Page 17 of Hope Forged
Why would she not set him free? What was untrustworthy about him? Or was there something else affecting her decision to keep him trapped?
She couldn’t be alone? Fear paled her white eyes when he’d cut himself free. Then fury had darkened her cheeks. Despite the supposed danger he posed, she closed the distance between them to berate him.
He’d seen such fire from humans but hadn’t expected it from a Durn.
She jerked back. “That beacon was activated over a decade ago.” She frowned. “I’m surprised it’s still working.”
“Your dialect is unusual.”
She shrugged. “Oz taught me all I know.”
“And your name is…”
“Unimportant when you’re leaving.” She glared at him.
“On what ship?” He glowered back despite how much fun he was having. She hadn’t shown any recognition when he’d said ‘kuta.’ Not knowing what that was meant she wasn’t aware he had another ship orbiting the planet.
“Don’t tell me you’re stranded.” She flicked aside her hair, and the combined scents of pure female, water, and sunlight hit him.
His chest tightened. He leaned back. Odd reaction. She did smell of the outdoors and raindrops, but that shouldn’t affect him.
“Why not?” he asked, inching closer to her.
She swept out an arm. “Exploring without backup is foolish. What if the beacon was a trap?”
He nudged the broken net with his boot.
She trembled, curling her fingers into fists like she’d like nothing more than to hit him. He doubted her tiny hands would harm him if she lashed out.
“I didn’t lure you here.” Again, she pointed at the sandpits. “Call your people and leave Vora.”
Ahh, so she has some intelligence.“Is that the planet’s name?” He gazed at the bright blue sky, the vibrant-colored forests, the dirty silver lake, and the myriad of colors in the flowers around them—the scents exquisite when he’d been breathing recycled air for weeks. “My archives do not have a name for it.”
“Much information was lost in the Great Nevid. Any Durn would know that.” She huffed. “Even more reason to distrust your intentions.”
“I do not lie, female. It is rude to imply I do.”
She snorted.
Taken aback by her reaction, a surprised bark of laughter escaped him.
She blinked at him, then gazed away. “Let me remind you that you cannot be in the open.”
“Not after you threw away my blaster.” He strolled past her toward the lake’s shore. Why he bothered, he couldn’t say. A port to theCeleeriwould gain him another weapon. But he didn’t want anyone to stumble on it and hurt themselves by accident.
With a pat to his chest armor, it parted. He shrugged it off, draping it over a nearby boulder beside which sat strange ribbons of cloth and a fish-filled container.
“What are you doing?” She hurried after him, her eyes wide.
“Is the water safe?”
At his question, she fell silent, scanned the lake, then scowled at him. “Of course it is. You don’t think to find your silly black phaser now, do you? The sun’s about to set.”
He glanced at his pants and boots. Stripping would be ideal, but that would leave his dagger unattended. With a sigh at his impending drenched state, he tapped his O.D.I. in his left wrist.
She gasped, but he didn’t wait for her to pester him with questions. Into the water he dove. In an instant, shivers wrackedhis body. Still, he didn’t hesitate to wave his forearm across the surface where the blaster had sunk.
There!
