Page 47 of Stars in Mist

He grinned at her sarcasm, and for some reason, she looked forward to the next time she’d hear him perform his verses. For that was what he’d done, adding delicious inflections in a hoarse voice that was evocative and uplifting.

It reminded her of the nights long ago when Riv, her lover, had taken her to the rooftops of Eden II. He’d pulled out a similar-sized poetry book and read her prose from it that she’d delighted in, seduced by delectable words and lyrical artistry.

Then, she was young and naive and struggling to speak Standard. The poems helped her grasp and express feelings and thoughts that she was unable to express through any other means.

Hearing Riv read them to her and repeat them back to him had been her awakening to love, to the multitude of rich ways to express her feelings in so many tongue-twisting words and heart-wrenching ideas.

Now, jaded about life and love, she struggled to resonate with eloquent terms and clever metaphors.

Yet somehow, Ribau’s reading had moved and stirred her so.

Wanting to shake off the dissonance this man was flinging her way, Élisa ignored him, wound up her meal, and then moved to pack up.

To her surprise, her guest, as she now chose to view him, put away his poems and rose to work alongside her without a word.

He helped clean up the remaining dishes in the small rock pool behind the tree hollow and placed them in their carrier.

He used a resonance sweep on his wrist comm to smooth away the soil and ground they’d slept on.

Before long, they were ready to leave their temporary shelter.

With a few commands, Élisa turned the cargo float around and aimed it toward the track outside.

‘Ready, Ribau?’

He gave her a look and nodded. ‘As I’ll ever be.’

With a twitch to his lips, he extended his hands to her so she’d secure them.

She pressed her lips together as she thought about the puzzle he was serving her with.

She touched the weapon at her holster, and his eyes tracked her movement.

‘Can I trust you won’t go rogue on me?’ Her words surprised even herself.

His eyes flicked back to her, giving her a short salute. ‘I give you my Pegasi scout’s honor.’

‘Because if you don’t, I -’

‘Won’t hesitate to shoot,’ he finished off for her with a half grin. ‘We’ve had this discussion already, woman.’

She gave him an unamused glare. ‘After you, then.’

He swept past her with a swagger, his hands swinging free. ‘Seems you need to teach your facial expressions to use their inside voice.’

As soon as he turned his back on her, she smiled. She was almost beginning to enjoy their banter.

‘I like it too, woman, I like it too.’

She was startled at his insight.Did the man have eyes in the back of his head?

His ability to call her out was irritating, as it was intriguing. ‘Life is short, Ribau. Smile while you still have teeth.’

He was quick to throw back. ‘Don’t confuse a smile with someone baring teeth, Élisa.’

‘What I won’t do is confuse eloquence with someone speaking fluent shit.’

‘Talking about now or my poetry reading?’

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