Honour by Viola Grace Page A

species.”
    “Oh, that.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “I remember it all, and I am sure that you will remind me if necessary.”
    “I am sure of it.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and watched Yalki fall away beneath them.

Chapter Nine
     
     
    Honour was sick. Four days of negotiations had taken their toll on her, and she was exhausted and suffering but not because of her own withdrawal from the planet.
    Acuar was drawing on her energy, pulling strength and balance from her body every time they touched. It wasn’t malicious; he simply was far more attached to Yalki than she was.
    They were both relieved when they completed their negotiations and arrangements had been ratified with all parties. The Yalki system was going to be receiving a wave of new tech and had enough funds to sponsor defensive-weapons systems. It had been a productive few days, but it was a good thing that they were heading home.
    The moment they sat in the shuttle and their pilot took off, Acuar slumped against her.
    “Easy, Ace. We will be home soon.” She held his hand and tried to give him more. He fought her, but his body overrode his impulses, and she was a little weaker when she finished giving.
    “Thank you. I had never heard of a new bride lasting as long as you did. You are an exceptional woman, Rose.”
    She grinned. “I am aware of that, Ace. Now, hold tight and we will be home before you know it.”
    Honour looked at his chalky complexion and tried to hide her worry. There had been jokes by a few of the species that they should just kidnap the host and hold him for ransom. It was only after the second day that she realised that the host would simply die if he were away from Yalki for too long. That was what the bride was, a subtle battery pack that allowed him to travel. It wasn’t flattering, but it was the situation she was in.
    Acuar was breathing shallowly by the time they landed. Their pilot looked appalled at the idea of touching the host, so Honour used her remaining strength to pull him out of the ship and walked with him dazed and disoriented to the nearest copse of trees.
    She flopped him onto his back and dragged him until he was leaning against one of the oldest trees. His breathing eased and colour began to return to his face.
    Honour knelt next to her mate and watched him recover. The forest touched her and the nodes on her arms warmed as it replenished her lost energy.
    Her body was humming with power, and she understood not just that the forest had to be the first thing they touched, they needed it to be the last thing that they touched. The forest had not given her quite enough power for four days, but it had not anticipated the time and energy that she would expend. Trees did not measure time like animals did.
    She laughed as her skin glowed through the suit. Aside from being a little tired from travel, she was back to normal.
    Acuar reached out for her. “Hello, my Rose.”
    She crawled forward and snuggled against his side. “You sound better.”
    “I feel better. How did you get me out of the shuttle?”
    “I am stronger than I look.” She stroked his chest, feeling the beat of his heart. “Where were you born?”
    “I was born in a tree ten kilometres from here. The tree lowered the flower pod to the forest floor, and I walked out as you see me today, more or less.”
    She laughed. “I think you might have been wearing less.”
    “I believe I was wearing the same thing you were in the tank.” He chuckled. “I was somewhat dryer than you were. The plant material was absorbed into my skin.”
    Honour yawned and wrapped her arm across his chest, holding him as she drowsed. It was a good safe place to rest, so she did.
     
    She was moving, but she wasn’t walking. She opened her eyes a slit and saw Acuar above her. “You are ruining my nap.” She felt a kiss on her forehead.
    “You will sleep better in our bed.”
    She smiled and rubbed her cheek against his chest. “I don’t