Page 94 of Between Earth and Eternity
I run down the hall but get stopped at the steward station by a male steward sitting where Runa should be. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asks, looking up from his datapad.
“Excuse me?”
“You are to remain in your cabin for the rest of the evening. Medical made it clear you need to rest.”
“This is an emergency.”
“I highly doubt it. Back to your cabin, Miss Andrews.”
I breath in through my nose, steadying myself. “I have information about the attack on Zenith, and I need to speak with Vallen Mannox immediately.”
That gets his attention. “Miss Andrews, what are you implying exactly?”
“I can only share it with Vallen. I need to speak with him as soon as possible,” I say calmly.
He finally heeds my demands. “Fine. I’ll escort you myself.”
Bex stands in the doorway to Vallen’s office while the steward explains the situation when we arrive. “She said she has information about the . . . incident, but will only share it with Mr. Mannox,” he says, annoyed.
Bex looks at me with a tight-lipped smile. “Well then, by all means, I will take her to him. Thank you, Steward Russell.”
The man looks like he expects to be invited in, so I quickly step inside and shut the door. Bex gives me a worried once-over before nodding for me to follow him.
“Where is he?”
“He should be back any minute,” Bex says, motioning for me to take a seat on the couch.
I sit, my legs bouncing nervously. He offers me something to drink, but I decline.
As Bex predicted, a minute later, Vallen strolls into the room, and when he sees me, he stops in his tracks.
“Miss Andrews,” he drawls like we are mere acquaintances.
“Don’t even start,” I say, standing.
He cocks his head, confused, but I see the unsurety behind his eyes. “Bex, can you give us a minute?”
He nods and exits the room.
“Where were you?” My voice is surprisingly steady.
He takes a deep breath and exhales through his nose. He has on a plain gray T-shirt and jogger pants, but I can remember every detail of how that space suit hugged his body perfectly.
“I was discussing the incident with my father.”
“Which was?”
He strolls past me to the bar cart and pours himself a glass of amber liquid. “Zenith was infiltrated by a group of radicals, it would seem.” He tilts his head back and downs the drink in one gulp.
“And?” I’m irritated that he doesn’t just get to the point.
“And it’s a problem. We can’t allow it to happen again. My father is very upset and looking for someone to blame.” He pours himself another drink, but before he can lift it to his lips, I stop him, placing a hand on his forearm.
“I know it was you,” I whisper, watching his reaction closely. His mouth is in a tight line.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says calmly, and I snap, grabbing the glass from his hand and smashing it against the floor.
Vallen doesn’t even flinch, just looks at the shattered glass scattered in every direction.
