Page 16 of Shielded Heart

But, more than anything, she couldn’t stop thinking of a certain sedhi whose lightest touch had set her body ablaze.

She woke the next morning feeling more exhausted than she had when she’d lain down. Raising her arm, she traced her fingertips over her wrist, touching the same place Alkorin’s fingers had so gently brushed. It didn’t matter that his hands were cybernetic; it had beenhistouch. And his eyes… They’d captivated her, had looked through her, directly into her heart, and it felt like he already knew her. His intensity frightened Sam as much as it tempted her.

He’s dangerous.

Sam repeated those words in her head as she waded through the crowded Undercity streets in search of work. She almost hadn’t gone out; the thought of leaving had made her nauseous, but the thought of giving up, of acting like a coward, was more sickening still.

In a city filled with billions of people, Sam was just a speck of dust. She was lost, with no direction, no guidance, no friends, no family. But that didn’t mean there was no hope. There was a way forward, there was a future for her here somewhere, but she had to keep moving forward if she wanted to find it.

After three hours of wandering the streets, her feet were sore, and weariness weighed heavily upon her bruised body. Whether she wanted to or not, it seemed like she’d have little choice but to head home soon. That familiar discouragement began falling into place after another shopkeeper turned her away.

Until a female borian met Sam’s gaze and approached her.

Samantha froze, swallowing; the muscular borian was at least a head taller than Sam. The woman’s hair was weaved into countless thin braids that were pulled back and tied behind her head in a thick bundle, and her deeply tanned skin made her piercing blue eyes stand out. There was an intimidating intensity about the borian.

“I hear you’re looking for work,” the woman said in Universal Speech.

Samantha’s heart leapt. “Yes!”

“Good.” The borian grasped Sam’s wrist and led her quickly toward a nearby booth; Sam had to jog to keep up with the woman’s longer stride.

Once they were inside the booth, the borian released Samantha and turned to face her. “Today only. That spawn of a skek left me to run the kitchen by myself.” She pointed toward the back of the enclosed booth. “You wash and clean as I cook. Understood?”

Sam smiled and nodded. Even if it was only for a day, it was more than she’d expected. It was a start. “Got it.”

The day flew by at a hectic pace. The borian—she told Samantha her name was Sarai after a few hours of work—took orders and cooked with speed and confidence, multitasking effortlessly. Samantha scrubbed every pot, pan, skillet, plate, and utensil that was brought to her, kept all the counters clean, and mopped the floor several times to keep it free of grease and bits of food.

The work was demanding—Samantha’s longest break was about fifteen seconds, just long enough to catch her breath—and by the time Sarai closed the booth, Sam was close to collapsing.

But it was fulfilling work.

She helped Sarai straighten up and prep for the next day. When they were done, the borian grinned and slapped Samantha on the back, nearly knocking her over.

“You did well, terran!” Sarai eyed Samantha critically. “Your size is deceiving. In truth, I did not expect you to keep up. You surprised me.”

Samantha smiled. Were her cheeks not already flushed from exertion, she was certain they’d be red from the praise. “Thanks for giving me the chance, Sarai.”

Sarai grunted and plucked something from her apron. “Here.”

Sam extended her hand, and the borian dropped a credit chip onto her waiting palm. It didn’t matter how much was on the chip; an immense sense of accomplishment swept through Samantha. She closed her fingers around the chip and held her hand to her chest. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Sarai arched a thick, black brow. “Never seen anyone so happy to wash dishes.”

“I just… You havenoidea how much it means to me. That you gave me a chance. It’s…it’s been hard.”

The borian woman stared at Samantha silently for a moment before she patted Sam’s back, softer than before. “It’s rough down here, but you have strength, terran. Here.” Sarai turned, picked up a food container, and held it out to Samantha. “You earned it.”

Samantha accepted the box; it was warm, and wisps of steam drifted out through the tiny gaps beneath the lid. “Thank you, Sarai.”

The borian grunted and turned away, but not before Sam caught a change of color on her cheeks. “Now go home. And watch your back.”

Samantha left the food booth feeling better than she had since arriving in Arthos. It gave her hope that there were others out there like Sarai, others willing to give her a shot.

Alkorin came to mind on the heels of that thought.

But don’t mistake me for a hero; I’ve not acted selflessly tonight.

He’d been kind, yet by his own admission, he’d not helped without expecting something in return. What did she have to offer? What could he possibly want from her?

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