The movie was a success, including its single explicit sex scene. Sagan had spotted Rayne blushing in her seat, one row down from Xelan, who looked completely miserable for the duration of it.
But not Sagan.
Despite the fact that those were actors depicting the scene in Nox and Rayne’s place, Sagan sat forward in her seat and gave the couple two thumbs up. She did this much to Korac’s chuckling approval. Sagan found Nox’s capacity to blush endearing, and she was proud she could bring it out in him. Tameka thought it was cute, too, though she admitted it begrudgingly.
During the scene, the mingling of lemonade and sandalwood trickled from the highest row.
Matt and Lucy.
Sagan snickered into her hand as Korac rolled his eyes. Xelan sighed, and Nox glanced around curiously. Caedes “humphed,” and Pehton whispered, “We left them alone again.”
Bones kissed Para’s cheek before volunteering. “I’ll get them this time, but if they give me ‘the look,’ someone down here is buying me dinner. And a casket.”
The brave Icarean soldier picked his way up the rows through Karter and Chris, around T.a.o., Devis, and Andrius, and up to Puk and Yito. The two loyal members of the Annihilation Squad had blocked off a corner to afford Matt and Lucy some privacy.
Sagan wished Bones all the luck in that confrontation. He’d need it.
Commotion further down the row distracted Sagan. Kyle was cradling Bethany’s arm. She was standing and peering up at Bones, Matt, and Lucy with naked curiosity.
Ross whispered into her baby sister’s ear, but Sagan couldn’t make out what they were saying. She turned to Korac and said, “Maybe you can help?”
Korac was already assessing the situation, but with his mask up so Sagan couldn’t gauge his reaction. Bethany still wasn’t sitting down, and she looked agitated because Kyle was preventing her from intruding.
Sagan breathed, “Please, Korac.”
“Yeah, I’m going.” He patted her thigh before standing and walking down the row.
The second Korac stepped into Bethany’s sight, she calmed down. Their eye contact was intense as he searched for something in those honey-brown depths. Sagan mourned Bethany’s Verse more than most, but she loved that Kyle’s baby sister was growing into her own. In part, thanks to Korac, who leaned down and whispered in the young woman’s ear.
Meanwhile, in the row above, Matt and Lucy finally emerged disheveled and entirely too satisfied.
Tameka muttered, “We’ll need to send them on their next mission. ASAP.”
“We’re running out of criminals for them to ‘investigate.’” Xelan’s admission was a cause for celebration but…
What about Matt and Lucy?
Pehton disagreed. “There will always be pedophiles and rapists, no matter how peaceful your empire. The Annihilation Squad needs to go deeper undercover. Caedes and I will work with Korac to find some work for them. Lucas said he has a profiler in mind, but wouldn’t tell us who.” She nodded toward Lucas and Andrew at the other end of the row.
Tameka and Xelan exchanged curious glances and shrugged. But Sagan looked away.
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Down their row, Bethany hugged Korac before giving her brother and sister a squeeze. They all sat down, less flustered, and Korac made his way back to Sagan.
She asked, “What did you say to her?”
“The truth. That if she waited another year, it wouldn’t matter what Kyle and Ross thought of her infatuation with Matt and Lucy.”
At Pehton’s incredulous glance, Korac smirked. “Believe me, teeny.” Pehton flipped Korac off, but he continued, unscathed. “There are worse interests for Bethany to have, given her history. She’s a predator now, and they’re doing her a disservice by treating her like a girl who grew up anything close to ‘normal.’ Matt and Lucy treat Bethany like what she is. Hence her attachment.”
Xelan’s brows shot up.
Tameka blew the air from her cheeks.
And Pehton stood corrected.
Sagan simply beamed at her husband. Wise and kind and sexy—
“Are you done talking during the movie now?”
They all glanced over at Lamassau, surrounded by discarded popcorn bowls, hot dogs wrappers, and nachos trays. He and Tumu shared the same admonishing expression. Beyond them, Iuo looked crestfallen that his guests of honor weren’t more engrossed with his film.
Thoroughly chastised, the small, talkative group faced the screen once more.
Those shenanigans were about an hour ago. The movie was over now. Karter, Para, Chris, and Bones kept Pax and Echo so the imperial couples could celebrate tonight.
Sagan was standing in Thailea’s forest, holding a conduit open for Rayne and Nox to say goodnight to Mifa, Jet, and the other ten children. Rayne let Mifa finish braiding her ethereal hair, while Nox said goodnight to Jet. There was an undeniable warmth to the gigantic Icarus as he shook the little boy’s hand. It made Sagan wonder if Rayne would consider children soon—
“Amos, get the idea out of your head.” Korac knew her so well.
They stood in the conduit together, watching the happy moment. Sagan said, “You hope you know what I’m thinking.”
Korac’s smirk and half-chuckle said it all. “A future of play dates with Echo, Tameka’s Pax and unnamed daughter, Lynn’s Mateo, and whatever frightfully strong and massive spawn births from Rayne.”
Right on the money. However, there was no reason to feed Korac’s ego. Sagan said, “Actually, I was thinking since you and I can’t conceive without killing me, Nox could donate his sperm so I can continue the Seamswalker line.”
Sagan loved it when Korac gaped, mouth open and all. She tipped his lips closed with a finger under his chin. “I’m just kidding. You and I would have an incubated baby before I’d sleep with Nox.”
“Praise Elden for that. Don’t you know what those jokes do to my heart?” Korac asked while rubbing his temples. “The images…”
The Icarus in question walked through the conduit, holding Rayne’s hand. “Thank you, Sagan.” Nox’s rich baritone had become a comforting sound to her. Familiar and welcome.
Sagan patted him on the chest, ignoring his instinctive flinch. “No problem, big guy. See you two tomorrow?” She didn’t add ‘after Nox’s prescribed punishment.’ It would kill the mood.
Rayne beamed. “We’ll be there now that we’re both invited. Congratulations again, Korac.”
Nox and Korac clasped hands and bumped shoulders in an informal hug, while Rayne gripped Sagan tight with a sweet kiss on the cheek. As Sagan and Korac went through the conduit to their chalet, she noticed how Rayne looked up at Nox with a sparkle in her eyes.
It was joy, and Sagan couldn’t be happier for them.
For everyone.
Korac went straight for the shower, muttering about whaleshark sperm, much to Sagan’s giggling gratitude. She snickered her way into a slinky nightie as a surprise for her victor. Xelan and Nox had totally let Korac win, but she was not about to spoil it for her husband. After waiting millennia for the brothers to reconcile, Korac had earned this triumph.
He called from the steamy shower, “Amos, are you still cackling out there?”
“Yes.” There was no sense in denying it. Sagan had mused half the evening away because of Korac’s silent discomfort over the state of his hair. She asked, “Did you get all the guts out?”
More muttering ensued.
As did more snickering.
It was only after another ten minutes had passed in silence that Sagan became concerned. She wandered into the bathroom made of all black slate surfaces with a white marble tub sunk in the middle. The shower encompassed the entire western wall, no glass to fog up. Just Korac watching the water pour down the drain.
Sagan didn’t need to ask. She knew what was on her husband’s mind. Instead, she walked under the spray, soaking the silk to her skin and blond hair to her face. Without asking permission, Sagan wrapped her arms around Korac from behind and pressed her face to his back, inhaling the frosty pine scent of him. The smell matched the view from all the glass in their bathroom.
Korac let out a sigh which sagged the muscles on his bones until only Sagan held him upright.
She assured, “Andrew and Lucas know what they’re doing.”
“I hope you’re right, amos. I hope you’re right.”