Page 12 of Krin

I looked around my assigned quarters. It was smaller than the space I’d shared with Grace and the other women when we were rescued from the slave planet.

The bed looked comfortable enough, but I doubted it was as nice as those at the palace.

Not that it mattered, since I was pleased just to have my own space.

Back at Luna base I shared barracks with a dozen others and we slept on bunk beds. There wasn’t much privacy.

Against one wall was a desk that looked out over the only window in the room. I also had my own private cleansing area, and toilet.

Aside from a bed, a couple of inset shelves and the desk, the room was nothing special.

That didn’t quell any of my excitement. As I adjusted my ponytail, a hopeful feeling began to grow inside me, prompting a sigh.

The experience of being in space was a dream come true.Things would be even better if I could just talk to Krin.

Lost in my thoughts, I sat down at the desk and stared into space. Amidst the dark expanse, the stars transformed into blinding streaks.

I propped myself up on my elbows, chin resting on my hands, contemplating what the upcoming days might hold.

One thought kept swirling in my mind as I nervously chewed on my bottom lip.

What’s the best way to persuade the handsome Captain to let me stay on the ship?

4

Riley

THINGS WEREN’T GOINGas well as I’d hoped when I left Alara. I was hoping Krin would have visited by now to talk about my plans.

It bothered me he might make me leave once we arrived at the human colony.

Allowing someone else to make decisions about my future put me in a vulnerable position.

One I didn’t like. Especially since I really didn’t want to leave the ship.

It wasn’t as if being on the Chetok had been a blast so far, mind you. Actually, it was the complete opposite.

On my first day aboard, I looked forward to eating in the mess hall and meeting some of the crew. I’d hoped maybe to make a friend or two who might speak to Krin on my behalf about staying.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

It could have been because I was the only female or maybe it was because I was human. I found the warriors weren’t overly eager to sit with me or chat.

Despite the strange atmosphere every time I entered the mess hall, I remained persistent and continued to sit at their tables.

In an effort to get a conversation flowing, I would ask about their jobs on the ship or the foods they enjoyed.

Some would respond to me with one-word answers, while others would swiftly find an excuse to abandon the table.

The warriors flat out ignored me.

I tried not to take it personally, but it hurt to be treated like a non-person.

The worst part was I didn’t understand why they were being this way.

The first time I was on the ship with the other abducted women, we had each other to chat with.

Our guards hardly ever talked, except to tell us what to do. But I guess I didn’t realize that nobody paid us any mind. Back at the palace, the guards were happy to chat and share a laugh with me.

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