Chapter 30
30
Tano, Axel, and Marisia sat stiffly on one side of the staff room table. Since their arrival, they’d been nothing but pleasant and professional—Tano had even come to visit the Cosmic Spectacle stables yesterday while I’d met with that New Earth stable hand to arrange the kurot’s transport back to the CAK, wanting to thank me personally for the kurot milk, telling me it was “the finest cleaning I’ve ever had.”
I’d made sure to appear delighted that he’d enjoyed the antiquated custom I’d unknowingly revived, but deep down, I couldn’t shake that nagging feeling that I’d met him before. I also couldn’t shake the feeling that—with his slippery smile and heavy-lidded eyes—he’d been checking me out, as well as all the Spectacle’s female staff. He’d even tried to flirt with the head oorthorse trainer, a tall and exacting female from Neptune who was so intimidating, I hadn’t said more than a handful of words to her since she’d come onto the ship six months ago. Maybe I never would, now that I knew how hard life was on her planet, how strong she must have been, how resilient.
Trying not to stare at Tano across the table, or at Marisia— whose expression since she’d stepped foot on this ship had only wavered between aggressively annoyed and unbearably bored—I leaned over, listening in while Tig and Reya chatted about the tech effects Tig had planned for New Years.
“How are you two getting along?” I asked them, my smile as pure as freshly fallen snow. “Is Tig telling you all her secrets?”
Tig laughed. “Pretty much. Not that I have that many.”
When Tig smiled, Reya blushed. Of the two, I would have pegged Tig for the more easily flustered. But she seemed somehow more confident with Reya around. Maybe it was good for her not to be so isolated in her office all day. Or—fingers and toes crossed—maybe they were making more of a connection than just teacher and pupil. Not that the dynamic couldn’t be a lot of fun.
“Have you two exchanged contact information?” I asked. “Reya may have questions for you once this holiday is over.”
Reya’s blush deepened as Tig said, “No. We haven’t.” She turned to look at Reya. “But maybe we should. If you want to. Do you…want to?”
Reya smiled at Tig, Tig smiled at Reya, and fireworks exploded beneath my sternum.
What exactly are you doing over there? Freddie commed.
Shooting him an innocent glance across the table, I replied, Nothing. Why?
You look like you’re scheming. Are you scheming?
No. I do not scheme.
You do too. You’re making Reya blush.
I am not, I insisted. Tig did that.
Ah, I see how it is. By the way, have I told you how beautiful you look today? You’re stunning, sweetheart. Delicious. All I can think about is the softness of your thighs brushing my cheeks, how tender the skin between your legs feels against my lips, how warm and wet. And how, when I lick you there, you taste like?—
Fine. Crossing my legs, squeezing tight, I commed, You’ve made your point. It’s not nice to make someone blush during a work meeting.
He chuckled over the comm.
I’ll behave. But when this meeting is over, please come to my pod as quickly as possible. It had been over twelve hours since we’d been horizontal. An inexcusable length of time.
While he stared down at his clasped hands on the table, looking politely uninterested for anyone else who might be watching, his lips twitched. Roger that.
“Finally,” Elanie grumbled when Chan arrived.
While he cruised to his spot at the head of the table, I frowned. Something was up. I couldn’t put my finger on the change, but Chan hadn’t been himself lately. He’d been intensely focused and staunchly professional, and he hadn’t made a single wrong move since the FFKs boarded. He was either angling for a promotion, getting ready to quit and looking for a glowing recommendation, or—and what I considered most likely—he was worried.
Chan’s stressed about something, I commed Freddie.
The Kravaxians? he commed back.
I didn’t think so. The FFKs had been pleasant enough, and they were set to disembark in a few days. If they were going to cause any trouble, wouldn’t they have done it already? Maybe. Or maybe it’s something else. Sitting back in my chair, watching Chan adjust his hoverchair to table height, my heart sank. Maybe it’s some one else.
A certain Delphinian wizard?
I nodded. I’d been so wrapped up in my own life that I hadn’t considered the possibility that Chan might have developed genuine feelings for Makenna. And when the ship reached Portis next week, Makenna would leave with the other wizards, with Sonia and Lena and Sai, and Chan would be alone again.
“Welcome, everyone,” Chan said, his voice clear but tired. “I’ve called this meeting to present our special guests with their certificates of completion for this week of training with us. I realize we still have a couple of days left, but with New Year’s on the horizon, this may be the only time we aren’t all too busy to meet. So without further ado…” He leaned over, reaching into one of his hoverchair’s pockets. And this time, nobody flinched, nobody tensed, nobody rose from their seats or reached for their chuck-cuffs or flash grenades.
Pulling out four digital certificates, Chan said, “Everyone, please join me in congratulating our trainees.”
While the Kravaxians accepted their certificates, everyone applauded—even if Rax’s and Morgath’s hands came together in more of a golf clap. But then Tano stood from the table, and I huffed a laugh when Rax’s fingers dropped to his paresis darts. Some things never changed.
“We wanted to thank you all as well,” Tano said, either unaware of Rax’s attempt at intimidation or unconcerned, “for your kindness and hospitality.” He motioned to Axel, who placed what looked like seven shards of glass onto the table, each one a few inches long, slightly curved, with tips sharpened to a fine point.
“These are known on Kravax as Orion’s Teeth,” Tano explained, picking up a tooth, twirling it back and forth so it caught the light. “They are the first teeth of the sikka and only found by swimming to the bottom of the Rustiun Sea and digging them from the sand.”
“What is a sikka?” I asked, taking my tooth from the table. It was light as air but felt strong as steel.
“Sikka are carnivorous eels that rule the seas on Kravax,” Axel answered. “They are highly poisonous, deadly if eaten. But they are also cunning, merciless, and resilient—all traits highly prized by our people.”
“When you possess Orion’s Tooth,” Tano said, “it is believed the spirits of our planet will pass these traits on to you.”
When I hovered my finger over the tooth’s tip, Axel warned, “Careful, Sunny. They’re sharp.”
“Thank you.” I placed the tooth gingerly back on the table. “It’s beautiful.”
“You are welcome,” Tano replied, his brown eyes sparkling, his gaze lingering on mine a second longer than necessary. Marisia, noticing the eye contact, squinted at me before glaring at him. “While we are looking forward to your New Year’s celebration,” Tano went on, oblivious to the fireballs shooting from Marisia’s eyes, “we are not looking forward to leaving this ship.”
Beside me, Reya’s chin dropped, and I watched Tig squeeze her hand under the table, giving her a devastatingly sad smile. They would miss each other. It would be difficult for Tig to stay in touch with someone on Kravax since their tech was so primitive. But why couldn’t we offer Reya a position on the ship? Tig could use the help. Maybe they’d work together all day, spending their afternoons sharing tea and pastries at the bistro. What started as an innocent friendship might grow into?—
If you are going to sit there with that dreamy, devious look in your eyes, Freddie commed, I will not be held responsible for the aftermath when I take you right here on this table.
I coughed so hard and for so long that I had to wave off half the table when they stood—or raised their hoverchair—asking if I was all right, offering me water.
That was highly inappropriate, I scolded over the comm.
I’ll show you inappropriate.
Fredrick .
He pushed his chair back.
What are you doing? I commed frantically, blood shooting up my throat and into my cheeks. There was no way in hells he’d been serious about the whole table thing. Was there?
“My apologies,” he told the room. “But I have a meeting with the Gorbulon-7 contingent on deck twenty in five minutes.” Picking his Orion’s Tooth up from the table, he said, “Thank you. It has been a pleasure having you all on board,” to the FFKs. Then to me, privately, I’ll be in your pod. Naked. Hurry.
After he left, Chan started talking about something, New Year’s, maybe. Maybe Vorp’s current position in orbit around their sun. Who could say? I could only hear Freddie’s voice in my mind, see his stormy eyes blazing across the table, feel the echo of his lips on my skin. When the meeting adjourned an absolute eternity later, I tried to rush to my pod, but cold fingers wrapped around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.
“Axel,” I said after spinning toward him. I tried to keep my tone light, but his timing was terrible. “What can I do for you?”
The smile he gave me was all charm. “Will you be at the New Year’s party? ”
Was this the pass he’d been about to make when we’d stood outside his door? “I will, of course. I’ll be working the floor.”
His thumb ran over the inside of my wrist, his voice sinking low. “That’s good. I enjoy spending time with you.”
Tano giving me looks. Axel rubbing my wrist. Something was off. Either way, I needed to nip this in the bud. “Axel, I enjoy spending time with you as well. But…I’m not available anymore. I’m with someone.”
“You’re what?” Elanie cried, materializing as if the wizards had conjured her out of thin air.
“What’s Sunny doing?” Chan asked, cruising up next to Elanie.
Tig and Reya joined our growing group, and all I needed now was Rax and Morgath shouldering in beside me to turn this whole situation into my absolute worst nightmare.
Raising an amused brow, Axel said, “Sunny was just telling me that she’s with someone.”
Puffing out my cheeks, I muttered, “Thank you, Axel.”
“Is it Freddie? Are you and Freddie together?” Tig’s voice rose with every word. “Really? Really really?”
“I guess the trestal egg is out of the nest,” I said with a brittle laugh. “But yes. Freddie and I are a thing. Can we please not make a big deal out of this?”
Chan, apparently afflicted by a temporary bout of deafness, fist-bumped the air and hooted like a deranged mountain owl.
Where are you? Freddie commed.
Oh, just telling everyone on deck twelve, and two Kravaxians, that you and I are involved. Because this is how my day is going.
Are you all right? Do you need me to come back?
I looked at my friends—and the Kravaxians—finding nothing but happy faces. Well, maybe entertained was a better way to describe the crooked tilt of Axel’s lips.
I’m fine. And no, you stay put. I’ll be right there.
Eventually, everyone went their separate ways, but I reached out for Elanie’s elbow before she escaped. “Darling, do you have a moment? I’d like to say something to you.”
“Is it brief?” she snapped, true to form.
“It is,” I replied. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I know Freddie and I have one being to thank for bringing us together.”
Her brows slid together. “Good for you.”
Releasing her elbow, I said, “You’ve been there for me for years—a steady, supportive presence. A true friend. You’ve also been there for Freddie while I’ve been dealing with my…life. And I know you told him to come find me in the sensory room.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her voice was stern, but her brown eyes misted.
I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “Elanie, do you know? Do you know why that day is always so hard for me?”
After a moment, she nodded, only once.
“How? I’ve never told anyone.”
The expression on her face was one I’d never seen on her before, not her customary annoyance or exasperation or even pity. I thought it might be a young bionic’s attempt at compassion. “You did. Two years ago. You were drunk, and I knew you wouldn’t remember it in the morning. But you told me.”
I dropped my head. “You’re right, I don’t remember. Stars , I shouldn’t have burdened you like that. I’m sorry.”
Taking my hand, she said, “You have nothing to apologize for. And yes, you should have.”
“Thank you, Elanie.” My eyes filled with tears. Because I was apparently a crier now. “You are a wonderful being and a true friend. I love you.”
She blinked, and a tear trailed down her cheek. Then, as if coming to her senses, she pulled her hand from mine so she could swat the tear away. “I have to go,” she said. “I have a lot of work to do. But,” she paused, clenched her jaw, then said in a reluctant rush, “I love you too,” before spinning away and disappearing down the hall.
Thirty minutes later, after Freddie’s head emerged from between my legs and I remembered how to speak, I rolled him over, climbed on top of him, and told him about Elanie.
“She told you she loves you?” he asked, his fingers curling around my thighs.
I raised my hips enough to guide him into me before sinking back down with a satisfied sigh. “She did. It was a big moment for both of us.”
He stared up at me with unfiltered hope in his eyes. “No more secrets?”
Leaning forward, and just before my lips met his, I promised, “No more secrets.”