Page 44 of Hope Forged
“What is it?” she asked, flicking off the wrap.
He absorbed everything about her while she covered herself. The sandals she ignored, choosing the boots instead. He tapped the panel, held the door open, and waited. The way the soft pants clung to her was unanticipated. The tunic draped over her curves, accentuating her nipples.
“Your father said something to Coll before the med-E.D. sent him to sleep.”
“Oh?” She arched a brow, striding past him to the common. “How do you know this?”
He tapped his O.D.I., angling his wrist to show her Coll’s message.
The male sat on the bench, a cup of giyua in hand. Beside him, on the floor, with a paw on a half-eaten haunch of kreso, snored Seba.
“What news?” Illan asked, mentally sifting through possible scenarios. “Repeat his words verbatim.”
“Amet revealed that the beacon had stopped working twelve years ago.”
“What?” Ziamee sank onto the bench, her cheeks pale. She whipped her gaze to Illan. “Then what did you respond to?”
“My thoughts exactly.” He activated his O.D.I. again. “Ulta, scan for signals.”
“What?” Ulta gasped. “Why?”
“Lady Ziamee’s beacon was not sending out any distress signals,” Coll said, speaking into Illan’s O.D.I.
“Ahh, will do,” Ulta said.
“Issue two rooms in the barracks to Ziamee and me.” Illan glanced at her. “Amet and his mate, if we find her, should be assigned the officer’s quarters.”
“Starting sterilization,” Ulta said. “Two rooms issued. Opening the doors now.”
“Um, what about Seba?” Ziamee knelt beside her pet and nuzzled his furry neck. “Is it possible to leave all the doors to my room open?”
“Done,” Ulta said.
“Thank you.” She smiled while pretending to ‘drag’ the haunch from under Seba’s paw.
The beast growled a warning, but his tails wagged playfully. She tried to take his snack with both hands. He leaped to his feet and nudged her with his great head. She toppled back amid giggles with Seba ‘pouncing’ on her, making chortling noises.
Midway, she paused to cup her mouth, smothering a yawn. She met Illan’s gaze. “Time to rest.” With one more hug, her arms around Seba’s neck, she whispered something that sounded like, “Behave, ohara.”
Grumbling, the creature sprawled on the floor and nibbled on his kreso.
“This way,” Illan said, gesturing to the door to the right of the common. It stood open.
She strode through, running her hands along the passage’s sides. Two lit rectangles marked the rooms allocated to them. She slipped inside the one closest to the common.
“Do not sleep…naked,” he said, not putting it past her to do just that.
She frowned. “Why would I?”
That put him in his place. She was right to ask when she’d never stripped unless she had to. Every time he’d seen her…exposed, it was for a reason. He sat on his bed and waited,listening to her settling down. When silence reigned, he headed to the common.
“Coll,” he gestured to his back, “please check myotherwound. Ziamee healed it with a med-gun, but I want to make sure I don’t need new skin.”
“Why did you not mention this earlier?” Coll asked, setting his cup down to rise.
“To be honest, I wanted off the med-E.D.” Illan trailed him to medical, circling a sleeping Amet. “A creature from the cavern’s lake attacked us.” He whipped off his tunic and offered Coll his back.
The medic hummed. “Lady Ziamee did well.”
