by Avery Rae
Marion and Rylos couldn't spend much time in public without risking the Korysti equivalent of having rotten tomatoes thrown at them after the Solys drama, so we didn't have much choice. It didn't feel like enough though. As the ship's doors closed behind me, I even had this weird, intrusive feeling of wanting a chance to hug the maids one last time. They'd hugged me at least five times each. We'd barely made it out of the house because of them.
"I think I'm going to miss it here," I murmured.
Kolyr laughed. "I never expected you, of all people, to say something like that."
"I know, right?" I made a face like I tasted something bitter. "It doesn't sound right to me either."
He suddenly swept me into his arms and planted a big, loud kiss on my lips. Pulling back with a smile, he said, "Lucky you, you'll always have a piece of Korystus with you."
"And you're the piece of Korystus, I take it?"
"I didn't think I had to spell it out for you."
"I was just hoping you weren't that ridiculous."
"You love me because I'm ridiculous."
"Mm, no, that's because you're so handsome."
"I knew you only wanted me for my body."
"In my defense, it's a really great body."
He ran his hands down his chest, nodding. "It absolutely is."
Kaz let out a loud, exaggerated cough in front of us. "So, uh, you two always like this?"
"Sorry." I pulled away from Kolyr with a laugh. I'd managed to forget Kaz was even there.
Kolyr rubbed at the back of his neck with a grin. "Yeah, sorry, we just haven't had much alone time lately. A lot's been going on."
Kaz nodded. "So I've heard. Anyway, my ship's only got one bedroom on it, so you two are going to have the lounge area to yourselves. No funny business in there, you got me?"
"Of course," I replied with a grin. It wouldn't be easy, but we could probably control ourselves for a little while.
Kaz led us to the lounge before leaving to prepare the ship for takeoff. I spun around in the small room and flashed Kolyr a grin. There was one couch for us to share, so that would be fun. Otherwise, there was an extensively stocked bar, a table, and a huge window which seemed to take up nearly an entire side of the ship.
A chime filled the air and Kolyr frowned, pulling out the tablet that Rylos had given him—along with enough easily exchanged currency to keep us afloat. He tapped the screen and held it out. Light beamed out of it and Solyndi's excited face appeared, only to be quickly replaced by Kastia, who directed a sour look off-screen.
When she looked at me, however, her face lit up. "Naomi! Good, you're still here. We were worried we'd taken too long."
"Too long to what?" I asked, directing a questioning look at Kolyr. He held up his free hand, equally confused.
"Find a window and look out of it. You'll see."
Before I could ask any other questions, she ended the call with a giggle.
"What do you think they've done? Should I be worried?"
He laughed as he put the tablet away. "Maybe. Those two are frightening."
"Well, here goes nothing . . ."
I moved to the window just in time to see all the itinerary screens and the smattering of advertisements and holograms around the spaceport start to flicker. Marion's face overtook them all. Her expression was grim and determined as she began to speak.
"All I ask is that you listen," she said. "You've heard my story, now hear theirs."
A moment later, my own face stared back at me from each one, and a speaker crackled to life inside the ship. The background of the bedroom had been removed, leaving me set against a plain black background.
"My name is Naomi," my own voice echoed around me.
Before I said the rest of the statement I'd recorded, the screens flickered again. A freckled blonde appeared.
"My name is Josephine," the woman said.
The screens changed again, and a young man appeared. "My name is Lucas."
Several more faces appeared, giving the people of Korystus their names. At last, it returned to me, staring silently into the screen. All around the spaceport, people were pointing. Many of them weren't Korysti, and they were looking to the Korysti around them for answers. Good luck explaining this one, I thought with a wry smile.
"My name is Naomi," my voice repeated, even stronger this time, "and I'm going to tell you my story."
From there, I began to talk about my family, soon transitioning into Solys and what he'd done to me. Everyone outside the ship watched and listened. All the while, Kolyr had his arms wrapped around me from behind, chin resting atop my head.
When I was finished with my harrowing tale, there was wonder in Kolyr's voice as he whispered, "They're really going to change things, Naomi. And you're part of it."
"I don't know about me, but they definitely are." I tilted my head back. "I've been meaning to ask, did you tell Kastia about that? The telling you about myself thing?"
He barely hid a smile, and that strange feeling I'd had since we arrived here—that things were unfinished—had grown stronger. I couldn't believe I was even considering it, but I was starting to think maybe Kolyr needed to stay. And there was no way I was leaving without him.
I turned around in his arms and stared up at him with wide eyes and blurted out, "I think we should stay."
A door nearby hissed open and Kaz leaned against the frame, arms crossed. "Well, I definitely wasn't eavesdropping—I was, cute stuff, real touching—but something tells me I should check with you two before takeoff. You going with me or not?"
I looked up at Kolyr. "No, I don't think we are."
"That question was more of a, uhh, formality or whatever," Kaz said as he rustled a hand through his frosty hair. "It's time to go. So, if you aren't coming, get off my ship."
Kolyr was frowning down at me, a knot between his brows. "Naomi? What're you talking about? You've told me since the day I met you that you hate it here."
I took both of his hands in mine. "Look, I know you said that you wanted to see the galaxy. Try to find answers. But I think what you need is here. I think you need to help."
"Sure, I'd like to, but if you want to go, then I want to go with you. I'd never ask you to stay here."
"Well, then I'll ask you. Stay with me on Korystus?"
A smile curved his lips. "If that's what you want."
"I do." I smiled back at him, then at Kaz. "We're not going to need that ride."
"Then why the hell are you still on my ship?"
"Sorry for wasting your time, Kaz."
"Yeah, yeah. No big deal. Rylos told me you might do this."
I cocked my head to the side. "He did?"
"Mhm. Now, get going. I've got things to do."
With a laugh, I took Kolyr's hand. Although he was still somewhat confused, he followed along as I raced us out of the ship and back onto the concourse. I wasn't all that surprised to see Marion and Rylos standing there, flanked by guards, of course. I was touched that they'd risked coming out here, even though they both wore smug, expectant smiles as we approached.
"So," I greeted them with a grin, "what's next on the free-the-humans agenda?"
Epilogue
In the days and months that followed our last-minute decision to stay on Korystus, neither of us had regretted it once. Even when we faced outward resistance, it didn't matter. Largely because things were actually going well. Relatively speaking.
Kastia's—and Solyndi's, as she would insist—idea for the videos had done well for us. The outpouring of concern from around nearby planets was apparently very embarrassing for the Korysti. Solys had been made into an example and wouldn't be seeing the outside world for a very long time. Furthermore, Senator Rylos, along with other allies he had among Korystus's government, had managed to outlaw the ownership of humans. Finally.
Of course, just because it was a rule didn't mean everyone followed it. Kolyr, being the soldier that he was, had proposed that we take a very proactive approach t
o extracting humans that either Kastia got wind of, or were reported to us.
Thanks to many generous donations from politicians trying to save face, we'd begun building homes near Kolyr's in the middle of nowhere. Before long, there was a small community of humans out there with us, and things were looking more hopeful with each passing day. Not to say everything was perfect.
Although things were tense between Kolyr and his fellow soldiers, some had begun volunteering to help guard the place when Rylos couldn't spare any of his guards. We'd yet to be attacked, but there had been threats. It seemed like one of those things where we should be safe rather than sorry. Especially with so many humans in one place.
Yet, as I stood outside Kolyr's home—I guess I should call it ours now—I felt perfectly content. I stared up at the stars and the moons glowing brightly in the sky, and I truly appreciated the beauty of Korystus. Something I thought I'd never get to do. I never could've imagined things would end like this. I smiled as the door quietly opened behind me.
"Did I wake you?" I asked.
"The bed was empty." With a yawn, Kolyr hugged me against his chest. "What're you doing awake? We've got a big day tomorrow."
We were going to have my name placed in Kolyr's family registry. It didn't sound very romantic, but that was the Korysti for you. It was romantic to them. Status and all that. Kolyr's parents had smiled so tightly I feared their heads would pop when he told them, but they were trying very hard to be supportive. A human being added to the registry of a Korysti would be a huge step in the right direction, which they understood.
I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was. They raised Kolyr, after all, and he was one of the best Korysti I'd ever met. Honestly, he was better than most humans I'd met. I placed my hands over his at my waist and leaned into his hard chest. My smile grew as I looked out at the small homes all around ours. I still struggled to believe it sometimes, but staying on Korystus had been the best decision I'd ever made.
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