Synnr's Hope - Kate Rudolph Page 0,14

prepared for the bonding ceremony. The machine that would apply the bonding tattoos was set in the middle of a circle where everyone would gather in an hour or so, and the technician was messing with the settings to make sure everything was perfect. The rest of the guests were scattered across the garden, bouncing between tables with food and drinks, and a large covered area that offered some relief from the hot sun.

Solan’s mother had sent her regrets, since she was required in the city on business. He wasn’t sure if that was true or not, but he wouldn’t sour Oz’s day by speaking his suspicions aloud. His brother and sister had made it, though, and they’d be somewhere with their other halves soon enough. Solan needed to get into a socializing mood quick or he was going to ruin his friend’s day, and he didn’t want to do that. It didn’t matter if he’d rather be inside playing songs on his erlayvo to his plants. He had guests and a responsibility.

Stypon must have sensed his mood. The exuberant trott bounded up to him, jumping on his hind legs and begging for attention. The furry creature had no patience, and Solan had to give him a command to get down three times before he obeyed. It probably didn’t help that he couldn’t stop smiling, or that he scratched his pet behind his ears after that performance. He loved the little animal and he’d missed him while in space. There was no room for a pet on a mission.

“Of course he abandons me as soon as he sees you.” Micia rolled her eyes. She flared out her wings and it was enough to catch Stypon’s attention for a minute before he ran back and circled Solan. He sat on his feet, trying to hold Solan in place.

“All the people are exciting him,” he said to try to soften the blow, but Micia knew the trott well enough to know that wasn’t true. She watched him for Solan when he was deployed, but she hadn’t yet been able to gain the animal’s true love.

“I could dissolve into dust and he would not care,” she said, but she crouched down anyway and gave him a few pets.

“Is Keni not with you?” He would have expected his sister’s Match to be standing at her side.

Micia straightened and glared. “We’re not conjoined. She’s getting a drink.” The crowd was getting thicker and she shuddered. “Our ceremony is going to be even worse, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” There was no softening the blow. Every noble family would be there, along with anyone else who could somehow snag an invite. It would be the event of the season. Well, one of the events of the season. Their brother’s wedding would be just as bad.

“Can we go hide in the atrium?” Ortid must have been summoned by his thoughts.

He was hand in hand with his fiancé, Allic, a short Synnr with cropped blue hair and some of the most intricate tattoos Solan had ever seen.

“Are you going to have sex on my couch?”

Micia choked at his question, but Allic laced his fingers with Ortid’s and gave Solan a mischievous smile. “We just want a few minutes to ourselves.” He dragged Ortid towards the house.

“Put a towel down!” Solan yelled after them, but he doubted they’d take the time. He shook his head. “Those two...”

Micia let out a huge sigh and he expected her to say something. Instead, she glanced off to the side and pinched her lips together as if trying to avoid smiling. “I see Keni, I better go.”

Solan was left standing alone, but he doubted it would last for long. He took his time to study the crowd. All of the humans who’d been recovered along with Emily were here, along with Grace’s human mother, Valerie, and her Synnr father, Romi. On the Synnr side there were about thirty Zulir. It wasn’t a large party by any means, but Solan still felt crowded.

He spotted Grace striding across the yard and ducking behind a hedge, then Zac following quickly after. Was something going on there?

A moment later, Crowze passed in front of him with an uncharacteristically dark look on his face.

Jori and Ax were speaking with young Luci while the rest of the humans were clustered together by one of the drinks tables.

All of the humans except for Lena.

It had seemed like a good idea to use this as their first excursion. Their friends were celebrating, they’d know