charts today. I must look like a blubbering idiot. Suddenly feeling the urge to bolt out of the room once more, I’m about to push myself off the bed when Lamira lays her hand on top of mine.
“Thank you.” Turning to me, she gives me a slight nod. “Truly.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” I tell her. “Not now, not ever.”
I manage a little smile and she finally seems to relax. Even though it’s a good thing, I can’t help but worry. No matter what I just told her, their situation is concerning. Whoever’s behind this entire mess wasn’t planning anything good. The thing is, without knowing who’s to blame for their capture and transport, we can only do so much.
“Do you think we’ll ever find out who’s behind this?” she asks me, almost as if she’s reading my thoughts.
“Whoever it was, it is clear they have no honor.”
“Do you think it’s related to the war?”
I pause. It is a valid question.
“This war is tearing apart the galaxy,” I say grimly. “Things I had thought I’d never hear about several years ago are now commonplace.”
“You’ve seen a lot of the war?”
“The Hael Hounds were contracted on both sides for one-off missions. I’ve seen too much of the war. I’ve seen too many innocents die because of the religious zealotry of the Ataxians.”
The way she’s looking at me tells me she wants some reassurance, or maybe even some answers, but I don’t know if I can give her any of that. After all, the galaxy is full of unsavory characters—men and women capable of unspeakable atrocities.
I should know. I’ve done my fair share of atrocities.
“I don’t know, Lamira,” I reply, choosing to be honest with her. “I have a few ideas, but…”
“Tell me.”
“It’s too early for that,” I reply. Truth be told, I just don’t want to frighten her. I have some hypotheses, sure, but most of them are nightmare fuel. Would it do her any good to know they were probably being trafficked and en route to an auction block on some fringe planet? Or that they were probably part of some fucked up IHC black-ops operation? No, it’s better to keep these thoughts to myself, at least until the fog starts to lift and we get some real answers. “We’ll know more in time, Lamira. We just have to be patient.”
“What about Solace? Do you have any idea where that might be?”
“None,” I reply. “I’ve been racking my brain for an answer, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such a place. I know Solair is looking into it, and sooner or later, I think we’ll have some answers. In the meantime, all we can do is wait.”
“That’s the hardest part.”
“You just have to find something to keep yourself busy.” I give her fingers a soft squeeze, and an electric wave rushes through my body as I feel her skin brushing against mine. A pleasant warmth spreads over me again, and I have to make a very conscious effort not to lose myself in her eyes. It’s useless. My brain has already started to short-circuit for the second time today, and there’s little I can do to stop it. “Something, or someone.”
“Someone?” she repeats, her question punctuated with a small chuckle. Fuck, I can’t believe I just said that. “And do you have someone in mind?” she continues, the innuendo in her voice telling me she’s setting a trap for me.
“Well, I, uh…” Looking away from her, I straighten my back and place both hands on my knees. “Maybe Varia? Or that techie, Fiona. Maybe you could start going with them to the training area. It helps to pass the time, you know? A good workout does wonders.”
“I’m not very good at working out,” she says. “I’d need a lot of guidance.”
“Maybe I can help with that,” I find myself saying, the words leaving my mouth before my brain can filter them. I spend a lot of time in the gym, ensuring my body is battle-ready, and I could give her some pointers. Of course, only now do I realize the double meaning behind my words. Fuck, why am I so terrible at this?
“I think I’d like that,” she says, and my eyes are immediately drawn to the way her lips move. I can’t stop myself from imagining the flavor hidden behind their velvety texture. How would it feel to kiss her? How would it feel to have her tiny body pressed against mine? To hold her tightly