"Give up for now," I advise. "We're not getting anywhere with that today—"
Zaemen leans on the controls. "STARBOARD!"
The Eye lists heavily to the right. I cling to the bar overhead, watching as Jerzec barely manages to stay in his seat. "They're still firing on us?" I ask, irked. "Who else is on cannons with Dopekh?"
Jerzec looks at me in surprise. "Kazex. New head of security, remember?"
I bite back a curse. Right. Because Dopekh stepped down. Too bad Kazex is terrible with space combat. Great up close, absolute keffing balls in deep space. "I'll head down and help out. Make sure we lose them, Zaemen."
"On it, sir," he says, and then yells again. "PORT!"
The ship tilts crazily once more.
The Silencer finally peels off when we cross over to the shipping lane that services San Takhi Station. Whoever they are, they don't want to catch the attention of the authorities, so we glide along in the crowded shipping lane with dozens of other ships heading through designated space. When the enemy doesn't return, I finally abandon my post at the cannons, clap Dopekh on the back for a job well done, and promise myself I'm going to bring up the situation with the female later, when the adrenaline is no longer rushing through our systems and I can think clearly how I should pose it.
Later, though.
My crew looks to me, and I give them a nod of approval. "Keep to the heavily populated star-lanes for now. If they want to come after us, they'll have to do it in front of the entire universe. And keep things clean—cruise and lay low until we get to Prefalon. We'll regroup from there and see if they continue to tail us." I gaze out at them, ashamed that I even entertained thoughts of a mutiny. Today, they were a well-oiled machine and it's clear that we all want the same thing—to keep the Eye humming and get back to business. "Once we get ourselves sorted and my mother's assassins handled, we'll re-fuel and head back for the Star. If my uncle won't talk to me, I'll show up on his keffing doorstep with a cargo hold full of humans. That'll make him open up."
Kazex comes up the ladder. "About that, sir…"
Uh oh. "What?"
He glances over at Zaemen. "Since you took a human for yourself, we were wondering if we could perhaps get paid in humans, too?"
"What?" I snap. They think that Ruth is mine?
"Not to keep as slaves," Zaemen says quickly. "To free. To…you know, take as mates."
"There's room on the ship," Kazex continues, his eyes shining. "None of us mind if quarters are a little more crowded, and it'd be great for morale…" He trails off when I continue to glare silently. "I mean…only if the human wants to be mated, of course. We'd ask permission."
"Permission, absolutely," Aithar chimes in. Him, too? My youngest crew member and the one that is the biggest stickler for the rules?
I sigh. Morale, indeed. If only they knew what Ruth was truly up to. "She's not mine. I thought that was abundantly clear." I glance over at Dopekh, and his expression looks…deflated. As if someone has stolen all the energy from him. It's because of Kazex's careless comment about the human being mine. It feels wrong, because Dopekh is a good and loyal a'ani who never asks for anything. Hard worker, too. He deserves better. "She's Dopekh's mate."
With that announcement, I resign myself to no more kisses, no more talk of bathing. Ah well. If Ruth spars with me, it will have to be with the understanding that I'm not going to get between her and her mate.
The crew exchange looks. "Um, Dopekh's, sir?" Jerzec scratches his head and looks confused. "Are you sure?"
I look over at Dopekh, who stares at the floor busily.
"Yes," I repeat. "And we should probably retrieve her from the hidden compartment before she decides to blast her way out." I let a mirthless smile curve my mouth. "I armed her, just in case. Probably a foolish move on my behalf."
Just like bringing up the bathing thing. I shouldn't be thinking about it. Nor should I resent that if she bathes anyone, it's going to be Dopekh. I don't need a mate anyhow. With my luck, my mother would just have her assassinated, too.
It's better for everyone involved if I'm alone. Permanently.
33
RUTH
I can't believe that asshole kissed me.
I sit in my little hidey-hole, gun clutched in my lap as the ship sways wildly back and forth. My legs are up and braced against the wall across from me—luckily this room is so narrow that I can wedge myself onto the seat and put my feet on the wall at the same time so I don't go flying. As I do, I think about that kiss.