Page 28 of Rescued

18

HEROD

“Got it all under control?” Nikathy asked with bemusement.

He was trying to press my buttons, hoping I would snap and reveal something to him, but I kept my cool.

“Of course,” I said with a measured tone. I would not give him anything he could use against me in the future. He had already come too close to the truth for my comfort.

We received clearance for takeoff, and I lined up with the other ships waiting to leave the port. The silence that filled the cockpit was thick and heavy, and I felt like I was suffocating under Nikathy’s watchful eyes. I kept my focus turned to the ships ahead of me, watching for the indication that it was our turn to takeoff. As long as I was intent on that, I wouldn’t have to think too much about why Nikathy had showed up, or what he might be trying to learn, although I was sure it was something. Whatever he found out, he would trade away as valuable tidbits, perhaps to the enemy, perhaps to another smuggler who wanted to slide into my market.

Finally, the last ship ahead of us took off, and we were ready to go. The lights at the side of the port blinked red, giving the other ship plenty of time to clear the port and get out of the way. Then it flashed green, and I was too busy steering theGreedy She-Devilto care about what Nikathy was or was not trying to accomplish by inserting himself into my life at a most inconvenient time.

As soon as we were beyond the lights of the port, the ship fell into relative calm. Out ahead of us, the starfield spread out indefinitely, and I slowly tested my ship’s maneuvers, running through a few simple moves to get myself in the right headspace for flying. To my amazement, she moved quickly without the telltale spluttering of her fuel pumps that I had grown accustomed to.

“Mind taking it easy, pal? I’d like to get a little rest, and I don’t need you whipping us around the universe like that.”

“I don’t need to remind you that you could’ve caught a ride with someone else if all you plan to do is complain.”

Nikathy huffed, but he closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the seat, relaxing like he might take a nap right there.

There was a blip on my screen and then a notification popped up. Adreax. Thank goodness. I hit the button and opened the video panel to answer the call.

“Please tell me you’re coming to meet me” I said as soon as the video feed went live.

“Oh, come on, Herod. She can’t be that bad,” Adreax answered jokingly.

I felt a little guilty at his response, realizing that I may have been a bit hard on the girl when she’d first come aboard. But I couldn’t reveal the real reason I was desperate to meet up. Not with Nikathy sitting right beside me, anyway.

“You have no idea what I’ve had to put up with,” I answered vaguely.

It was true. Adreax had no idea what had happened in our brief detour, and I really didn’t want him to find out, but with Nikathy aboard, I would definitely have some explaining to do.

“Well, we’re ready for you whenever you get here. I trust you haven’t had any major issues?”

His words haunted me, like he might already know more than he should.

“Nope! No issues here. Just ready to be on my way. Lots of money to be had, and if I don’t take it, somebody else will.”

I grinned and hoped my words sounded more convincing than they felt. Thankfully, Adreax seemed to take me at my word and didn’t ask any further questions.

“Understood. Sending the coordinates now. See you soon.”

The video cut off abruptly and Nikathy snorted from the seat behind me.

“So, Adreax is still the one controlling this ship, eh?”

“No,” I barked. “I am the captain of this ship, and I do as I wish. I happen to be helping Adreax with a job at the moment, but he doesn’t tell me what to do.”

“And what kind of job is this? Does it concern the girl?”

I hesitated. Now Nikathy was prying into Adreax’s business and Caimbrie’s. But my hesitation was answer enough.

“Ah, so it is. Where did the girl come from?”

“I don’t know.”

“Of course you do.”

“No, I don’t. And it doesn’t matter, because I’m dropping her off with Adreax, and that will be that.”

“So, you’ve no interest in finding out where she goes or what happens to her?”

I could hear the disbelief in his voice, another test.

“No. Absolutely not.”

Even as the words left my mouth, I felt them haunting me. The night before, as I kissed her dozens of times, inhaled her scent, and relished the soft touch of her body, I knew in the pit of my stomach that this was only temporary. When she said she wanted me then and there, I took her words to mean that she only wanted me then and there, and she would never want me at any other time, nor I her.

But here I sat, staring out at the stars, wishing I could throttle Nikathy for imposing, and wishing I could hear her say those things one more time in the quiet of my ship, where no one would hear but me.

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