Page 46 of Silver Slayer

Brooke grinned, blue eyes dancing with amusement as she pointed another connector in my direction. "Exactly. You've been completely distracted ever since you and Vennox got back from the Troken freighter two days ago."

"More likedick-stracted," Erin said with a wicked grin, brushing dirt from a conduit assembly before handing it to Mara.

Mara laughed. "The way you've been mooning over Vennox, you'd think you two had already done the nasty."

Heat flushed my cheeks.

Lila snorted as she held a connector up to the light. Her long ginger braid slipped over one shoulder while wide hazel-green eyes searched for tiny fractures before she dropped the damaged piece into theSCRAPcrate. "When exactly would they have had time? We've all been practically sleeping on top of each other."

"Seriously," Brooke agreed, securing the lid on the crate of scrapped components. "There isn't an ounce of privacy on this ship."

Erin examined another connector through a handheld magnifier before setting it into theUSABLEpile, then shared a look withthe group. "Mehr told me that glowing design on Vennox's chest means he's sealed the deal with his soulmate."

"Spirit mate," Mara corrected automatically, brushing debris from a magnetic coupling collar with her sleeve. "Brunnex said the mark is called a shawra."

Kira paused in the middle of sorting conduit assemblies, her face filled with curiosity. "What's a shawra?"

Mara rolled another connector between her fingers and checked it for stress fractures before placing it into theUSABLEcrate. "It's a mark that appears after two complementary spirits have sex." She absently traced a circle over the center of her sternum. "Brunnex said it's a portal where tiny wisps of each mate's spirit emerge and coalesce. That's why bonded pairs can sense each other's emotions."

Erin lowered the magnifier and furrowed her brow, dark eyes fixed on Mara. "How do you know all that?"

Mara shrugged, though the corners of her mouth betrayed a smile. "He told me."

Brooke's eyes sparkled with mischief as she swept a few loose strands of hair behind one ear and looked around the circle of women. "Am I the only one who’s noticed how much time she's been spending with Brunnex?"

"Oh, I noticed," Lila said with a knowing smirk. She tucked her long ginger braid over one shoulder before sliding another intact conduit assembly into the storage crate. "Funny how she always volunteers whenever he needs help."

"He has a blunt force trauma injury,” Mara protested, examining another connector. "I’m a paramedic; it’s in the job descriptionto care for injured people." The blush creeping across her cheeks completely undermined the argument.

Brooke barked out a laugh. "Uh-huh. And somehow, Vennox and Truxxet are never available to help him?"

Kira giggled. "She's got you there."

Erin leaned back on one hand, studying Mara with quiet curiosity. "So... does Brunnex think you two are spirit mates?"

Mara's teasing smile softened as she shook her head. "No. He said spirit mates are incredibly rare. Most mated couples choose each other the normal way." Her warm brown eyes drifted toward me. "What happened between Quin and Vennox... that's something entirely different."

The laughter that had filled the command deck dwindled into an uneasy silence.

Without meaning to, every pair of eyes in the circle settled on me.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled, lowering my gaze to the connector in my hands as though the tiny piece of technology had suddenly become the most fascinating object aboard the ship.

Kira turned toward me, her expressive face open with innocent curiosity. "Can we see your shawra?"

Every head whipped in my direction. Heat flooded my cheeks. My mouth opened, but no words came. I hadn't gotten as far as inventing a believable lie when Elizabeth stepped onto the command deck carrying a heavy crate overflowing with conduit assemblies, magnetic coupling collars, and crystalline connectors.

A few loose components clinked together as she crossed the room. She lowered the fresh crate into the center of our work circle with a soft grunt, then bent to lift the crate of inspectedUSABLEparts Vala had been waiting for.

"Leave the poor girl alone," Elizabeth said, balancing the box against one hip. "Whatever happened between Quin and Vennox is their business.”

Relief washed over me. I caught Elizabeth's eye and silently mouthed,Thank you.

Her dark green eyes softened. She answered with a knowing wink before shifting the crate more comfortably against her hip.

"Vala needs these as soon as you’re finished sorting them. They'll need every good component we can salvage,” she said, then started for the door back to the engine room.

"Wait," Mara called after her. "How are you married to two Nomadicans at the same time? How does that even work?"