Free Shiver and Bright by Viola Grace Page B

sat up. “My father’s family has always had a ruling position on the councils. My father wanted to open the councils to voting, not just family houses but for public consideration. Everyone needed a voice.”
    Nat licked her lips. “I was not a threat to his policies, but I was leverage if I bore his name, so my mother never listed my father on any documents. He wasn’t happy about that, but he left it alone, having me and my mother was enough, name or no name.”
    She shifted. “It was clear that his work with the vote was going to cause problems, so he and my mother came up with a plan to get me free if they came for us to use us as leverage. Today was that day.”
    “Why would they use you as leverage?”
    “Because I am the bastard of the vice chancellor and the family who has been trying to get him to mix with them is the family of the chancellor. He has been able to claim disinterest in women so far, but now, there is proof that he just didn’t want the chancellor’s daughter.”
    “So, they are out to destroy the proof of the relationship that has kept him from joining with them.”
    “That is our guess, but until Lady Lupik tells us what precisely is going on, I have no clue.”
    Worvin nodded. “We will find out.”
    She smiled gratefully. “Thank you for your help.”
    “It is nice to get off the station.” He smiled. “I normally work as the quartermaster.”
    “Well, you seem very at ease with the rescue.”
    He inclined his head. “Thank you.”
    The ship slid through the darkness, and they sat in silence. There was a lot of space between her and her parents, but she had to get to safety before she could try and come home.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    When six hours had passed, Worvin helped her to her feet and showed her the lav, the galley and how to get rations out of the dispenser using her wrist as a scanning point.
    Worvin nodded. “We use this model on all ships with unknown species. It measures what you need in your bloodstream and guesses at what is required. Those are what it offers you as a selection.”
    Nat smiled. “That will make a change from the rations I have been eating.”
    He perked up. “You have rations? That would make it easier to calibrate the unit.”
    Nat went to the storage locker where he had placed her bags. She pulled out one of the ration bars that her mother made and handed it to him.
    “Here you go. It is the one thing my mom can cook.”
    He smiled and then caught on to the fact she wasn’t smiling. “You are serious.”
    “Yup. I started cooking when I was twelve. It was self-defence.”
    He chuckled and took the bar, moving to the machine and slicing off a piece. He fed it into the side of the dispenser and set an analysis program.
    “You are good at that.”
    He smiled, his blue hair rising slightly. “I know every inch of every piece of equipment issued by Station 13.”
    “Wow.”
    “I had a lot of time to learn all the ins and outs while waiting for a personnel match. It never came, so I focused on my equipment.”
    Nat smirked, “As have many men before you.”
    He paused and he looked at her. “Are you joking with me?”
    To her amazement, his blue eyes glowed and he flicked the gaze over her from head to toe. “When we get to the station, we can outfit you with some more appropriate clothing while you get your bearings and plan your next move.”
    “You seem to have complete faith in my ability to defend my family.”
    “I have read your file. Although you have minimal formal education, your parents provided you access to the archive through channels I can only imagine. You have what would otherwise be advanced degrees in tectonic manipulation, electronic repair, molecular vibration and a flair for Kozue war poems.”
    Nat blinked and took a seat at the table. “That is...I had no idea I was being monitored.”
    “With the link that your father had rigged for you, it had to go through a number of channels and a secure relay station.