Page 46 of Kameer's Mate
Thoughts of Kameer give me pause. He’s been absent for hours, called to a meeting with Admiral Tornn, and though I miss him, I’m also grateful for the solitude. Because I need to be alone with my thoughts. At least for a little while.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to Kameer’s ability to discern what I’m thinking and feeling. It still scares the shit out of me, but I’m not sure there’s anything I can do about it. Keeping a shield around my mind takes a lot of energy and concentration. I can’t do it every hour of every day.
Hearing Kameer’s thoughts and sensing his emotions is also jarring. Now that I understand the level of possessiveness he harbors for me, I’m increasingly worried that he indeed had a hand in Ned’s death. But whenever his mind is open to mine, I never have the courage to poke around. Nor do I have the courage to directly ask.
If I learn he’s a murderer, I’m not sure what I’ll do. Try to escape? Try to prevent the heartbond?
I think about planet 58-Zallnanis. I don’t know much about the newly discovered world, but I’ve heard it’s similar to Earth. It contains several large continents, vast oceans, lush forests, and fertile land perfect for growing crops.
If I manage to run away from Kameer, could I find a safe place to hide on 58-Z? A new place to call home? As I consider this possibility, my head spins as I think about finding shelter and food on a strange planet. Will there be dangerous animals? Will some of the native vegetation be unsafe for consumption?
My spirits sink. I feel safe with Kameer, mostly, but Ned’s demise is a darkness I can’t outrun. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t forget, and one day, I must learn the truth and face it. I can’t remain a coward forever.
A shiver descends as I recall Kameer’s vision, the daydream he’d inadvertently revealed when the tether that sometimes connects our minds was active, when he’d fired the blasters at Ned and killed him on Selection Day. There’s no question about it. Kameer wanted Ned gone. Dead. But did Kameer kill the elderly Founder himself?
I sigh and drag a hand through my hair, combing out my long locks. My stomach growls, and I traipse to the kitchen where I find a food replicator. After using it to make an apple pastry and a cup of tea, I pad to the living room and sit near the viewscreen.
Though our new quarters are large, containing over fifteen rooms, the furniture and décor are arranged in such a way that the place feels cozy. I wish Mom and Tasha were here. I wish they could see it and also glimpse the amazing view.
Oh, God. Mom. Tasha…
Dad.
After we arrive on 58-Z, how often will I see them? Will the human settlement be safe, or will there be more uprisings against Captain Warren?
Countless worries parade through my mind, until I lose my appetite and set the pastry aside. My biggest fear, the fear that’s kept me awake at night, is my concern about what life in the Darrvason settlement on 58-Z will be like. Will I have any freedoms there?
Will Kameer keep me sequestered in his house, or will I be allowed to leave and spend time with the other human females? Would he allow me to open my own salon? I’ve always loved my job, and I can’t imagine not working, not helping others look and feel their best.
As much as I don’t want the heartbond to form, Kameer’s made it clear that my safety is at risk until it happens. He’s worried an unmated Darrvason male might be tempted to steal me, but if I’m coated in his scent and I’m wearing his ancestralmarkings on my arms, I’ll be completely safe from the attentions of rogue unmated alien males.
But if the bond never fully forms, I fear he might keep me as his prisoner. My throat burns. If the bonddoesn’tform, he won’t allow me to visit the human continent. Perhaps I shouldn’t even try to shield my mind from him anymore. Perhaps I should open myself completely to the possibility of a heartbond.
Just as I return my dishes to the kitchen, footsteps sound in the entryway. I glance up to find Kameer striding in my direction, his expression dark and dangerous.
I take a step back, unnerved by his visage. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen him so angry. My stomach flips, but then as I lean into the tentative bond, I realize his anger isn’t directed at me.
Through the bond, the very bond that scares the hell out of me, I detect the heartache of betrayal. The betrayal of a friend or perhaps a comrade with whom he works closely.
“Kameer.” I push away from the counter and approach him. Maybe it’s a bad idea, but I don’t try to close my mind off to him. I let myself remain open, and I invite him in. Our souls rest side by side in a warm safe place, and my throat burns at the intimacy that passes between us without any words spoken.
“Mandy.” He opens his arms and draws me close, embracing me to his chest. He rests his chin atop my head, and I breathe in the enticing masculine scent of him.
“What happened during the meeting?”You don’t seem pleased. I sense you are dealing with a betrayal.
With slow, tender movements, he caresses his fingers through my hair. My scalp prickles, and goosebumps erupt on my arms.
Kameer?I prompt when he doesn’t respond. I sense he’s deep in thought, and for some reason I can’t latch on to the details. Has he suddenly shielded his mind from me? Eventhough I’ve done the same to him, I can’t help but feel hurt by the possibility.
Finally, his words penetrate my awareness.There’s been a development in the investigation that is troubling. Officer Brute also attended the meeting, and he presented evidence that implicates one of my crew members on theJansonna. I don’t want to believe it, but the evidence is damning.
I’m so sorry, Kameer. Truly, I am. Has the crew member been arrested?
Not yet.He gazes down at me with a look of fury that breaks my heart. Because the fury is a mask for his sorrow.Officer Brute plans to set a trap that will determine whether the suspected crew member is indeed the culprit behind the attempts on my life. Until then, I must remain on theHaxxal.He growls.I’ve been ordered to stay in these quarters.
When will the trap be set?I ask through the tether.
Within days.He clears his throat.Speaking of traps, with the help of Officer Brute, I’ve set one for Captain Warren. One that should result in the immediate release of your father from the brig.
