into her lungs. At the familiar touch on her arms. She leaned back against Ohlen and sighed, almost disappointed to have to leave.
“Okay.”
Ohlen tucked her under his arm as he drew her out of the viewing room. Dropping a kiss on her hair when she gave the underwater view a final look from the door.
“If it pleases you, there are no vessels in the fleet I am not authorized to pilot. I can take you to the very bottom of the sea at any time. This will not be your last sight of it. Not if you are so fascinated.”
She looked up at him with a smile. Curled her hand in the material of his tunic to knead at the fabric. Wondering how mysteriously the universe worked. Bringing them together days before she would have killed herself and never gotten to see all this.
Never gotten to be with him.
Never changed into something greater, stronger and more special than she ever could have imagined.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
Hoping he knew that she wasn’t just thanking him for his offer to show her the sea. He purred softly for her, walking tall and proud beside her, towards their future.
Thirteen
After some weirdness with the primary elders of the ruling council, she and the other humans stepped out into the sunlight. Their feet on solid ground, for the very first time in their lives.
Andi didn’t know how the others were feeling. She could guess, but she herself was half terrified, half exhilarated. Her body felt heavier. The air she drew into her lungs a little thicker to breathe. The smells and sensations overwhelmed her for a minute. The heat of the sunshine on her skin. The tug of the wind in her hair. The experience of the holo-room paled in comparison.
Ohlen stood beside her the whole time. She could feel him inside her thoughts. Intently focusing on her feelings. His beast attuned to hers. Attuned to their bond and seemingly thrilled to experience his world through her eyes. He held her hand, gave it a squeeze and urged her forward to the open transport ship waiting for them.
“Ohlen, at the controls.” Ohlen nodded sharply in response to Tarek’s commanding bark, handing her up into the rectangular transport. Silently asking if she would rather sit or stand with him.
She turned her face up to smile at him.
With you. Always.
Her answer had him grinning.
He moved to situate her between his body and the console. Allowing her to stand securely and still able to see everything. Her stomach flipped when the transport lifted off, but Ohlen’s body behind her was steady. Holding her as it moved forward and the wind rushed over her body with more force. She lifted her hand. Let the air roll between her fingers. Fascinated, excited, so much so that she was trembling. When Ohlen bent his head and asked her if she was alright, she opened up her side of the bond as much as she knew how. Flooded him with just how alright she was. She felt him stiffen against her back. His low growl rumbled up her spine, straight through her. Her nerve endings sparked with delight.
The terrain was just like Andi had expected after hiking and running through the simulator. She glanced at the others behind them. Mildly surprised by the way their heads were whipping this way and that to take it all in.
When she asked, Ohlen silently explained that not everyone had been given clearance to view the holograms.
Not even Clary got to use the simulator? she questioned.
Ohlen cleared his throat, bending slightly to touch a kiss to her temple.
-As I told you, only the primary squad leaders have access to the downloads. I was given special permission to allow you to receive my memories.
She jumped like he’d pinched her on the ass. Her head whipping up to stare at the underside of his clenched jaw.
YOUR, memories?
He nodded, glancing down at her quickly.
-It would have been impossible for me to breach the security protocols. For you to receive such knowledge
“Okay.”
Ohlen tucked her under his arm as he drew her out of the viewing room. Dropping a kiss on her hair when she gave the underwater view a final look from the door.
“If it pleases you, there are no vessels in the fleet I am not authorized to pilot. I can take you to the very bottom of the sea at any time. This will not be your last sight of it. Not if you are so fascinated.”
She looked up at him with a smile. Curled her hand in the material of his tunic to knead at the fabric. Wondering how mysteriously the universe worked. Bringing them together days before she would have killed herself and never gotten to see all this.
Never gotten to be with him.
Never changed into something greater, stronger and more special than she ever could have imagined.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
Hoping he knew that she wasn’t just thanking him for his offer to show her the sea. He purred softly for her, walking tall and proud beside her, towards their future.
Thirteen
After some weirdness with the primary elders of the ruling council, she and the other humans stepped out into the sunlight. Their feet on solid ground, for the very first time in their lives.
Andi didn’t know how the others were feeling. She could guess, but she herself was half terrified, half exhilarated. Her body felt heavier. The air she drew into her lungs a little thicker to breathe. The smells and sensations overwhelmed her for a minute. The heat of the sunshine on her skin. The tug of the wind in her hair. The experience of the holo-room paled in comparison.
Ohlen stood beside her the whole time. She could feel him inside her thoughts. Intently focusing on her feelings. His beast attuned to hers. Attuned to their bond and seemingly thrilled to experience his world through her eyes. He held her hand, gave it a squeeze and urged her forward to the open transport ship waiting for them.
“Ohlen, at the controls.” Ohlen nodded sharply in response to Tarek’s commanding bark, handing her up into the rectangular transport. Silently asking if she would rather sit or stand with him.
She turned her face up to smile at him.
With you. Always.
Her answer had him grinning.
He moved to situate her between his body and the console. Allowing her to stand securely and still able to see everything. Her stomach flipped when the transport lifted off, but Ohlen’s body behind her was steady. Holding her as it moved forward and the wind rushed over her body with more force. She lifted her hand. Let the air roll between her fingers. Fascinated, excited, so much so that she was trembling. When Ohlen bent his head and asked her if she was alright, she opened up her side of the bond as much as she knew how. Flooded him with just how alright she was. She felt him stiffen against her back. His low growl rumbled up her spine, straight through her. Her nerve endings sparked with delight.
The terrain was just like Andi had expected after hiking and running through the simulator. She glanced at the others behind them. Mildly surprised by the way their heads were whipping this way and that to take it all in.
When she asked, Ohlen silently explained that not everyone had been given clearance to view the holograms.
Not even Clary got to use the simulator? she questioned.
Ohlen cleared his throat, bending slightly to touch a kiss to her temple.
-As I told you, only the primary squad leaders have access to the downloads. I was given special permission to allow you to receive my memories.
She jumped like he’d pinched her on the ass. Her head whipping up to stare at the underside of his clenched jaw.
YOUR, memories?
He nodded, glancing down at her quickly.
-It would have been impossible for me to breach the security protocols. For you to receive such knowledge
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