Mate Abduction (Alien Abduction #9) - Eve Langlais Page 0,3
living amongst the Zonians.
But she also missed Earth with its colorful fashions and French fries. She craved a burger and dance music loud enough to make her body vibrate. And of late, she missed the shy hand holding and hot kisses in the back of a car where the windows steamed.
“I have to do this. I can’t stay here.” Or she’d be the one picking fights with her orphan sisters and sobbing for no reason.
“Very well. You have my permission.”
As Clarabelle opened her mouth to argue, her brain clued in. “Wait. You mean I can go?”
“Of course. I was merely questioning you to ensure the purity of your purpose. You will depart immediately. The ship you’ll be taking is already fully stocked with supplies for your journey.”
“How did you know to get it ready? What if I didn’t pass your test?”
“I know you. And your sisters. It’s time for you to fly the nest.” Pantariste cackled. “Although it took you long enough to ask. Aylia was younger than you when she went questing.”
Probably because Aylia was raised to think she needed to get preggers.
“Does it have auto pilot?” Because now that she’d gotten the ship, a problem arose. She didn’t know how to drive one.
“Idiot.” Pantariste snorted. “You’ll take Ishtara with you.”
Another of her teachers, but much younger than the rest, Ishtara sometimes hung out with Clarabelle. She liked to think they were friends. Having her along would help a lot.
“What do I do if I find a place that has everything we need?” Clarabelle asked.
“Send word that we might inform your sisters. They shall have the choice to join you.”
Clarabelle wanted to do cartwheels. Instead she wrapped her arms around Pantariste and exclaimed, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. This quest of yours might end in failure, which is why you will not tell anyone about it.”
“Not even my sisters?”
“Could they handle the disappointment?”
Clarabelle realized that she couldn’t raise their hopes and then possibly dash them. “I won’t say a word.”
Pantariste waved. “Off with you before I change my mind.”
She ran before that could happen. It took her only a few minutes to pack but longer to say goodbye to her sisters. She hugged them and when asked where she was going would only say that she was going on a voyage with Ishtara to space. Which, needless to say, caused some jealousy.
It was especially hard for her to lie to her best friend, Betty.
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Betty accused.
Clarabelle clasped her sister’s hands. “I’ll send you messages.”
“Promise?”
“Promise,” she said, hugging her best friend.
Then it was on to sweet and shy Sade, who looked lost as she hugged herself, her blonde hair spilling over her shoulders. A fragile soul, she’d not adapted well to the violence and fighting on Zonia.
“Don’t let them walk all over you,” Clarabelle reminded softly.
Sade sighed. “I wish I could be more like you. Fearless. Adventuring.”
“One day you’ll have a grand adventure of your own,” Clarabelle declared.
Sade snorted. “Ha. Next thing you’ll be saying I’ll find a husband.”
“You never know. Louisa found two.”
“Bring back a couple,” was Katrina’s demand. “We can share.”
Which spawned some good-natured arguing, with Josee declaring she didn’t need a man to satisfy her.
Clarabelle skipped out the door before they could see her tears. It was harder than expected to leave them, especially without telling the truth. Did they suspect her story was a lie?
It didn’t matter. She owed them. She couldn’t fail.
The cavern where the ships were kept retained its rocky ceiling, though it was sprayed with a clear coat of something that made it crack-proof. It could withstand a direct blast from most weapons capable of firing in space. She’d declined a live demonstration.
It was freaking huge and could hold up to fifty ships. It was buzzing with activity, most of the scurrying bodies small and orange, their four arms and a tail making them quick with tools. They swarmed over the ships, fixing things and jabbering in a strange language.
The Zonians among them appeared gigantic, and yet everyone got along. The business arrangement with the Psalandrs saw both sides winning.
Only one ship wasn’t crawling with mechanics. She aimed for it. The gangplank extended from the bottom, and her boots clanked on it as she boarded the ship.
And paused, feeling a little dizzy. She braced herself and swallowed hard. This was it. She was really doing this, leaving her home, her family.
Oh shit.
Deep breath.
Fear was but an emotion, and she could control it. She reminded herself that people flew