23. Lorken
Lorken
“Report!” I barked, as I entered the command deck.
My raiders clicked their heels in rapid fire, some jerking to attention and blinking as if startled. When I spotted Zarn still at his post, I realized that I’d arrived before the fifth watch raiders left and the first watch took over.
He swung to face me, curiosity etched into his face. “Nothing to report beyond the usual, Raas.”
I stomped across the steel floor, my boots thudding before I tempered my step. I should not take out my irritation about Athena on my command deck. The fact was that I had no reason to be irritated at all.
Why should I be bothered that the woman wanted to see her friends? Did I truly believe she would be content waiting for me in my quarters? Nothing about her—the fire in her glare or the challenge in her voice—indicated that she was the type to sit back and wait.
Zarn waited until I was standing next to him and we were both facing the wall of glass that overlooked space. Then he rocked back on his heels and flicked a quick gaze my way. “Should I ask?”
If he was any other battle chief, I would not have found his question impudent. But he was not any other battle chief. “No.”
He twitched one shoulder. “No issues with our, I mean your, guest?”
I thought about waking up to her touching me and then pinning her to my furs. Then I thought about covering her up and going to my bathing pool alone. I pushed further thoughts from my brain before my body reacted to those memories.
“No issues.” I kept my gaze locked on the view of space that hadn’t changed dramatically since I’d left the command deck. “She is adapting well to our food and customs, although she will need more clothes to wear. She is currently walking around the warbird in wet garments.”
Zarn swung his head to me. “She is walking freely in the ship?”
“With an escort,” I corrected. “The Vandar who brought my breakfast took her to visit her friends in their accommodations.”
My brother made a rough noise in his throat, one that was laced with disapproval. “You are sure about these people, Lork? We have never allowed passengers on our horde ships.” He took a breath. “And we know that at least one of them has connections to the enemy.”
I clenched my teeth but said nothing.
“Did you ask her about her father, Raas?” His voice was low, an urgent hum skimming above the noises of the command deck. “Did you ask her if she had any contact with him?”
His questions were as confronting as they were reasonable.
I should have questioned Athena about her father.
I would have questioned anyone else I’d found to have a connection to a notorious Zagrath leader.
Actually, I would have handed her over to my battle chief so he could question her in his oblek with all his shiny blades and restraints.
A cold chill inched its way down my spine.
That was exactly why I hadn’t pursued questioning her.
That and I did not know when I could have.
When I was hovering over her naked body, fighting every urge to crush my lips to hers?
Or when I was dressing in a rush to leave so I would no longer be tempted by her?
“I did not.”
“I would be willing to—”
“No,” I snapped before Zarn could finish offering to question her for me. Then I steadied my voice. “That is unnecessary.”
He didn’t challenge me, which meant I did not have to remind him again who was Raas and who was the eldest.
The double doors behind us swished open, and there was a general shuffling as the raiders taking the first watch entered and changed places with the raiders from fifth watch.
Kilts flapped, boots thumped, and backs were pounded.
Each raider briefed his replacement before stepping away from the black standing console and ceding the position.
I didn’t need to turn around to know that my majak had also entered. I recognized his distinctive footfall.
“Raas,” he said when he joined us to stand on my other side. He peered across me at Zarn. “Battle Chief.”
Zarn tipped his head to Dawz. “Majak.”
We stood three abreast, our eyes affixed to the forward view, until Zarn cleared his throat. “Since you two have the command deck, I should go review our munitions and check on the fighter repairs.”
My face warmed. I should have relieved him as soon as he’d given me his report, but I’d been distracted by his questions and my own turbulent thoughts about Athena. “You are relieved.”
He snapped his heels together again and bobbed a nod to Dawz.
“All is well?” my majak asked before Zarn had reached the doors.
I forced a weak grin. “You know Zarn. Always itching for a fight or an interrogation.”
“He is battle chief,” Dawz reminded me. “That is what we should want from him.”
I didn’t tell my majak who he wished to interrogate or about Athena’s Zagrath connection. Not yet. Not there. I cast my gaze toward the door leading to my strategy room.
“Come with me to—” I started to say before a shrill security alert sounded and shattered the relative calm of the command deck.
I’d barely turned before Dawz was at the nearest console, scanning the readouts.
“Incoming vessel?” I asked, glancing back to the viewscreen and expecting to see a Zagrath ship.
He frowned as he met my gaze. “Internal security breech, Raas. There’s been an explosion in the munitions room.”