Chapter 2
Ransom’s fatigue clung once they’d landed on Dalcon.
His shoulders slumped, and he shuffled with an old-person gait as they left their ship in a docking bay.
Outside, Scarlett took control. With a shrill whistle, she summoned a flymo, one of the chubby utility vehicles used on most planets in the sector.
Flymos were the donkeys of this region, with the locals using them as taxis or couriers to ship goods around the city.
A trio of Red Mumber males swaggered past her, their red skin and tentacle hair distinctive, their fit, bulky bodies, honesty, and no-nonsense attitude perfect for the security jobs most of them worked.
One, she blew a cheeky kiss. She’d sold Guam a necklace for his first wife the previous month. No doubt, he’d be back to purchase one for his second wife soon. The Red Mumber and their polygamy lifestyle were great for business.
Beside her, Ransom growled deep in his throat, and she turned to him in surprise. Jealousy. How cute.
“Guam is a friend. Where to first?”
Her mind continued to prickle. Ransom had told her only part of the story.
She was of two minds whether to ditch him in the market—easy enough with so many friends amongst the hawkers—or tag along because she’d love to discover a precious stone to gain a competitive edge.
With her upper-class contacts, she’d sell anything unusual fast. The highborn welcomed anything of beauty and uniqueness.
And did she admit this sudden change in routine was exhilarating? Even better, no one could accuse her of impulsiveness since Ransom had abducted her.
“Ransom,” she prompted when it appeared he’d zoned out. “Where do we go first?”
“The market for supplies. Food and equipment.” He wavered on his feet. His color had shifted from his normal golden tones to an ashen gray.
Scarlett dithered as she mentally listed pros and cons. Should she offer her strength to keep him upright, ditch him, or forge ahead? The prickles in her mind gave way to a shiny display case, spotlit to highlight the beautiful jewelry contained within.
Simple. Stunning. Gorgeous samples of her best work.
Scarlett hid her smile. No contest really since none of this was her fault. A quest lay in her future.
“I know a great place to eat.” She’d get a message to Saber, and Ransom would never know. “There’s a place here, and a decent hotel near the market we could stay tonight. You look as if you might collapse. I’d hate to waste my energy dragging you around. A full tummy always boosts my reserves.”
His faint nod of compliance suggested he felt worse than he looked.
“Let’s go, then.”
They piled into the flymo and directed the pilot to the market.
Ten minutes later, the flymo landed at the nearest drop-off point.
Ransom paid the fare, and they walked up the street, Scarlett suiting her normal brisk I-know-where-I’m-going pace to Ransom’s hobble.
She led him past makeshift stalls and squeezed around pale blue beings and child-sized aliens with hard shells who scuttled rather than walked.
Scarlett surveyed the dragon-man, and doubts surfaced.
Was he strong enough to leave civilization for the backcountry area indicated on his map?
“Are you sure you’re up to this quest?” Thank the stars Eva’s restaurant wasn’t far.
“Don’t worry about me,” he gritted out, his shoulders straightening a fraction.
Flymos darted overhead, avoiding the hordes of foot traffic but facing problems of their own as they jockeyed for airspace on their journey through the city. Market day was profitable for some, but it made for volatile crowds and short tempers.
Several Tigrus youths, recognizable by their striped skin, hooted with laughter as a robed nun tripped and fell. Dazzling pink fruits spilled from her shopping bag. They rolled along the rutted cobblestones, at least two cracking open to reveal the edible seeds inside.
Scarlett hurried to aid the woman. She collected the smooth-skinned pink fruit, returned them to the nun, and helped her stand to dust off her saffron robe. A growl had her head jerking up. The Tigrus youths retreated in a hurry, melting into the crowd and disappearing.
“Are you injured?” Ransom asked the woman.
“I be fine.” The woman dipped her bald head, her expression serene as she righted the hood of her robe. “Blessings on ye both.”
Scarlett fluttered her lashes at Ransom. “My hero.”
“I loathe bullies.” Ransom’s voice held a harsh edge that scratched Scarlett’s curiosity. The dragon was a protective gentleman. Interesting.
“We will escort you to your destination,” Scarlett said. “This area is rough.”
“Thank ye. I’m heading to the convent.” The nun gathered her bags.
“It’s on our way,” Scarlett said, recalling the sprawling complex from earlier visits. “Let me carry some of your bags. Really, it’s no trouble.”
“That be kind of ye.”
Ransom took the more substantial bag, and Scarlett frowned, hoping the dragon didn’t face-plant. His muscular carcass weighed a lot more than the pink fruit.
To her relief, they reached the carved gateway of the convent safely with all of them still upright despite the mass of people and the thieves who skulked amongst the crowds, alert for every opportunity.
“Are you remaining in the city this blacklight or do you intend to leave Dalcon?” the nun asked. “Because if you’re staying, we have rooms to let.” She turned her attention to Ransom. “You and your wife could sleep in the knowledge of your safety within our walls.”
Ransom glanced at her, and Scarlett piped up before he rejected the offer. “It would allow us to take stock and check we have everything we require for our journey.”
“Oh, are you traveling far?” the nun asked, showing the first sign of curiosity.
“To Narenda to visit friends,” Ransom said. “Thank you. A room here for the evening suits us admirably.” Some of the tension bracketing his mouth eased, almost as if he was glad of a reason to delay their departure.
Scarlett frowned. That couldn’t be right.
The dude was a dragon shifter. One of her premonitions prickled across her scalp, and she inhaled, scenting the air.
Nothing in the vicinity, but something. Her skin bristled—a hand brushing her fur in the wrong direction sensation. She surreptitiously studied the nun.
The woman scrutinized the dragon shifter, her gaze sharp and dissecting for one so young. “Are ye not sleeping well?”
Ransom brushed off the concern. “I’m fine.”
Scarlett didn’t believe him. The nun doubted him, too, but neither contradicted the dragon.
“We lock the gates at dusk,” the woman warned.
Scarlett inclined her head. “Thank you. We’ll be back long before the gates close for the blacklight.”
She placed her arm through Ransom’s, her pulse skittering at the physical contact. Her feline sighed, and the contented purr echoing through Scarlett’s mind raised a frisson of alarm. She flinched from the connection.
Ransom never reacted to her rapid withdrawal.
Frying fungus! This was not good. She could fight him and was confident of staying a skip or two ahead, but things might become dicey if her feline exerted a say. Perhaps she should take a pass on those stones he’d promised her.
If Scarlett’s feline decided she wanted the dragon, this mission or quest or fake kidnapping might destroy her ambitions.
Ransom walked at her side, alert, scanning the surrounding beings despite his exhaustion.
Nothing wrong with his brain, then.
“What do you intend to purchase?” she asked.
“I have a list of requirements. We’re traveling into a mountainous region. We’ll land the ship and hike the rest of the way.”
“How long will it take to find this lost world?”
“I’m unsure. My people live on the hot side where the weather remains at an even temperature. The region we’re visiting is more seasonal and changeable.”
“How cold will it get? Will we need warm clothes?”
“We must prepare for everything.”
“Layers then,” Scarlett murmured. “Will we carry food or hunt?”
“Both.”
She nodded and slowed before Eva’s restaurant. “This place serves delicious meals.” On cue, her stomach rumbled. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
Scarlett jogged up the three steps leading to the entrance. The place didn’t give off luxurious vibes. In fact, it possessed a ramshackle air but attracted trade from market visitors and entrepreneurs. They preferred surroundings that placed them at ease, and Eva’s place did that.
Large flagstone squares lined the floor. Twelve square tables, big enough to seat four diners, filled the central part of the restaurant. Mismatched chairs added to the rundown ambiance, but the enticing kitchen scents and efficient service attracted repeat customers.
Scarlett headed toward a corner table with three spare seats. The diners mixed and mingled; an empty place considered an invitation for anyone to sit. A green-skinned man already at the table lifted his gaze from his half-eaten meal and nodded a greeting before returning to his food.
Ransom sank onto an empty chair with a groan.
“Food?” Scarlett asked. “We’re required to order at the counter. The dish of the day is always an excellent choice.”
“That’s fine.” Ransom fumbled with his electronic payment band.
“I’ll pay. You can transfer your share to me later this blacklight,” Scarlett said.
Robbie, Eva’s second-in-command, stood at the counter taking orders.
“Hey, Robbie,” Scarlett said before he could speak. “Is Eva still here or has she left for home? I left Ione Island before I grabbed my com-circle.”
“Are you in trouble?” Robbie asked.
“I don’t think so, but can you get a message to Saber? He’ll be worried.”
Robbie leaned closer and spoke in an undertone. His brown eyes were huge in his pale face. “Is the big dude you came in with holding you captive?”