The door opened and Nor strode in, casting one more of those annoyingly charismatic smiles over his shoulder before turning to face Raz. “Your Grace,” he said smoothly, letting the door close on the wrong side of him.
Raz eyed the captain rudely. “I said what, not come in.”
Nor shrugged. “I have overrides on every door on this ship.”
“I own every door on this ship,” Raz countered.
“Not for long, if things don’t change.” The captain sauntered to the far curve of the couch and looked across at Raz. “If rumors are to be believed.”
“They aren’t,” Raz snapped.
Nor raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Usually,”Raz conceded with great reluctance. “Did you want something in particular?”
“Captaincy of theGrandiloquence. But I have that.” Nor sat.
Raz restrained a groan. “Whyare you here then?”
“I’d like tokeepthe ship. And I won’t if you end up losing it.” The captain’s pale eyes narrowed. “Your sire’s mistakes could ruin everything.”
Raz pushed himself upright, tensing. “I’ll give you one chanceto walk back that slur and then I am coming across this not particularly comfortable couch that is apparently now my bed to show you the painful consequences ofyourmistake.”
Nor blinked slowly and leaned back into the cushions. He opened his mouth, then closed it. His jaw shifted to one side and back, and then he said, “I shouldn’t speak poorly of the dead who have no chance to absolve theirsins.”
Raz kept his narrowed gaze on the other male until Nor tensed.
“Sorry,” he finally muttered.
Raz relaxed back too, suddenly weary and glad he didn’t have to beat the captain.
Since Nor wasn’t entirely wrong. Blasphemous, maybe, but not wrong.
Glowering, Raz studied the other male. “I assume you are the spy on this ship reporting to the dowager since she is the one who assigned youthe captain’s chair.” He lifted one eyebrow. “Are you her paramour as well?”
Nor recoiled. “What?” His response was almost a shriek—a manly, ex-pirate shriek, but a shriek nonetheless. “No!”
Raz smirked. “Now you are insulting my mother.”
After a moment, with a sputter that wasn’t quite a laugh, Nor leaned back. “Sheisquite a woman.”
Raz dropped the smirk. “Larf with her and I’ll kill you.”
Nor nodded. “Fair enough. You’ll probably kill me anyway since she asked me to remind you to larf the Earther girl.”
“Did she say which one?”
“She was none too particular. I think she wants the space station more than grandchildren.”
Raz sighed. “For the moment. But she won’t be satisfied.”
“Your father did leave her with quite the mess.” Nor held up one hand when Raz snarled. “Don’t blameme.”
Raz slouched with his head dangling between his hunched shoulders. “You’ve been on this tour of the system with me,” he said finally. “What are your suggestions for salvaging the system’s economic woes?”
Nor blinked. “I…thought I was just tasked with telling you how to get the Earther girl into a compromising position.”
“I need to get Azthronosoutof its compromised position,” Raz saidthrough gritted teeth.
