“I was so scared. Cadmus usedme to lure you to Devil’s Eye so he could kill you and Erling.”She shuddered in his arms as tears started rolling down her cheeks.“I had to escape tonight. He’d grown tired of waiting for me toheal. If I hadn’t gotten away, he would have taken me to his bed.”
He went rigid. Had he understoodher correctly? “You mean he never touch you?”
“Not in that way.”
“Thank God! What you sufferedis bad enough. I’m sorry if I hurt you. It wasn’t my intent. Itfelt like my heart was ripped out when I received your inner messageand arrived home to find you gone and the baby crying.”
He kissed her tear-stainedcheeks, tasting the salt. His lips traveled to her mouth and shereturned the kiss. A flood of warm love enveloped him as he kissedher tenderly, expressing his deep love for her. It felt like aprofound reaffirmation of their commitment to one another.
“I love you, Michio,” shesaid between kisses. “My love for you was what kept me from givingin to despair and gave me the strength to run away from him tonight.”
“And my love for you kept mesearching for you, my love, my friend, my wife and the mother of mychild. Life has given back to us what’s most precious.”
He lifted his head and gazed downat her. The joy of being with her again touched his soul.
***
Hours later, Michio dressed in aflight suit and took over flying the ship. He settled back in hisseat, enjoying the tranquility of deep space.
Toward the end of his shift,Erling returned to the cockpit. “Toemeka still sleeping?” heasked, sitting down in the co-pilot seat.
“I assume so. I’ve beenthinking — if Cadmus’s so obsessed with Toemeka that he’dtravel to another solar system to kidnap her, he’ll try it again.After we get Toemeka safely to the palace, I’m going back toDevil’s Eye to kill him. I’m not spending the rest of my lifewondering when he’s going to steal my wife again.”
“We can take a fleet ofmilitary spaceships.”
Michio heard a soft shuffle andturned to see Toemeka enter the cockpit.
“You can’t go back,” shesaid. “It’s too dangerous. The dome was built by criminals. It’sheavily defended with a massive shield and missile bases.”
“I didn’t hear you come in.How did you sleep?” Michio asked. She didn’t look quite awake.Her hair was tousled and she wore a knit top and slacks.
“I slept all right.” She puta hand over her mouth as she yawned. “But don’t try to evade theissue. It’s too dangerous for you to attack Devil’s Eye, evenwith a space fleet.”
Erling and Michio exchanged aquick look, then Michio said, “We don’t have to decide anythingright now.”
“If anyone should want revenge,it’s me, and I don’t,” Toemeka said. “I learned years agorevenge doesn’t bring healing. It’s a negative emotion; it’sbetter to move on.”
“Let’s not talk about itnow,” Michio said, standing up. “You must be starving. I’llmake you something to eat.”
“Don’t try and weasel yourway out of this conversation. If you dare go to Devil’s Eye, I’mcoming with you. I’m a trained professional and I have every reasonand right to go.”
Michio cocked an eyebrow indisbelief. “Nothing’s been decided.” He pulled out hiscommunicator. “Koriann sent a new photo of the baby last nightafter she heard we’d rescued you.” He handed it to her.
She gazed at the photo for amoment, then back at him. “You think you can dissuade me so easily,but I’m serious. If you’re going, I’m going, too. If you riskyour life, I’m risking mine.” She looked back at the photo and asmile spread across her face. “He’s so precious.”
“Yes, he is. You must bestarving. I’ll get you something to eat.” Michio headed to thegalley. When he got there, he realized all they had were space wafersand enhanced water. Food hadn’t been a priority. He returned to thecockpit with the limited provisions.
Toemeka was sitting in theco-pilot chair and he overheard her say, “Thank you for joiningMichio in the search for me. I know it took you away from importantduties.” She leaned over and kissed Erling on the cheek.
“I didn’t have a choice. Michhas been unbearable to be around ever since you were abducted.”
“I have not.” Michio handedeach of them a bottle of water and set the wafers on the consolebetween them.
“Is this all there is?”Toemeka asked, sounding incredulous.
“Afraid so,” Michio said. “Wedidn’t think to transfer the food from the Blue Lady to this shipwhen we purchased it.”
She bit into the wafer. “Idon’t know why they never came up with anything better than thesethings. They taste like a piece of cardboard.”
He noticed she ate several ofthem, despite not liking them. “Sorry we don’t have somethingbetter to offer you.”
“It doesn’t matter. In a fewhours we’ll be home and I’ll see Baymond again.” Her face litup with happiness.
11
The Ring
It was early afternoon Jaipartime when Erling landed the spacecraft on the royal airstrip. AsToemeka unbuckled her seatbelt and rose, her stomach fluttered inanticipation of seeing Baymond again.
Michio held out his hand. “Comeon, let’s go see our son.”
She clasped it tightly. “Do youthink he’ll remember me? It’s been nearly three weeks.”
“He’ll remember your voice,touch and scent.”
“He must feel like I’veabandoned him.”
“He’s too young to beanything other than happy that you’ve returned.”
“I called ahead,” Erlingsaid. “He’s in the nursery with Koriann.”
Toemeka couldn’t help but smilein anticipation of seeing Baymond as they left the ship and walked tothe palace. Erling led them to the second floor where the nursery androyal bedchambers were located. In the nursery, Koriann sat in therocker with the baby on her lap. Toemeka’s steps faltered uponseeing her infant son. She was suddenly jealous of every momentKoriann had spent with Baymond while she’d been locked away on adistant moon.
Tears blurred her vision as shelifted her son into her arms. “Oh, sweetheart, you’ve grown sobig. How I’ve missed you.” She gazed down on him, enthralled andtaking in every change since she’d last held him. He’d filled outand looked healthy and well cared for. He was dressed in a
