Page 6 of The Knotty Clause

He obeyed enthusiastically—so enthusiastically that he ended up with a wide white ring around his mouth.

“I’m ready.”

“Let’s get you cleaned up first. That is…”

She gave Yede an uncertain look but he gave an abrupt nod and headed for the door, still staying as far away from the two of them as possible. Was he still concerned about frightening them?

Or maybe we frighten him.

The thought made her smile as she slipped out of bed, the stone floor cool beneath her bare feet but not as cold as she’d expected. Liam hopped down behind her, looking around curiously.

“Is this a cave?”

“Yes. I used the existing caves as the basis for my residence.” Yede opened the bedroom door to reveal a corridor carved out of the rock. The wide passageway lacked the smooth plaster walls of the bedroom and it was noticeably cooler. “The sanitary facility is behind that door. The living area is at the end of the hall. You may join me there when you are ready.”

He turned and strode off without another word as she stared after him. He was such an odd mixture of gruffness andkindness. Pushing that aside to think about later, she opened the door to the sanitary facility and Liam’s eyes widened.

“It’s all metal, Mama.”

“It certainly is.”

She’d never seen anything like the sleek, high-tech space before, not even in the city. It was a shocking contrast to the rough stone corridor and she decided it must have come from his ship. Fortunately everything worked much as she would have expected once she figured out that she needed to wave her hand in front of a control panel rather than trying to find a handle to turn.

They both washed and she stripped off most of their outer layers leaving Liam in a sweater and pants, both worn but enough to keep him warm inside. She settled on a shirt and pants and swept her hair back into her usual braid as he waited impatiently by the door.

Folding the discarded clothes into a neat stack, she led the way down the corridor and into the living area. The vast space was surprisingly welcoming even though it too was designed for function rather than comfort. More of the huge windows covered the front wall and a fire roared in the fireplace. The log furniture was an odd contrast to the metal fixtures, but both felt right for the space.

An archway carved out of the stone separated the living space from a kitchen area. A wooden counter ran below another window and a wood burning stove was centered on the far wall, but it was flanked by metal counters and several machines she didn’t recognize. The long wooden table in the center of the kitchen had only one chair.

Yede was standing at the stove but he turned as they entered. Those silver eyes swept down over her body and she was suddenly very aware that only one layer of clothing protected her from that silver gaze. It made her aware of her body in a way she hadn’t experienced in a very long time and her nipples beaded beneath her shirt.

His eyes lingered there for a fraction of a second before he turned his attention to Liam.

“Are you ready for some soup?”

“Yeah!”

Liam bounced across the room eagerly. She followed a little more slowly, still looking around. Open shelves contained a few cooking instruments, but once again, she was struck by how empty the place felt.

Yede handed Liam a basket of bread and asked him to put it on the table before filling three bowls with a thick, dark soup that smelled delicious. So different from the watery gruel they’d survived on at the camp. She carried them to the table, then looked at the single chair.

“Sit down,” he said gruffly.

“But—”

He walked out of the kitchen before she could finish her objection. She sighed, then sat down, lifting Liam onto her lap. Just as she was about to pick up her spoon he returned, carrying a heavy wooden bench as if it weighed no more than a feather.

He set it down across from her, then took his place on it. Liam hopped down before she could stop him and went to sit next tohim. She opened her mouth to object, but Yede shook his head and she let it drop.

“This is really good,” Liam mumbled a few moments later, his mouth full of soup.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” she said automatically, but he was right. The rich, savory flavors were like nothing she’d ever tasted before.

As they ate, Liam peppered Yede with questions, and he responded briefly but patiently as Liam’s curiosity wandered from one topic to the next.

“What are the windows made of?”

“Transparent aluminum.”

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