“It means that he’s given her up.” Summer laid the papers down. “That he didn’t want to be her parent anymore, be responsible for her anymore.”
Ke’lar’s head reared back. “That is not possible. Why would he do such a thing?”
“Because it’s the heart that makes a dad so really, Ke’lar, he isn’t her father. You are. You were willing to do whatever it takes for her. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes for us to be together—all of us—because we’re a family.” She gave a short laugh. “Just one that’s going to live on an alien world.”
“Emma . . .” He swallowed. “She will grow up among the g’hir. Not among the humans.”
“Jenna’s daughter, Anna, is half-human and that other woman—Heather or whatever—she’s human and expecting a baby, that’s another half-human. Emma will grow up on another world but she’ll be loved.” She wet her lips. “Won’t she?”
“Yes,” Ke’lar said instantly. “She will be adored—protected—by all of my enclosure.” He searched her eyes. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure that I can’t be without you. I’m sure that you will love Emma like a father should. We’re a family. We can be happy—together.”
He took her hands in his. “I do not regret bringing you home, seeing our child safe, but I am a warrior. I always intended to return, to face them all—my clan, my father, Ar’ar—to stand before them to answer for this crime as a man of honor. But when I stole you from your lawful mate, when I brought you home to Earth—it was not with the thought that you would ever wish to return.”
“Wait.” She stared. “Are you saying I can’t go back?”
He shut his eyes for a moment. “You can return.”
“You mean return as Ar’ar’s mate,” she said for him.
His grip tightened on her hands. “I will fight him,” he growled and his jaw worked for a moment. “But if I do not win you will belong to Ar’ar again. And he will have another moon cycle to convince you to stay. You and Emma.”
“Boy, you guys are really stuck on that whole moon cycle thing, aren’t you?” she grumbled.
“It is our way,” he reminded. “If you are to come with me to my clan’s enclosure, if we are to live honorably, this must be done by Hir law.”
Summer chewed her lip for a moment. “Couldn’t we go somewhere else? Just go live in the city or someplace no one knows us?”
He gave a faint smile at that. “A g’hir warrior with a beautiful golden human mate and child? There is no place on Hir or even on our colonies where we would not soon have renown. The Betari would come to take you back.” He shook his head. “This must be done if we are to be together. I must challenge Ar’ar for you—and win.”
Twenty-five
“Momma!” Emma cried, pointing. “Look how big Belle is!”
Summer glanced at the ship’s holoprojector playing a decidedly two-dimensional but very large recording of Emma’s favorite movie as she joined them in the ship’s main living section.
“Nice resolution,” Summer commented, wondering how he’d managed to rig the xenari system to play the film at all. “Please tell me you didn’t reroute life support to do that.”
Ke’lar gave her a half chiding, half-relieved look and stood. “I was worried for you, my Summer. You are late.”
“I was just up at the cabin,” she reminded.
They’d both agreed that it would be best for him to remain hidden within the ship while Summer settled things enough that she could leave. Summer knew he delighted in having Emma with him and he positively doted on her. He’d insisted she be put under when the translation chip was implanted so she would feel no fear or discomfort, and waking up to find she could finally understand him just convinced Emma that he could do magic. He enjoyed his time becoming acquainted with his daughter, but he was still a g’hir warrior and anxiety gnawed at him when his mate had to venture out to what he considered a dangerous and primitive world without him. “And it was worth it to finish up today.”
“Then you have concluded—” Ke’lar glanced back at Emma still singing along with Lumière. “Everything?”
“My lawyer pulled some strings at the family court and got everything signed before the holiday break,” she confirmed quietly.
He let his breath out. “Then by Earth law, too, she is my child.”
Not exactly true since Ke’lar hadn’t—couldn’t—adopt her here but having Dean’s paperwork filed with the court and signed by a human judge satisfied his g’hir sensibilities.
“And”—her voice brightened as she lifted the container she held—“I brought something to help us celebrate.” She set the container on the table and lifted the top with a flourish. “Lemon pie.”