Free No Words Alone by Autumn Dawn Page B

saying. It has been a useful tool.” And
yeah, she did feel a little smug now and then knowing that she
heard things her captain didn’t understand. She’d had an essential
role to play, and it had felt good.
    “I didn’t know you were a pilot,” Ryven
murmured. “What can you fly?”
    She shrugged. “Small craft, officially,
though I’ve spent many hours in a simulator.” Flying fighters and
large craft, but she wouldn’t add that unless he asked.
    He didn’t have a chance, for his father had
more questions. “Why did you learn our language? Surely you had
many to choose from.”
    True. At the time there had been many more
practical choices. “It was exotic, I suppose. I liked the way it
sounded, the....” She couldn’t think of the word. “It is beautiful
to hear.” Although she’d heard it shouted, growled and clipped in
the last week, she still thought it was one of the most lyrical
languages she’d heard. It was almost impossible to make ugly.
    The old man looked pleased. “Do you have many
suitors on your home world?”
    He liked to hop around subjects like a
grasshopper around stones. Xera replied, “Er, no. I haven’t been
home in a long while.”
    “Elsewhere?” he persisted.
    She stared at him. “I’ve been very busy,
sir.” What with getting shipwrecked and all. She just hoped he
wasn’t asking for his own benefit. Too late, she thought about
inventing a man, but doubted it would be useful here. Long-distance
relationships were not going to help. Judging by the incredulous or
scoffing looks around her, business should have been no impediment
to her love life.
    “It seems your captain was five times a
fool,” Shiza said candidly. “Had you been on my ship….”
    “You may have been the one with the broken
knee,” she interrupted in warning. Shiza held her eyes, for she had
been very rude in so speaking. She didn’t back down, though. She
couldn’t hear what he may have been about to suggest without
fighting adrenaline.
    Ryven touched her shoulder, lightly. She
stiffened as she met his gaze, but slowly the tension eased in her,
almost as if he drained it.
    “You will not be harmed,” he said quietly.
“You do not need to defend yourself from Shiza.” He looked at his
friend, who relaxed back in his chair. His expression was still
arrogant, but the man dropped the subject.
    Lord Atarus looked pleased. About what, she
couldn’t guess, so Xera let her eyes fall on her drink. It made a
useful distraction. She’d always had a hot temper, but few things
sparked the full fury of it. No matter how tame they liked the
women here, she just couldn’t hold her tongue over things like that
without a beating. He should know better than to talk about women
like that. She really didn’t like him.
    “I have appointments this afternoon. It would
be best, Ryven, if you would settle your lieutenant at the palace.
We will speak again later.”
     
    “She is hot tempered.”
    “When threatened, yes.”
    “Beautiful enough to keep a man home.”
    Ryven waited.
    “I will consider your request.” His father
waited a moment, than added as if prompting him, “I am pleased.” He
seemed slightly anxious, as if afraid his son would not do the
thing he was hinting at, would not fulfill the wish the father had
held for years now.
    Ryven just smiled. “As am I, father. I will
see you again soon.” Their transport was waiting to take them to
the palace, and he had already sent Xera and her escort down.
    Toosun smirked at him as soon as they were
out of their father’s hearing. “It’s cruel of you to taunt
him.”
    “It builds character,” Ryven said
blithely.
    “You are going to do it, then?” Toosun asked
too casually. Curiosity must have been burning him from the inside
out.
    “Perhaps.”
    Toosun punched his arm playfully hard. “You
may be the elder, but I can still beat it out of you.”
    Ryven smirked. “Do not distract me, youngest.
I have important plans to make.”
    Toosun just