I relayed the information to Eli, who remained tense, but said, “I’m plotting a course to Bastion. I’ll keep an eye on the other two.”

“Thanks,” I murmured back, then turned to Torran. “Won’t that get your sister in trouble? And how will you return to Valovia now?”

“She owes you.” He frowned at me. “What makes you think that I want to return to Valovia?”

I waved my hand around the empty cargo bay. “You said good-bye to everyone. You made no mention of staying. You were halfway into your sister’s ship without so much as a word to me—” My composure broke and I blinked back tears.

Torran drew me softly into his arms. “Oh, cho akinti, I am sorry that I did not explain, but I thought you understood. I talked to your crew to ensure that they were okay with us staying for a while longer. I spoke to my sister because I had to ensure that Cien would be looked after, and that Feia would prevent Lotkez from trying anything. I did not mean to cause you pain.”

“So you’re not leaving at Bastion?”

“No, not unless you ask me to.”

I wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly. “I’m so glad,” I whispered.

He ran a soothing hand down my back, and I slowly relaxed against him with my head on his shoulder. My mind drifted back over the brief meeting with the imperial princess. She wasn’t what I expected. “Your sister loves Cien.”

“Yes. We don’t see eye to eye on many things, but we would both die to protect the boy.” Torran held me for a few more minutes before pulling back and meeting my eyes. “We are in human space. You are safe.”

My heart kicked. “Your debt is paid.” The thought was more bittersweet than I’d expected. I liked the thought of us as one entity. If I could keep that without the rest, I would, in a heartbeat.

Torran knelt, held his left wrist over his heart, and looked up into my eyes. “Cho wubr chil choz de cho arbu chil tavoz.” His voice was deep and sure, and I didn’t know why my eyes were misting over, but I blinked the tears away before they could fully form.

“What does it mean?” I whispered.

“My life is mine, but my heart is yours.”

I cleared my throat, trying to speak around the lump in it. “Is that the traditional saying?”

He smiled and pressed my fingers to his lips. “‘My life is mine’ is how a life debt is traditionally ended.”

“And, ah, the other part?”

“The truth. It is also a traditional phrase used during courtship.”

I smiled down at him and cupped his gorgeous face in my hands. “Used how?”

He coughed. “It is usually used to move the courtship to its final stage before a life bond—a marriage.”