Suddenly, Syn grabbed Sumi’s wrist and shoved her sleeve back to expose her League brand. He drew his blaster faster than she could blink and held it to her jaw.

Dancer knocked it away. “Stop it!”

“She’s a League assassin.”

“Yeah, I know. Kyr sent her after me. Remind me to order him flowers and a thank-you card later.”

Syn, Darling, and Jayne exchanged a scowl.

“You know?” Jayne asked.

Dancer sat up slowly.

“Whoa, buddy.” Syn held him back. “You need to stay down until we get a lift here for you.”

Hauk hesitated before he stretched out again, only this time, he put his head in Sumi’s lap. “Jaynie? Darling? Don’t let anyone hurt my mia. Or I’ll take it out of both your asses.”

Darling arched his brows. “Look, bud, I know you’re drugged out of your mind, but you are aware that Sumi’s human, right?”

Dancer shoved at Darling. “Don’t insult my female by putting her in the same class as you.”

Jayne arched a brow. “How much crap have you given him, Syn?”

“That ain’t my drug, baby. That’s called l-o-v-e.”

Jayne scoffed. “Hauk? Love? Lorina shit.”

“It’s true. That’s why his eyes are red,” Darling said to her. “Can’t hide or deny that.”

Syn injected something into the IV.

Dancer shoved at him. “Why did you do that?”

“You need to rest.”

Still, he fought it. He grabbed the front of Darling’s battlesuit. “Keep Sumi safe for me. Don’t let anyone harm her. Swear…” He passed out.

Sumi caught him against her and laid him down gently.

They all three stared at her as if she was a three-headed Gourish snake.

“What?”

Without answering her, Syn moved to check on Bastien.

Darling continued to hold Dancer’s IV while he studied her with an unsettling intensity.

“Jayne?” Syn called. “On my twelve, babe.”

She went over to him, leaving Sumi alone with Darling. “So what did you name your son?” she asked, trying to break the awkward tension.

“Cezar.”

“Congratulations. I know Dancer will be thrilled to meet him.”

Darling shook his head. “And he lets you call him Dancer, too… damn. He really must love you.”

“It’s a beautiful name,” she said defensively.

He scoffed. “Says the woman who didn’t have to go to school or into League training with it. Take it from someone named Darling, it’s been a constant source of agony for him the whole of his life.”

She hadn’t thought about that. “I-I didn’t mean to hurt him with it.”

Darling covered her hand with his. “Trust me, given the way you say it, he doesn’t mind. If he did, he’d stop you. Tolerance is not one of his virtues.”

That was certainly true.

“Little Sumi?”