Page 7 of Return of the Nine

She sniffed appreciatively as he lifted the lid on the tray. Eggs, toast, meat and a side of an unusual fruit were a charming way to start the day.

Eating out of reflex was the only way she could keep from staring at the man across from her. The gill slits on his neck were obvious even though she kept her head aimed at her food.

“The councillors are excited to meet you.”

She almost choked on a piece of succulent fruit that crossed the line between berry and melon.

“What? How many people know about me?” She looked up and met his black gaze.

He chortled and there was a wicked gleam in his eyes. “You have been a creature of myth and legend for the last five years. The survivors spoke of you, but since you were never reported abducted there were no records to tie you to the Tokkel ship.”

“What is your name?”

“I am Commander Lyneer, personal assistant and bodyguardto the shifter councillor.”

She blinked. “But you are a mer. Why would you work for a shifter?”

He tilted his head. “All questions will be answered in time. But the mother ship of the Nine mixes species whenever it can to relieve racial tensions.”

She swallowed and took a sip of the water on her tray. “Well, I suppose that we should get going.”

He smiled. “You are correct. I should have been earlier but I was ordered to let you sleep in.”

Ziggy didn’t ask who had given the order. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to know.

It was comforting to know that the men in the life pods had survived. Launching an escape pod during a firefight was never a good idea, but there had been little choice.

She got to her feet and checked her gown for crumbs. Coming out clean, she turned and looked for the shoes.

Satin pumps with an ankle strap were in the same shade as her gown. The heels were sturdy but she would be three inches taller. Ziggy stepped into the shoes and then bent double to buckle them into place.

When she looked back at an upside down Lyneer, he was staring at her backside in a most appreciative manner. “Take a picture because this is the only time you are going to see this view.”

Standing upright she took a few careful steps and nodded. “Ready when you are.”

She noticed that he was fighting a grin as he took her arm and escorted her out of the guestroom, past the guards and through the ship.

“How far are we from where you are taking me?”

“About ten minutes. May I say, your accent for the language of the Nine is quite captivating.”

She blushed. “Thank you, I don’t know where I picked it up.”

She almost missed his muttered, “I have a fairly good idea.”

She was learning from him as they walked, her knowledge of the tank and humidity system that he required for daily function was becoming extensive.

It wasn’t the first time that she had wished that her talent let her learn more emotional information, but technical seemed to be her area of extraction.

She could learn how to rebuild engines, program computers and create the perfect hybrid roses, but she couldn’t find out what folks had done on their summer vacations.

The block to her learning curve frustrated the hell out of her.

She tried to keep her mind calm and she accepted the information that Lyneer offered her. He may not have known that he was offering it, but she was learning about the structure and coordination of the ship as they made their way into the heart of the vessel.

The slow flow of other pedestrians indicated their path, so Ziggy was confused when Lyneer steered her into a side hallway that snaked around the main area. “Where are we going?”

“You have a meeting to attend before the ceremony.”

---