Destiny's Kingdom: Legend of the Chosen by Daniel Huber, Jennifer Selzer Page B

around her.
    "Do what?"
    "Climb through the window like some thief."
    "It's past midnight…and you know how Aazrio hates it when I come calling at this hour."
    "I don’t care. He isn't my keeper."
    "Actually," said Quade, "he kind of is."
    "No, he's not.”
    "Well then," he whispered gently, "Forget about Aazrio. Let's just say that this and all my other wall bound journeys are acts of mystery and romance." Trina laughed.
    "Romance?" she rolled to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, tangled her fingers in his hair. "This is romantic? When you scale the wall and come crawling into my bed to ravage me in the middle of the night? I think you need to redefine your thinking." She was chiding him, and he knew it. His lips found a tender spot on her throat and attached themselves firmly to it, making her breath come in a sharp inhale as her head tilted back.
    "I don't see you fighting me off."  
    "Yes, well," she replied with a dreamy sigh, "it's been a long day." It was his turn to laugh.
    "A long day? It's Seventh Day. You've likely spent the afternoon wandering around Sigh Marketplace with Clea handing over money to those you deem in need."
    "Yes, well a long day of searching out those in need takes its toll on a person." Trina ran her nails down his spine, causing him to pause and catch his breath, and his reaction made her smile. "And what did you do today? Or this week for that matter? How was your time out there among those soulless beasts?" He laughed, and held her tight.
    "Well but for the absence of this."
    Trina pushed him back and rolled atop him in one swift move, pressing her legs tightly at his sides to keep him in place. Finally her lips found his, and she kissed him hard and hungrily.
    "I've missed you," she breathed through the kiss, the playfulness escaping her voice. "I thought you were coming back last night."
    "I tried," he replied. "Didn't you get my message?"
    "What message?"
    "I sent you a message last night, from the Calacomest space station."
    "I didn’t get any message." The tone in Trina's words showed only vague interest in the conversation at this point as she twined her fingers in the length of his hair.
      "I got stuck dealing with the Venrey's erratic schedule, and then this morning I couldn't get through the Kos/Cal nexus. Something strange going on out there. Not sure what it is. I would've sent another message, but I was so far out it only would've arrived a few hours before me."
    He looked up at her in the moonlight, the top of her head as she moved over his chest, the sound of her lips as they kissed him. "Gods love, I haven't slept for two days but I couldn't wait to see you, so I came here before I even went home." Trina looked up from under her stringy bangs, the moon's glint playing off her light lashes, and smiled, moving back to kiss his mouth again.
    Home and this, thought Quade just before giving himself up to the moment. As long as there's home, and as long as there's this, anything is possible, and whatever it was that he'd experienced in his travels could be handled now that he had peace of mind. The sounds of the sneaking night breeze through the room and the gentle chafe of skin against skin were all that occupied his mind, and all he needed for now.

CHAPTER 7

    D eep in space far away from the sheltering arms of Bethel, far from the comfort of any planet in fact, the passenger transport ship Valiant cruised on its charted path, toward a nexus point that would take it out of the Develon sector, Macvaladen Livius’ area of space. Its crew consisted of three people: Kirin, ship’s helm, Elena, ship’s communication, and Fredrick, the captain. Fredrick nodded contentedly as he glanced over the ship’s manifest. It was a good day, as he had a full load of passengers.  
    “Everything looks good,” Fredrick observed. “Take us into the nexus, Kirin.” She nodded at his command.
    “Sure thing chief.”
    Valiant slowed its speed upon approach to the nexus point,