“Based on what Radek told you, sounds like Blackworm was exiled fortaking an unwilling girl.” Lishelle’s dark eyes sparked with anger. “That was definitely a bad habit of his. He deserved to die.”
The ferocity in her voice took his breath away for a moment.
As Blackworm’s breath had been taken by the singularity…
As a foolish young warlord’s heart had been yanked from his chest.
And here he was again, lording over a woman’s wants.
“Do you think I deserveto die too?” he asked quietly.
The fact that she didn’t answer immediately shouldn’t have disappointed him, since he could guess the answer.
She finally said, “I haven’t shot you yet, have I?” Her one-shoulder shrug gave him an inkling of hope.
“Yellow is stun,” he reminded her. “Orange is lethal.”
She nodded. “I’ll remember.” Leaning forward again, she pulled the copilot control panel towardher, reminding him that she’d been living in this new life longer than he had.
After tapping at the comm for a minute, she sat back. “I told them they should make sure Radek knows we aren’t on the station anymore. If you’re right and he had accomplices, then we need to redirect them away from the station.”
He blinked, surprised that she understood his implication when he hadn’t stated it. Buthe’d already noticed her intellect and sensitivity. “Did you tell them where we are going?”
She frowned. “No. If Radek was able to bust Blackworm out of prison, or had connections to do it, he might be able to monitor the station comms. I told them we’ll be in touch.” She let out a short, sharp breath. “And I told them I’m okay.” With a proud lift of her head, she stared him down. “Am I okaywith you?”
Every part of him wanted to reach out and cradle that pugnacious chin—where he thought he detected just the faintest tremor—but he kept his hands to himself, to prove himself to her. “You are safe,” he assured her. “I’m sorry I panicked and dragged you away without explaining.”
After a moment, her lips twitched, and she lowered the aggressive tilt of her head. “You panicked? I’m tryingto picture warlord panic.”
He half closed his eyes. “It looks like regular panic but with a blaster.”
She curled up again, her shoulder resting against the back of the chair so she could watch him. “Why’d you panic?”
“When Radek said he’d go after you…” Tynan focused on the shuttle controls, not that the ship needed his attention. “And yet I knew I shouldn’t kill him.”
She let out a gustingsigh. “That’s very, very wrong, Tynan.”
He scowled down at the arcing trajectories of the nav map as if they might give him some way to explain himself.
But then she put her hand on his tensed forearm. “But it would take a more civilized girl than me to not appreciate the sentiment.”
He perked up a little. “So I should’ve killed him?”
Her lips curled in a gentle smile. “No. But that’s whythere’s a stun setting on your blaster.”
The sentiments of this modern world were even more complicated than its technology.
To cover his consternation, he fiddled with the environmental controls. “I’ve turned up the temperature so you won’t be chilled. When we get to my stronghold, there will be more suitable clothing for you. We’ll have a place to stay while the duke and his people lock downthe threat.”
Lishelle nodded, and for the first time since the name Blackworm had been lobbed at him, the tension in his bones eased a little.
“This is a good shuttle, strong engine, but it will be some time before we arrive at my stronghold,” he told her. “There’s a small galley unit. Would you like something to drink or eat?”
She glanced back then pushed to her feet. “I’ll get us something.”She ambled toward the back of the crew seating.
He noticed she left the blaster. Another bit of stiffness eased out of him.
Not that he thought she’d shoot him in the back. No, if she was going to shoot him, she’d do it to his face, probably while telling him why.
