male. “You brought me food.”
Rummel frowned at her. “Which you didn’t eat.”
“I didn’t trust you.”
Food? From the distressed look on Joan’s face, she had been the one sending it. He shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if Ukhaan had discovered her actions. But he wasn’t surprised that his female’s kind heart would have driven her to try and help others.
Wiping the sadness from her expression, Joan held out a hand to Polly. The other female shuddered and ignored it, but she made a few shaky steps in their direction. She got as far as the cell door before she froze, starting to moan again.
“It’s all right, Polly,” Joan said soothingly. “We’re going to get away from here. You’re going to be safe.”
Polly’s shoulders shook, but she finally stepped over the threshold, tears streaming silently down her face. “Safe,” she whispered.
Joan was crying too, and he put a comforting arm around her shoulders as they followed the other female down the corridor. Polly didn’t proceed in a normal manner. She would skitter ahead a few steps, then freeze and look around. Several times she huddled against the stone wall and Joan would have to talk her into moving again. Finally, Rummel grunted and fell into step next to her. Polly eyed him suspiciously, but he only grunted again and started spinning a long, convoluted tale about a traveling dice game and his misadventures with the Imperial fleet. She didn’t respond, but she listened, and her pace finally evened out as she kept step with the small male.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Varga said softly to Joan. “She’s going to need a lot of care.”
“We couldn’t leave her there!”
“No, I know. But she has to stay quiet and calm. If I have any reason to think that she will endanger you by her actions, I will do whatever is necessary to keep her quiet.”
She bit her lip, then nodded. “I understand, but I hope it won’t be necessary.” Looking up at him, she added, “There are two other females here.”
“Are they also human?”
“I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter.”
“I suppose you want to bring them along as well?”
“Yes. It’s only fair.”
His fantasy of having her alone on his ship was fading away by the minute. But she looked so determined, he knew she wouldn’t back down—and he didn’t like the idea of leaving any female at the hands of the Zameetans.
“They’re probably going to end up sleeping on the floor,” he warned.
“But we can bring them with us? Oh, thank you, Varga.” She threw her arms around him and kissed him—quickly, but with enough passion to make him long for the time when they could be alone.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said grimly. “We have a long way to go before we’re safe.”
“I know you’ll get us out of here.” She gave him a trusting smile that made him pray he didn’t disappoint her.
Chapter Eleven
As Varga moved into the lead, he suddenly realized what Rummel had meant when he said it was too quiet. He could still hear the distant drone of the mining equipment and an occasional rumble from within the rock, but the tunnel itself was eerily quiet. In his visits to the mines with Ukhaan, there had been a constant hum of noise from the clatter of tools, muttered conversations amongst the miners, and jeering from the guards. While he was grateful that they had not encountered anyone, the silence filled him with unease.
A feline female with sleek dark fur occupied the next cell they encountered. Unlike the other cells, hers was not only clean but equipped with everything from sheets to pillows. She looked up when they approached, then came sauntering over to the bars with a lazy seductive walk, her tail twitching provocatively. Ignoring Joan completely, she ran an appreciative glance over him, lingering on his naked chest.
“You’re certainly an improvement over my usual visitors,” she purred. “I’m Saka. Did you come to play?”
Joan gave an adorable little growl as she stepped in front of him. “No, he didn’t.”
“Who are you? His pet?” The female’s tone was so dismissive that he had to fight back his own urge to growl.
“We’re escaping. Do you want to come with us? Or would you rather stay and… play?” Joan asked, her voice cool.
“Escaping?” Saka raised an eyebrow as she surveyed the small group. “With two pathetic females and a half-sized male?”
Joan shrugged and started to move away. “If you’re happier here…”
“No!” For the first time,