning with emotion as he considered just how much he loved his little family.

The sound of children’s laughter trickled in from the street, and Meela instantly perked up and pointed toward the entryway. “Friends!” she exclaimed in Galactic Common. “Meela play with friends today!”

“Yes, darling,” Cora said. “We’re going to your friend Shamula’s house this afternoon for a playdate. I’m sure it will be great fun.”

Draevan smiled at his little niece, not only pleased that she was finally talking, but happy that she was starting to make friends. Cora was making friends too, and quite easily. There was something about his mate that brought people together. She had quickly become friends with their neighbors, particularly Vonna, who had taken an immediate liking to her. Cora frequently arranged playdates for Meela and the other children in the neighborhood, and it amused Draevan just how easily she could gather small children around her. Everywhere they went, babies and toddlers always seemed to gravitate toward her.

Sometimes, he would return from the training arena to find half the neighborhood children playing in their backyard while Cora sat nearby, laughing and keeping watch over them. The sight always filled him with a deeply gratifying sense of peace.

Once, his life had been defined by duty, battles, discipline, and even solitude. But now it was filled with laughter, music, and family.

Draevan’s wrist comm beeped, and he glanced down at the screen. “Ah, it would appear the moving company has arrived early. They are requesting clearance through the protective shield that encircles New Vaxx.”

“Oh, wow, they are early.” Cora smiled. “I still can’t believe I’ll have my piano back soon. Thank you again, Draevan.” Her eyes gleamed with emotion.

“You are more than welcome, my sweet mate.” He winked at her, a playful human mannerism that many of his warriors had picked up, then rose from his seat.

He placed his dishes in the refresher and hurried back to the table to say goodbye to his precious family. He pecked Cora on the cheek before pressing a kiss atop Meela’s head.

“I’ll be back before midday.”

“I’ll miss you, as always,” Cora said.

He started to depart the kitchen, only to pause midstep. He turned around, rushed back to his mate, and gave her one last kiss. The affectionate look she gave him warmed his heart.

My sweet mate. Always and forever.

Chapter 16

After putting Meela down for a mid-morning nap, Cora turned on the baby monitor and made sure her wrist comm was turned on. Draevan had given her a wrist comm that she could use to send messages, receive news updates, and stay connected to the various baby monitors that were spread throughout the house. If Meela woke up and started fussing, Cora would know immediately.

She ventured to her music room first, which was on the second floor of the house. Draevan had recently installed acoustic wall paneling in the room, making it the perfect place for her to practice guitar and work on her songs. And soon, she would have her piano back. She’d already picked out the perfect place in the center of the room.

She spent the next hour happily absorbed in her music.

Sitting on a plush chair with her favorite guitar, she played through a new melody several times, occasionally stopping to jot down notes on the manuscript paper on the music stand in front of her. Other times, she scribbled a few lyrics in the notebook on the small table next to her. She’d always worked this way, allowing melodies and lyrics to come to her intuitively when she was feeling inspired, rather than forcing herself to create something new simply because she was expected to.

She smiled as she glanced around the room.

This was exactly what she’d needed.

For so long, her music had been tangled up in contracts, recording schedules, interviews, managers, producers, rehearsals, and screaming fans. She loved performing and sharing her gift with others, but she’d almost forgotten what it felt like to make music simply because she wanted to.

Here, in Starzzia, she could play her guitar in peace and compose new songs. No pushy record labels. No scheming managers. No intrusive reporters. And no fans waiting outside her building.

Just her, her music, and her quiet home on New Vaxx.