I don’t miss the way Igid’s head snaps up, and she narrows a glare at the male.
“Brox is an accomplished pilot,” Xan says with a nod. “And he’s been looking for reasons to get off planet.”
“We could use an extra pilot,” Rovos muses. When Igid turns her fiery glare on him, he hastily adds, “Someday, perhaps.”
I catch myself gnashing my teeth, knowing every second we stand around, Treto is getting farther and farther away. What if he gets so far away that wecan’ttrack him? What if something happens, and I never have the chance to tell him how I feel about him?
And how is that, exactly?
“Rovos,” Anna speaks up, snapping her fingers. “Quit bickering over who goes and who stays and getmoving!”
I give her a grateful smile that she returns with a wink.
“Brox, you’re coming too. I’ll show you around theShade,” Rovos barks before turning to Igid. “How soon before she can be ready?”
Igid’s chin tilts up, and she sniffs indignantly. “She’salwaysready.”
“Let’s go then,” he says before turning to me. “ I assume you’re coming?”
“Like you could keep me back.” I fall into line behind Igid and Brox.
When we step into the hangar, Brox turns to Igid and holds his hand out. “We’ve never been formally introduced; I’m Brox.”
“I don’t care,” she snarls, brushing past him. “Keep up, pup, or be left behind.”
Brox glances back at me, and, with a suave grin, offers me the hand Igid refused.
“I’m Bela,” I say, surprised at the human greeting he’s giving me. “She isn’t always so prickly.”
“I like her prickly,” he says with a wink before turning to where Igid is stomping toward her ship.
My eyes dart from him to her, and I have to press my lips tightly together to hold back the laugh threatening to escape. I’m not sure who to feel more sorry for, Brox or Igid. What I know of Igid, I don’t think she’s looking for male—or really any attention. At all. Poor guy is gonna be in for a heaping dose of disappointment if he thinks he can capture her heart.
“Are you two coming or not?” Igid barks at us from the threshold of theShade.I can’t decide if it’s the way the light is hitting her blue skin, but I could swear she looks moreflushedthan usual. Hmmm.
Glancing at Brox once more and the knowing smile on his handsome face, I wish them both luck. They are gonna need it.
