Kiera's Home

It was difficult for him to deny her anything when he recalled the despair he'd experienced when he thought her dead.

"I will consider it," he allowed.

"Thank you." She beamed and dropped her arms. "I'll leave you alone for now." Her smile had a way of making his world right, of reminding him what was important.

It also made him think of how she looked up at him after they made love. With her cheeks flushed, hair wild and eyes glowing, she had the uncanny ability to make him forget everything in the universe, except for them.

She was gazing at him like that right now, with a spark of what he knew was desire, mixed with affection. It stirred the warm, aching need he experienced deep inside him, whenever their eyes met.

A'Ran wanted anything but alone time at the light in her eyes. He started to reach for her when the door opened. If not for the warrior that entered, he would've put his duty aside to make love to his beautiful lifemate, conference room be damned.

As if sensing his thought, Kiera's features were pink. She ducked her gaze and rose.

"I'll go see Mansr," she said.

He instantly felt the loss of her warmth and presence. "Very well." He rose and watched her leave, attention on the sway of her hips and rounded shape of her bottom. His hands clenched then released at the thought of not being able to touch her right now.

When Kiera's small form disappeared behind the closing door, he turned his attention to the awaiting warrior.

The warrior bowed his head in respect before he spoke. "We examined the readings in more depth. The mines are producing at an accelerated rate."

"How fast?" A'Ran asked.

"Fast enough that the miners recommend we start operations even before the atmosphere is cleared."

"That places them at risk."

"They know this. The alternative is that the metal from the mines overtakes the underground water sources and poisons them."

"What's causing this?" A'Ran frowned.

The warrior hesitated. "We don't know. The planet could be healing itself and trying to replenish fifteen sun-cycles worth of metal at once."

"Or there could be something else wrong."

"Yes, dhjan. That is a possibility. We were unable to see beyond the surface mines to determine that."

A'Ran considered the information. He'd never heard of anything like this happening in the history of Anshan. In its raw form, the metal was toxic. It was the reason the atmosphere was poisonous after the explosions rigged to the planet surface took out the mines, too. The idea it might destroy their water sources before he was able to bring his people back left him frustrated. The alternative - that they killed a generation of miners to save the water and ore - was equally as weighty.