Okay, there was no way to keep a straight face as Maris recalled his earlier conversation with the Sentella about Darling’s mental state. “I think it’s safe to say that all of us were right, and you, my dear Hauk, were most definitely wrong about what it would take to settle Darling down and make him quasi-human again.”

Hauk laughed as he caught Maris’s meaning. “So you finally nailed him, huh?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

Before they could say anything else, a loud throaty scream echoed from upstairs.

Hauk and Syn pulled out their weapons, ready for battle.

“Whoa”—Maris gestured at them—“down lethal killers. It’s okay.”

“Bullshit,” Hauk growled. “Sounds like someone’s being murdered.”

Maris laughed. “Yes it does, and no they’re not. I promise you. Not unless one can die by orgasm, and if that were the case, I think both of them would have died days ago.” He put his hand on Syn’s blaster and pointed it toward the floor. “But I do believe Darling’s going to need a little longer than fifteen minutes before he’s ready to see us. Shall we go to the reception room and wait?”

They exchanged perplexed grimaces before they finally holstered their blasters.

Maris turned around and led them deeper into the palace to the large room that was reserved for those waiting to have an audience with the governor. It was always kept stocked with a variety of beverages and snacks for unexpected visitors.

“Would either of you care for something?”

They shook their heads.

“So what exactly’s going on?” Concern was thick in Syn’s voice. “I’m still reeling over Darling calling me the other night. What made him change his mind so suddenly about having more surgery? Last time I broached the subject, he damn near took my head off. He told me he wasn’t about to put himself through it again.”

Maris poured a cup of tea for himself. He wasn’t about to spoil this surprise.

Not for anything. He lived to see people knocked off keel by the unexpected. And he wanted to savor their reactions when they saw Zarya in Darling’s room. “You’ll have to ask him. As I said, I haven’t seen him in days now.”

Hauk let out a low, sympathetic breath. “Man, given how tight the two of you have always been, I thought you’d be the one to screw him blind.”

“Yeah,” Syn agreed. “You two always seemed to have a lot of chemistry together.”

How he wished. But that was all right. He was happy Darling had someone he desired to the degree he did Zarya. If he couldn’t have Darling’s heart himself, he wanted it to belong to someone who would appreciate it, and who would treat Darling the way Maris would treat him if he’d been lucky enough to have him.

Maris sipped his tea. “What can I say? I found him someone much more suited to his particular tastes.”

Syn appeared impressed by his words. “That was extremely generous of you, Mari. I don’t think I could hook up the love of my life with someone else.”