"It's warm."
"Yeah, it's heated," I tell her.
"Most floors feel cold to stand on."
"What can I say? I like to be comfortable," I say, and she smiles at me. It's a real, genuine smile, and it warms me more than it should.
"Me, too," she says.
Then, just as suddenly as her smile appeared, it vanishes. The scent of fear fills the air and I realize she's suddenly wondering what I'm going to do to her.
"I'm not going to hurt you," I say.
"That's what they all say."
"Do you trust me, little one?"
"No," she shakes her head, but stares at the floor.
"Look at me when you speak to me." Her eyes meet mine and I see a fire there, a passion. I see a burning sense of rage and excitement and horror.
"No," she says again.
"What's your name, human?"
"Alice," she says quickly.
I raise an eyebrow and wait for her to try again.
"Megan," she says, rolling her eyes.
Still, I wait, and finally she takes a deep breath.
"Fiona, all right? Happy now?"
"That's a beautiful name."
"It's fine, I guess."
"It's beautiful, like you."
She looks at me then, stares at me like she's not sure what's going to happen, and I reach for her hand. She takes mine and I lead he
r down the hallway of the ship. We pass several doors and she tries to contain her curiosity, but I see her peeking into each room we pass. If she's looking for a torture chamber, she won't find one.
There's not one here.
I've looked.
The man who owned this ship was hiding something and I intend to find out what it is. I don't know what he's got on here or why it's so damn important, but before I return to Sapphira, I expect to find out exactly what it is.
I expect to find out exactly what he's been hiding.
After a few minutes of walking, I stop in front of a door.
"Where are we?"
"Your room."