Free The Healer's Kiss: Book Four of the Forced To Serve Series by Donna McDonald

ready to leave,” Seta said.
    “Your offer to escort us is most kind,” Dorian said, bowing back.
    Malachi looked between the two of them. Truly neither knew what they had gone through. Whoever or whatever Rena Trax was inside her skin, the entity was obviously very powerful to be able to cloak her actions from all those around her.
    For the moment, Malachi decided, he had no choice but to go along. Luckily, lying came easily to him, and like Zade suggested, he didn’t have to veer far from the truth.
    “Lieutenant?” Malachi said, turning a gaze to him that he hoped showed at least a small amount of apology. “I believe I might have misread something earlier because nothing seems amiss now. I’m sorry to have caused you alarm over my strange senses. I suggest we head to Medical as soon as possible if Lieutenant Trax wishes to leave.
    The conference room door opened, and Malachi watched the being calling herself Rena Trax walk through it again looking as innocent as a child who had never committed an evil act.
    “Ah, Rena. . .sorry for the delay,” Seta said. “Captain Warro summoned me to one last meeting and demanded I come alone.”
    “So did you say a regretful good-bye to the heartbroken Captain Warro?” Rena asked, teasing as she feigned interest and concern for Seta’s exchange with the pompous Siren male.
    “Yes. I also declined the offer of our own separate rooms if we stayed. I’m hoping you will forgive me for that later,” Seta said, smiling for the first time since Warro had summoned her. “The accommodations on the Liberator might be a bit tighter.”
    “Your regret over such trivial matters is unnecessary. So long as we have someplace for me to place my bedroll to sleep, I will be fine,” Rena declared, waving a hand nonchalantly in the air. “It is not like we are being forced to transfer. My place is by my dedicated sister’s side wherever she chooses to serve. Will you introduce me to your new crewmates, Seta?”
    “Yes, of course. This is Lieutenant Dorian Zade and Senior Medic Malachi Synar.”
    “Pleasure to meet you both,” Rena said, bowing her head to each of the males, before turning to meet Malachi’s still angry, questioning gaze. “On the Paladin we have several doctors. What exactly does a Senior Medic do?”
    “We have a doctor on the Liberator as well. My current focus is on preventive measures,” Malachi answered, never looking away from her gaze. “I do everything in my power to keep crew members from getting hurt.”
    “Really? How very admirable of you,” Rena said, bowing her head to hide a small, satisfied smile. “I was trained in the healing arts myself. Perhaps I might be of service.”
    “Our Doctor is a short-tempered Greggor and often not pleasant,” Malachi said flatly. “Which is why I am most anxious to collect the stasis machine and return to my duties.”
    “You require a stasis machine on the Liberator?” Rena asked, her gaze holding a challenge for Malachi to admit the truth that the stasis unit was for his host body.
    “Yes. It was helpful that the Paladin had two and could spare one,” Malachi said as innocently as possible.
    “Let us go then and collect the unit,” Seta said, holding out a hand towards the conference room door. “Rena, I left orders for our belongings to be loaded into the Liberator’s shuttle as soon as it arrived. Is there anything else you need from the Paladin before we depart?”
    “You are most kind to ask, Seta. But I am as anxious to leave the Paladin as you are,” Rena said, dropping behind the group. “It feels like we are reaching the end of a very long journey to meet our destiny. My intuition is indicating very positive things in this move.”
    “Let us hope you are correct,” Seta said to her often caustic sibling, stepping around Zade to pick up the pace. “This way please.”
    ***
     
    With the full-size stasis unit taking up most of the space, Malachi insisted that the mostly reserved