Page 73 of Hope Forged
“She is.” He waited until she sat, this time with a cup cradled in her hands. Then he ordered a fruit juice and a meal for Ziamee and himself.
“It’s been so long,” Faerar said, taking a sip and humming. “There’s so many things I’m so grateful for, Illan. You’re one of them.”
“Mudya, did you sleep well?” Ziamee asked, striding toward them. She too wore her armor, no doubt coming to the same conclusion to be prepared for anything this day.
“Better than I have in a long while. I feel…energized, like I could accomplish much today. Come, sit. Illan’s too serious.”
Ziamee trailed her hand over his shoulder as she passed him, choosing the spot beside him. He pushed the plate toward her and broke off a triangle for himself. Time slowed as she ran a heated gaze over him. She parted her mouth to lick her bottomlip, her cheeks paling. Memories of last night flooded his mind, hardening his arousal and sending heat through him.
He brushed a kiss across her temple and mumbled, “If you keep ogling me like that, you will delay this discussion with your mother.”
Ziamee pouted, then glanced at the plate. “What’s this?”
“A grilled cheese sandwich,” he said, taking a bite.
She did the same and closed her eyes on a sigh. “So good. That chess stuff again?”
“Cheese,” he said, chuckling.
She snorted, giving him a pointed look. “That’s what I said.”
“All right, what happened?” Faerar asked, switching glances between Illan and Ziamee.
“The Maloidians who stole you, they guard a weapon. Probables say they might have been the ones to fire it.” Illan glanced at Ziamee when she squeezed his hand resting on her knee.
“Mudya must see the cannon, Illan. Telling her isn’t enough.”
“You are right, ohara.” He grimaced. “Perhaps it is best we port planetside.”
“It’sthatbad?” Faerar frowned and shoved aside her cup. “Show me what tangles your tongue in fear.”
Ziamee jumped to her feet, a triangle clenched between her teeth. “I don’t want to arrive there on my ass,” she muttered. “Like last time.”
He grinned and rose before waiting for Faerar to do the same. While touching them both, he called to the ceiling, “Ulta, port three to the facility.”
Faerar gasped when they appeared on the metal walkway. “That’s still amazing.” She twirled on the spot, her gaze on the surrounding forest. “I didn’t get a chance to find out where they’d taken me. This is north, you say?”
“Yes, of the Haile’s location,” Ziamee said. “Where we crashed is an ancient crater. I’ve always been curious about the rest of the planet. Padya’s drone disappeared over the waterfall.”
“No doubt shot down,” Illan said, pressing a hand to her lower back.
She gaped, her eyes widening. “Yes!”
“Let us continue,” he said, gesturing to the door.
They clambered down the stairs, no one speaking until Faerar reached the level where the genkoo had begun to grow.
She paused, leaning in to study the plant. “What manner of flora is this?”
“Maloidian,” Illan said. “We have information on most of the galaxy. Etterians are renowned travelers.”
Her head whipped up, and she grinned at Illan. “Wonderful.”
“Oh, and be warned, we brought Amet in. We need all the help we can get.”
She almost missed a step. “This must be unhappy news, then.”
She strolled through the open door and came to stand in the center of the common. On the display vids above the console, schematics flashed along with streams of data. One vid had Brac at the base of the weapon, studying the platform’s controls. Amet leaned close to a vid, flicking slowly through the data.
