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  “That doesn’t seem possible,” Kate objected.

  “Neither does your ankle suddenly being healed,” Sophie pointed out. “But it is.”

  “All right—say it was the Goddess,” Kate said. “What does that mean? What should I do?”

  “Listen to what she said,” Liv answered. “I know it doesn’t make sense now but it will—the words of the Goddess always do…in time.”

  “In time,” Kate echoed, frowning. But she couldn’t help wondering if her time was running out. What exactly had the priestess—or the Goddess in disguise if her new friends were right—meant by her strange words? What was the desire of Kate’s heart that she was talking about? What appetites should she feed?

  And in the meantime, what was she supposed to do about Rone?

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  “It’s a short trip back to Earth,” Rone said, strapping himself in to the pilot’s seat in the Finder. “I’ll have you home to your friend, Mimi, in no time but I need to make a stop first.”

  “A stop where?” Kate asked, shifting in her chair. Since Rone had come to get her for their flight back to Earth that morning she had been feeling…different. Restless somehow.

  “Just a different city on Earth,” he said shortly. “Please don’t worry—I won’t be long. Unless you wish me to drop you off first.”

  Drop me off, Kate thought bitterly. As if I was a load of laundry he needed to drop at the dry cleaners. I’m just another errand to him now—just another duty he has to discharge before he can get on with his life.

  But she didn’t fully believe that. Though the big Kindred tried to remain stoic, every time she looked at him from the corner of her eye, Kate could see the pain etched on his features. There were lines around his mouth and shadows under his eyes, as though he had spent a very restless night. Of course, she couldn’t know for sure, since he had insisted they sleep in separate guest rooms the night before. But looking at him, she would have bet the price of the Rolex she’d been trying to sell back when he first found her at the International Mall that he hadn’t gotten a wink all night.

  Just thinking of that—of her former life and job—made Kate’s gut tie itself in knots. God, how could she go back to that? To an everyday normal existence—to a life that didn’t include Rone? Even though she was angry with him for acting the way he was, the reality that she was about to lose him forever still made her heart ache.

  Goddess, she thought, sending out a silent prayer. If you’re going to help me fix this situation, now would be the time to do it.

  But no answer came—even her Knowing was silent on the subject. Kate felt stuck—like she was set on a course she knew was wrong but she couldn’t get off of it. Just like when I was stuck in the Shadow side of the hall back in Flame and Frost, she thought morosely. Only there, Rone was willing to stay with me and even go with me into danger. Now it seems like he can’t wait to see the end of me.

  But was that really how he felt? Looking at the haggard expression on his strong face from the corner of her eye, Kate wasn’t so sure.

  “So…what city are you stopping at?” she asked, as casually as she could.

  “Sacramento, California,” Rone said shortly.

  “Oh—can I come? I’ve never been to California and I’ve always wanted to go.”

  “No,” he said sharply. “I…my business there is private. And…” He pinched the bridge of his nose hard, as though trying to drive back a headache or maybe tears. “And you have been to California—you just don’t remember it.”

  “I have?” Kate asked softly. “Where? When?”

  “We went to see the redwoods. It was one of the stops on our…on our honeymoon.” Rone took a deep breath and went back to inputting destinations in the navcom. Something about the way his fingers flew over the complicated controls seemed to jog something loose in Kate’s brain.

  “Hey—how many destinations can you put into that thing at once?” she asked, trying to steer away from the subject of their forgotten honeymoon.

  “Up to a hundred,” Rone said tonelessly. “It enables you to plan an entire trip with stops at various locations.”

  “And how many stops are you making? After…after you drop me off?” Her voice was tight but she tried to keep her face neutral.

  “Only two,” Rone said shortly. “My journey is almost done.”

  Kate didn’t know what he meant by that and she was afraid to ask.

  “Rone—” she began but he interrupted her.

  “Strap in, please. We’re beginning the descent to Earth.”

  As he had said, it didn’t take long. Before she knew it, they were orbiting the familiar blue and green ball Kate had called home for most of her life. She wondered how it would be, being stuck on Earth for the rest of her days. Never going anywhere else again or seeing any other parts of the universe.

  She’d always loved travel and exploring. Being with Rone these past few weeks had been stressful for various reasons but also exciting. Now she was going back to her ho-hum life and her ho-hum job in the jewelry store—well, if they would have her after the mess she’d left—never to explore again. At least, not outside the confines of Earth.

  As if being stuck on Earth with no way to explore the universe is why you feel so sad, whispered a little voice in the back of her head. Be honest Kate, it’s not the space travel and exploration you’re going to miss—it’s your traveling companion. It’s Rone.

  Being held in his strong arms, listening to him call her ‘baby’ and ‘Lalli’, hearing his soft, deep voice in her ear and smelling his warm, comforting scent…she would never have any of that again. Would never have him again…

  Kate felt like she wanted to cry. She stared steadily at the navcom as the big Kindred put them in a holding pattern and prepared to take the shuttle down to the surface.

  “I won’t be long,” he said, standing and reaching for something in one of the overhead compartments.

  “Okay.” Kate blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay. Instead of her out-of-control emotions, she focused on Rone. He was holding a long metal bar with some kind of clunky attachment at the end. “What is that?” she asked, honestly bewildered. “Some kind of wrench?”

  “It’s a hyperdrive spanner.” Rone lifted it with one hand and thunked the other end into his open palm, making a meaty thwack sound.

  “What are you going to do down there—make some kind of repair? Fix something?” Kate asked.

  He nodded. “There is something I need to fix—a problem long left unresolved. But as I said, I don’t think it will take long. I’ll be back soon.”

  “All right. I’ll…make myself a cup of tea or something.” Kate sighed.

  “You could…could go through your things.” Rone’s throat worked and it was clear he was forcing the words out. “See if there’s anything…anything you want to keep.”

  “No.” Kate shook her head and looked down at her hands. “I don’t remember buying any of those clothes and I don’t really have room for any of the furniture or anything else like that.”

  “As you wish.” He nodded gravely. “Think about it while I’m gone though. Anything you want is yours.”

  Except you—except your heart, Kate thought. But somehow she managed to keep herself from saying it out loud. Suddenly she had the almost insurmountable urge to go to Rone and throw her arms around him. For some reason she just wanted to touch him—to hold him and be close to him. As close as she could possibly get.

  Stop it, she told herself fiercely. Stop it—he doesn’t want you anymore. Not like that. But she couldn’t get rid of the restless feeling—the overwhelming urge to be close to him. She squeezed her hands into fists at her sides, forcing herself to stay in her seat until he finally left.

  After the big Kindred was gone, she jumped up and paced restlessly. Why was she having this weird feeling? The blinding urge to be close to him? It was almost like a need, gnawing inside her. What was it?

  Trying to ig