Page 36 of Shielded in the Shadows

I put my boots back on the floor, rested my datapad in my lap, and turned.

With the benefit of sleep, she looked rested and ready to take on the galaxy. Her complexion appeared healthy, even rosy, and her green eyes sparkled. As before, she wore her flight suit, boots, and weapons, but her hair was freshly braided and she’d added a pair of simple earrings that appeared to be made of dark gray stone the same color as her clothing.

My hearts stuttered in my chest. Gods above, how did Keela look lovelier every time I saw her? My tail lashed the air before I stilled it.

“I asked Siber’s permission to put my feet up,” I said, hoping for the sake of my dignity I didn’t look half as besotted as I felt. “She indicated it was acceptable.”

“I like that my ship’s AI thinks she’s in charge of proper shipboard etiquette.” Coffee mug in hand, Keela slipped into her captain’s chair and ran through the same series of checks I’d seen her do before. Everything seemed stable, with the only noticeable change being the Nivilus’s fuel level.

With a satisfied sigh, she leaned back in her seat, drank her coffee, and gazed at the viewscreen, which wrapped around the front and sides of the cockpit and offered an expansive view of our surroundings. “Told you Hidria isn’t anything to look at,” she said.

“That it isn’t,” I agreed. “Ship’s scanners report no ion storms or other ships in the area and Siber says all’s quiet on the comms.”

Keela raised her eyebrows and slid a glance in my direction. “You really are making yourself at home.”

“I want to earn my keep,” I said with a grin. “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”

She laughed. It was a real, full-throated, utterly unguarded laugh, and it made me willing to do anything at all to hear it again.

“No, you’re not just a pretty face,” she said finally. She was smiling, but her gaze was sharp. “You’re a lawman, a medic, a privateer, a weapons master, a shadow, a fugitive, and an obvious menace.”

What kind of menace? I wanted to ask, but didn’t, since I could guess. My presence was certainly a danger to her fierce independence and lifelong refusal to put her trust in anyone but herself. Maybe—hopefully—a danger to her heart.

“I also have impeccable taste in clothes,” I said instead to keep the conversation light. “Though you haven’t seen that side of me yet.”

“I’ve seen all your sides, if you’ll recall,” she said blandly. “Since you chose to bare your entire…soul to me in a dirty maintenance shaft on Ghira Station.” She smirked and sipped her coffee. “As for your supposed taste when it comes to clothing, I’ll have to take your word for it.”

“Not necessarily,” I said. “I have a suggestion for our next move, if you’re willing to hear it.”

Despite my casual tone, all traces of good humor vanished from her expression as if she’d flipped a switch. Relaxed Keela became deadly serious Captain Wren before my eyes.

“What’s the suggestion?” she asked.

“I have a contact on an outpost near the Nalin Nebula,” I said. “His name is Byx and he works on ships. Has a private bay and makes it worth security’s while to not pay much attention to his visitors.”

She frowned. “Which outpost?”

“Trakhan. Delta sector.”

Her fingertips flew over the navigation console. “That’s a long way from here,” she said, studying the screen. “And a long, long way from Forval IX. We’d have to get fuel at Trakhan for sure.”

“Byx will handle it.”

She turned her chair to face me, her expression hard. “Why do you want to go to this outpost and see this male?”

“We need fuel and information, and we have to confirm there’s no tracker on this ship,” I said bluntly. “We can get what we need from Byx. It’s quiet out near the Nalin Nebula. Well away from hotspots like Ghira where we’re far more likely to run into trouble.” I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my thighs. “I can’t promise it’s safe, but I can swear to you that Byx is one of only a handful of beings I’d trust with my life and yours.”

She said nothing for a long time. I let her think.

Finally, she spoke. “Siber, what is your assessment of Trakhan Outpost?”

“The station is remote and less busy than most stations we have visited,” the AI said. “I cannot speak to the veracity of the rest of Jarrix’s claims, nor to the trustworthiness of his contact.”

“Of course not,” Keela muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She eyed me. “What information are you hoping to get?”

“We need to know who posted the bounty,” I said. I braced myself and added, “And we need to know if there’s a connection between you, the bounty, and the plan for arenas on Forval IX.”

Her expression went glacial and her fingers moved as if she was thinking about reaching for a weapon. “What connection do you think there might be?” she asked, her voice deceptively soft.