Clonely You (Sunrise Cantina #2)

Epilogue

ONE WEEK LATER

AITHAR

I can feel Michaela’s nervousness. Her hand in mine is clammy, and her heel taps on the floor of the ship. She’s at my side, seated at the comm panel on Lord Straik’s ship, the Scarlet Gaze . We’ve decided to send the comm from here, as Lord Straik has better long-distance comm equipment. In the short trip back to the ship, Michaela has been tense and fidgety, and I know that finding her sister is weighing on her.

But she knows that I’m with her, supporting her. She leans on my shoulder and takes a deep breath. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”

“You know I don’t.” I tug her in closer to me.

“I love you,” she whispers. “You’re so good to me, so supportive.”

I want to preen at her compliments. I’ve always told Michaela how I’ve felt, but since we’ve mated, she’s been showering me with affectionate words, telling me how she feels, too. I can’t get enough of it. I love hearing how much she adores me. It makes me want to please her even more.

“I just don’t want you to think I’m using you.”

“I volunteered, remember?” Michaela had shown me her hoard of credits that she’d been carefully saving over the last year or two, determined to find a way to buy her sister’s freedom. Last night when she’d revealed them, she’d been so proud of the amount she’d collected that I felt like a monster when I’d pointed out that Zebah’s services—or any bounty hunter—would cost five times as much.

I’m covering the difference. I’ve saved up quite a bit, and I’ve sold my stake in the cantina back to Erzah, who was all too happy to take it back. Michaela was upset at the thought, but I reminded her that since we are mated now, I plan on living at the dairy farm with her and helping her with her business.

She gave me dozens of kisses after that, and we’d fallen back into bed together. That’s how we end most of our nights—wrapped around each other in utter contentment. The only thing better than going to bed with Michaela at my side is waking up next to her.

Right now, Michaela is gazing at me with emotion written all over her face. She touches my leg and mouths my name. “How did I get so lucky to find you?”

Before I can answer, the comm chirps and shows the incoming signal from Three Nebulas Station. At my side, Michaela tenses.

“Are you ready, my clever dairymaid?” I ask, squeezing her hand.

“I am,” she tells me, her face full of determination.

We accept the comm and start the process of finding her sister. Even if it takes Zebah a year, I know she’ll be successful. She’s the best at finding lost things. A pain in the ass, but the best. And however long it takes, I’ll be at Michaela’s side, supporting her and loving her like a good mate.

Because that’s where I belong—in Michaela’s arms. She’s home and heart to me.

Zebah’s face lights up the comm panel, her horns spangled with beaded strings and her mane braided into the webbing to create an intricate—and busy—mess. “Well now, it’s always fun to greet a new pair of paying customers.” She puts her hands under her chin and leans in close, her eyes flashing. “Hello, customers. Start with how much you’re paying me.”

“No,” I say immediately.

“Worth a shot.” Zebah grins.

Michaela sits up straighter, for which I adore her even more, and takes the lead. “My name is Michaela Saunders, and I want you to find my missing sister, Rafaela Saunders. She’s human, and I last saw her carried off by slavers more than two years ago.”

“Ooo, a challenge. I love a challenge. Tell me everything.” Zebah gives a little shiver, her jewelry tinkling as she does.

“Do you want to take notes?” Michaela asks.

Zebah waves a hand at the screen. “No need. I’ll remember.”

Michaela gives me an uncertain glance, but I nod. However flighty Zebah might seem, she gets the job done. Michaela’s hand tightens in mine and she sits on the edge of her seat. “Rafaela and I were stolen from Earth at the same time…”