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a time if needed. Having a mate to come home to will make all the difference. I am hoping that you caught my hint earlier.”
    “The Shosai. He is one?” She blinked and tried to remember what she had seen on the screen, but Starburn had his hand on her thigh at the time, and she was slightly distracted.
    “Half. Half Shosai, half Nyal and all wild temper if things don’t go the way he thinks they should. I am just warning you, because if you are prepared, you can watch for signs in his behaviour and move to distract him.”
    “Me, distract him?”
    “Yes. For the last two weeks, we have been able to calm him down just by mentioning your name. It has given us no end of relief.” Tangle laughed.
    She sighed and leaned down to inhale the soothing fragrance of a brilliant purple flower.
    “You have no idea how glad I am that the Guardians of Deyfell 4 are relieved that I can calm one of you down.”
    Tangle chuckled, and they continued their tour of the gardens. Now and again, Hydra would see a shadow flitting nearby, but in general, Starburn was careful to follow at a distance.

Chapter Seven
    H ydra wandered through the kitchen and eventually found a pitcher large enough to hold the bouquet of flowers that Tangle had selected for her.
    Breaker came up and stood next to her as the sky turned the lavender of sundown. “Those are lovely. You do know that both Warp and Tangle would gladly have taken Starburn’s place in your bed.”
    Hydra’s hands wobbled. “Um. No, I wasn’t aware of that. Why?”
    “Do you know how rare it is for someone to offer us kindness because we are tired and not because they want something from us? Your generosity of spirit was noticeable at the start, as was your ability to recognize defeat when the server neglected to bring you your tea that first day.”
    Hydra fiddled with the flowers until she had them the way she liked them. “I know when to stop fighting and just get out alive.”
    “And yet, your determination to get what you came for kept you in that diner and enabled us to meet. I would say that those characteristics are rather admirable in any being, but in one so lovely, they are irresistible.”
    “Are you flirting with me, Breaker?”
    “Would that be so horrible?” Breaker turned and leaned against the counter, batting her lashes over her crimson gaze.
    “No, but it would destroy Liskey. She is enamoured with you, and I would never be able to look her in the eye again if I were to encourage you at any point.”
    “And I am not your type.” Breaker’s smile was wry.
    “That too, but I was trying not to say it.” Starburn walked into the room as if he had not been watching Tangle and her in the garden for the last two hours.
    He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her neck.
    “So, Breaker, tell me. How many love bites are showing?” She stroked Starburn’s hair and tweaked his ear.
    “Four are easily visible.” Breaker laughed and took the flower arrangement to an occasional table in the conversation pit.
    Starburn took her by the hand. “Walk with me while the sun goes down.”
    Shrugging, she followed him and found herself with warm sand running between her toes. The beach was as quiet as you could get. The waft of smoke smelled like someone was set to barbeque, and Starburn confirmed it when he said, “Warp is cooking.”
    She laughed. “So, today, they do the cooking and you goof off?”
    He wrapped his arms around her, and together, they flew to a high cliff. The sun was a huge ball dipping slowly into the ocean, and Hydra was thankful for the arms around her. She was not fond of heights, let alone getting stuck on them.
    “Hydrangea Graham, I have a question to ask you.” He turned her in his arms, and to her shock, he went down on both knees.
    “Um, should I be worried?”
    He smiled and pressed a finger to her lips. “Let me finish.”
    Nervous and very vulnerable in her position on top of a small island on an