Page 12 of Obsessed

I rub my eyes, exhaustion seeping into my bones. The tools in my hands feel heavier with each passing minute. Alice's voice cuts through my fog of frustration.

"You know, my employer's due to pick me up in less than three months. You could always catch a ride with them."

I freeze, her words sinking in slowly. "Three months?" I repeat, my mind racing.

Alice nods, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, they'll be here to collect all my research and equipment. It's not the fastest solution, but..."

"But it's a solution," I finish, hope flickering to life in my chest.

She shrugs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I mean, it's not ideal, but it's better than being stranded here forever, right?"

I lean back in my chair, considering the possibilities. Three months is a long time to keep Freynal waiting, but it's better than never delivering at all. And if I play my cards right...

"This equipment of yours," I say casually, "I'm guessing it takes up a fair bit of space?"

Alice nods, gesturing around the cramped research station. "Oh yeah, tons. Why do you think they stuck me out here all alone? No room for anyone else with all this junk."

I can't help but smirk. "Well, what's one more crate among friends?"

She raises an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "What exactly are you suggesting, Davrik?"

I wave a hand dismissively. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud." I stand up, stretching my arms above my head. "You know what? I think you're right. It's time to call it a night."

As I head to the small cot Alice has set up for me, my mind is already formulating a plan. Freynal should consider himself lucky to get any cargo at all after this mess. What's a few months' delay compared to a total loss?

He'll get his contraband, and I'll get my payment. Navi can make jokes all she wants, I get what's owed to me. Every time. And Freynal owes me big for whatever trouble he had me delivering to his doorstep.

I lie down, staring up at the ceiling. For the first time since crash-landing on this forsaken rock, I feel a glimmer of hope. It's not much, but it's something to work with.

Now, I just need to figure out how to keep myself busy for the next three months without going stir-crazy or pissing off my gracious host.

CHAPTER 7

ALICE

Igrab my field kit and head to the kitchen, my mind already buzzing with plans for today's research. The aroma of fresh coffee hits me as I round the corner, and there's Davrik, hunched over a steaming mug at the table. His broad shoulders are slumped, and he's staring into the dark liquid like it holds the secrets of the universe.

Poor guy. He must be bored out of his mind.

"Morning," I say, trying to sound chipper. "Sleep okay?"

He grunts something that might be a yes. Or a no. Hard to tell.

I bite my lip, debating. "Hey, um... I was thinking of taking a walk before I start work. Want to come?"

Davrik looks up, his green eyes narrowing. "A walk?"

"Yeah, you know. Fresh air, stretch your legs. I could show you around a bit."

He considers for a moment, then shrugs. "Sure. Why not?"

We head out, the morning air crisp and clean before the afternoon humidity takes hold. The sun is just peeking over the horizon, painting the sky in shades of lavender and gold.

"It's beautiful out here," I say, gesturing to the rolling hills covered in strange, iridescent vegetation. "Those plants? Theychange color based on the time of day and temperature. I'm still trying to figure out why."

Davrik nods, his gaze sweeping across the landscape. "Seen anything else interesting?"

"Well, there's a grove of trees about a kilometer east that seem to communicate through their root systems. And don't even get me started on the fungi! Some of them glow at night, and I think they might have medicinal properties."

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