going with Nokx, who seemed like a decent guy for a pirate.
But she faced Faros with her most serious, competent expression. “I can work hard on this ship until you can drop me on a port somewhere.”
Faros raised his eyebrows and didn’t answer, turning his attention to the viewing screen that revealed the expanse of space around them.
EJ’s mouth dried out as Nokx finally picked her up with an arm around her waist, and hauled her out of there like a sack of generic protein. She tensed and braced her hands against the heated scales on his arm and chest, hidden but not completely covered by his uniform of dull colored robes, and prepared for battle. If the Xaravian tried anything, she definitely wasn’t going to go quietly. She needed to work on a plan to avoid the Hollbrd but not end up claimed as part of a bounty by the Tyboli. She squeezed her eyes shut. She’d jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire, like her mother used to say.
Every time she thought things couldn’t get worse... she turned a corner and descended a level deeper into trouble.
Chapter 6
Nokx
Nokx had not expected the conversation with Faros to go quite the way it had. He hadn’t expected a good outcome, just... something less bad. He agreed with the captain that the younger Xaravians on the ship were more likely to battle each other and make inappropriate passes at the unmated female, but that didn’t mean Nokx wanted her in his quarters. He enjoyed the quiet and his own space. And EJ didn’t seem quiet or calm, particularly as he carried her down the corridor toward his cabin.
She kept trying to get his attention, her feet dragging on the floor. “This isn’t a good idea. I can stay in the brig with the broken door. I don’t mind it. I won’t even try to leave.”
“Not safe,” he said. Nokx activated the panel outside his quarters so the door slid open, and nudged her through. “Go on.”
EJ gripped both sides of the door to prevent herself from being pushed inside. “I’d rather not.”
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, fighting exasperation. “Not even an hour ago you were offering yourself in trade, and now you’re too afraid to be in the same room with me?”
She held even tighter the walls. “I think you misunderstood.”
Nokx laughed, then ran his hands down her sides so she jumped in surprise and snapped her elbows in close. Then he nudged her inside, right on her heels, and let the door close behind him. EJ scurried to the other side of the room, wide eyes focused on him. Nokx ran his hands through his hair as he studied her. No matter what she’d planned or he’d expected, the captain made his decision: she stayed in his quarters and would be returned to the gen ship, whether she wanted to go or not.
Of course, it was more likely that Faros meant to raid the gen ship for whatever was valuable and then take off. They’d have to be careful to make sure the Sraibur didn’t pick up any more stowaways.
It was something to debate with Wyzak, the second-in-command, and Harzt. The risk of engaging the Hollbrd likely wouldn’t be worth the potential gain, and returning the girl wasn’t enough of a justification to imperil the entire crew.
“EJ,” he said quietly, and she tensed. He frowned and debated what to say. He wasn’t good at comforting females, and she was clearly distressed. He didn’t even need to see her skin turn color to sense that. “How did you end up on the Hollbrd?”
Her forehead wrinkled and she braced as if expecting it was a distraction before an attack. “I was accused of... some stuff, and the punishment was forced labor on a distant planet. If I survived the trip out there on the gen ship, that is, which they couldn’t guarantee.”
‘Some stuff.’ Nokx held back a smile, since it sounded very much like something Faros would say while trying to defend himself in court. Minimize the truth and search for sympathy. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall, trying to give her as much space as possible in the room so she might relax and breathe normally. “You must have been guilty. They don’t condemn the innocent to life on an uninhabited planet.”
She gave him a withering look. “You must be joking. They condemn the innocent all the time.”