Page 102 of Smuggler's Beauty

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Aiden watchedthe view screen in the lobby as Antopolet loomed closer, lush treetops creating a verdant blanket on the surface of the planet. Cairn was flying theDawnlow, heading to the clearing he’d found on the satellite imagery.

“Folks, we’re about to touch down. Brace yourselves,” Cairn’s voice echoed through theDawnas he positioned the ship in the clearing. The trees were streaming past, a flip book of foliage on display on the observation deck above them. Aiden took a seat next to Evelyn at the bar and gripped her thigh. She squeezed his hand, twined her fingers through his as the ship continued to descend.

Cairn managed to land the ship with a fairly gentle thud, all things considered. He never failed to remind Aiden that it was delicate work landing spaceships in open fields. You never knew what you might be scratching the undercarriage with.

“Ready to go throw stuff around?” Evelyn asked, turning to Aiden. He smiled, and for a moment, he forgot everything but the scent of her perfume and the smile in her eyes. The thumping in his chest reminded him why he was so determined to figure out the new limits of his telekinesis.

“Let’s go, dollface.” Aiden rose, Evelyn’s hand still in his. He turned to Veronique who was lounging by the piano with a cappuccino. “Are you and Cairn going to be leaving on a botanical expedition?”

She nudged a bag at her feet. “This sucker is full of shears and tubs of moist moss and planting media.”

Aiden’s communicator beeped with a message from Nannette detailing the space around the ship she’d deemed safe.

Will inform you of expanded safe zone as it becomes available.

He sent her back

Affirmative.

with his free hand.

Trust her to be scouting the middle of nowhere for potential danger.

“Have fun with that,” Aiden said, scooping up an overstuffed bag of his own on the way out, jammed full of water and nutrition paste, bandages, and a thermal blanket. He threw it over his shoulder and grabbed Evelyn’s hand again.

“I’m glad you’re more prepared for this experiment than I was,” Evelyn said. “Far better approach than completely winging it.”

“To be fair, once we’re off the ship, I’m going to be winging it.”

“Ah, yes, but in a controlled environment. Totally different,” she laughed. “It’s much more scientific than sitting in a closet with a bunch of garage sale rejects.”

Aiden snorted and lowered the gangway. The smooth surface arced toward the ground, nestling in lush grass as it made contact. He led the way down the ramp, taking in the scenery around them. Cairn had managed to find a clearing big enough to ring theDawnby about twenty feet of clearance in all directions before the tree line started again.

Good thing he’s practicing tight landings.

They walked into the forest. Now that they were off the ship, Aiden felt less sure about his plan. He’d wanted to test the limits of his telekinetic power, but he had no idea where to start. Ripping a tree from the ground by its roots felt ambitious, plus Cairn would pitch a fit. He had made some noise about how rare the strain of maple trees surrounding them was.

Evelyn stopped to take off her cardigan and tie it around her waist. She approached the closest tree and studied the soft, multi-pointed leaves fluttering in the soft breeze. “It must be gorgeous here when the weather cools down. All this green turning red, orange.”

“Must be,” he agreed absently. Aiden saw some stones on the path and thought they’d be a good place to start. Establish a baseline. They didn’t look much heavier than the markers he usually lifted. He set the pack down and went to grab the stones.

Evelyn dug into the pack and retrieved two packets of nutrient paste. She shoved them into her pocket and gave him an encouraging smile. “Gotta start somewhere, right? Fling those rocks around, and we’ll find something heavier. Oh! Maybe we can see if you can sustain the rocks while you try something else. Divided focus?”

“I’m now appreciating how frustrating Vinnie’s note must have been for you,” Aiden said.

Evelyn laughed. “Yeah, and maybe I’m being just as helpful. But this really is a ‘you won’t know until you try’ sort of situation.”

Aiden turned his focus to the rocks. He focused on them, the smooth, timeworn surface of the misshapen gray orbs. He pictured them in the air, floating three feet above the ground. With an upward flick of his fingers, they rose, hovering. He set them in his familiar spiraling pattern, rocks dancing in a circle through the air. It was as easy as breathing. He didn’t even notice the expenditure of energy for this sort of task anymore, his habit of fiddling with objects a well-honed skill.

Right. Heavier.

They strolled through the safe zone Nannette had described, his rock collection spiraling behind them. Aiden couldn’t have picked a more pristine, romantic scene if he’d tried. All they were missing was a quaint B&B to return to after their leisurely stroll through the woods. Fantasies for another life.

Eventually, they came across a felled tree. It was splayed across the path they’d been treading, an unmarked trail that likely led from the mining town to the clearing. Aiden reminded himself to thank Nannette for monitoring the area around the ship for human activity. The last thing they needed was to get Evelyn on another camera that could lead the Twins back to their ship. He doubted they could pull off the slingshot again.

Aiden toed the tree. It had been quite tall, and the jagged edge of the end where it had separated from the root system indicated storm damage over logging for its condition. He looked up to find Evelyn biting her lower lip, head cocked to the side as she examined the tree. She turned her gaze to him, and he saw her eyes unfocus as she examined his energy. Wordlessly, she shoved a packet of nutrient paste at him.