to her and gave up in order to make her focus on someone else. He wouldn’t have been the first male to react that way. It was practically how she’d gotten through all of her tests during Information Ministry training: talking until she was blue in the face and everyone else just gave up.
Violet’s eyes narrowed as she studied the Xaravian and EJ, though she moved to take the chair across from EJ. “How generous, Nokx. Believe me, I have a great deal to talk about with Faros.”
“Just warn me before you start the conversation,” the Xaravian said under his breath. “Since I don’t want to witness the fight or die in the aftermath.”
The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes, then leaned back in her chair and turned her attention to EJ. “How did you come to be on this ship, EJ?”
EJ felt like she’d been called in front of the teacher back in school, in trouble for some prank that had no doubt been her fault all the way. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. She had one chance to win the Earther over, since it sounded like she was the captain’s mate and might have some influence over him. She hadn’t wanted EJ to remain with Nokx, that was sure enough, so maybe she would convince Faros to let EJ stay on the ship.
EJ didn’t even let the arrival of more food distract her, although Nokx put more on her plate and grumbled at her to eat. She turned all her focus on Violet and convincing her to help. She didn’t get her hopes up, but at least there was a chance. No male in the universe would deliberately piss off his mate, and Violet looked formidable enough that Faros had to have learned that lesson at least a time or two already. EJ would just have to make sure he wouldn’t dare cross his mate when it came to helping her out.
Chapter 8
Nokx
Nokx’s hearts sank when Violet walked in. He hoped that taking EJ to the crew mess hall, putting her in the corner, and blocking the view from the door would have hidden the stowaway, but the other Earther zeroed in on EJ and wouldn’t be distracted. He started to worry when Violet wanted to take EJ away, and not just because it would have been suicidal to challenge the captain’s mate or even raise his voice to her. Even if Nokx was only carrying out Faros’s orders, the captain would kick his ass for even a hint of threat to his mate. Nokx didn’t want EJ going anywhere without him, whether Faros ordered it or not. Even if Violet insisted and intended to protect EJ, Nokx wouldn’t allow it. EJ was his. Faros gave him the task but there was something about her that stuck with him. The only way to figure out what caused him to lose his damn mind over the girl was to stay around her and trace the feelings to their source.
He just wished he could be certain that the feelings would eventually go away.
Once EJ started talking, it was like she no longer needed to breathe. She just talked, the words flowing out in an unending torrent, until even Violet—a former lawyer and a champion talker herself—looked overwhelmed. EJ had gone through her entire tenure on the Hollbrd and every slightly abnormal event she’d witnessed or heard about or possibly just imagined, and gathered steam to keep going when he finally decided to intervene.
Nokx caught her wrist in a gentle grip to distract her from the retelling of her life story and pointed at the fresh food he’d put in front of her. “Breathe. Then eat.”
EJ blinked, perhaps realizing how long she’d talked, and flushed a bit as she sank lower in her chair. She picked at the food and hummed under her breath, as if pleased with the flavor, and Nokx smiled despite the slight irritation of her unending narration. He liked the sound of her voice well enough, but the constant talking... He shook his head, still amused, and kept an eye on whether she ate enough.
Of course, he schooled his face into indifference when he caught Violet’s sharp-eyed attention on him rather than the stowaway, and folded his arms over his chest. He’d never expected EJ to actually enjoy Xaravian food; the other Earthers complained about the spicy paste and the pungent smell, particularly after their mates ate and attempted to kiss them. The fact