Page 48 of Crossing Quinn

“I don’t know. It’s something we must discuss.”

“Talk to Detja before you make your final decision on Quinn. She is a wise female.” Mami held out the control belt to my biosuit. “The self-cleaning function just finished, and I programmed it to respond to your voice until we can get you another communications bracelet.”

“Thank you, Mami.” I clasped the belt around my waist. “Deploy without helmet.” My biosuit covered me.

Mami quickly braided my long, wet hair. “You are your father’s child. Fierce, impulsive, and determined to win at all costs. I had hoped you would have some of my better qualities.”

I smothered a groan. Mami only used guilt trips when she was feeling insecure. “You are one of the most highly respected archaeologists in the galaxy. For a Farin female that is a great accomplishment. I inherited your love of history and your drive to find lost civilizations.”

Mami beamed and kissed my forehead. “You have blessed my life.”

The shower door slid open, and a very wet Clio shot out. “Geema. Geema. Me clean. Me clean.” She danced around my mother.

“Yes, you are.” Mami picked her up. “We need to get you some clothes.”

Wearing his wizard persona, Adan followed her out. His hair stuck out in every direction, and he was stark-ass naked.

I eyed his overly large penis. In his dreams. “You forget something, Adan?”

He looked down, and poof! Clothes materialized over his skinny form. “She’s wearing me out.”

“Children do that,” Mami responded, raining kisses over a giggling Clio’s face. “Xenia was a menace with her training sword. She even slept with it.”

“I slept with my sword because our dig site was in the middle of a jungle full of things that wanted to eat you. What are you plans for Clio?”

“Give her to Detja to raise.” Adan took Clio from my mother.

I figured he would take the easy way out. “Smart move, but how does Detja feel about that?”

“I plan to find out.” Adan walked out of the room.

That should be an interesting conversation.

Mami suddenly blurted out, “Why hasn’t Quinn located Lysis yet? This ship has the best tracking scanners in the galaxy, and Quinn’s a powerful psychic. He should have found your father by now. You’re sure Zarek put the claim to Qeeturah in our name?”

Before Mami could work herself into a frenzy, I quickly replied, “When Zarek says he’s done something, he has. If Papa doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.”

“Try to link with your father again.” Persistence was my mother’s middle name.

Quinn’s mental presence enveloped me. “Deep breath, darlin’. Deep breath, and think of all that chocolate.”

I reveled in his soothing warm. “You are a keeper, lovey.”

Mami tapped my arm. “Are you listening to me?”

“You’re a difficult female to ignore.” Oh Drekk! That had come out a little too snarky. I cringed and waited for the yelling to begin.

“That’s exactly what your father said to me when I first met him.”

“Probably because your mother was screaming bloody blue murder,”Quinn inserted.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “Oh. How romantic, Mami.”

“It was. Lysis was so handsome in his battle armor. He scooped me up and carried me to safety.”

Quinn interjected, “Probably to keep his own warriors from shooting her and blaming it on the pirates.”

“Stop. My mother is a sensitive female who is easily frightened.”

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