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“I don’t know what that means,” she reminded.
“They are the most powerful sorcerers in our star system. Their DNA was used during the creation of the power triads because they were manipulating magic long before power triads existed.”
“How many inhabited planets are in your star system?” Now that the shock was wearing off, she wanted to know more about their destination and what she could expect once they arrived. “You said your father was from Houkdi. Was your mother from somewhere else? Which planet do you consider home?”
“There are four inhabited planets: Torret, Houkdi, Altor, and Pyron. I was raised on Torret with my mother, but theMadelleis my home.”
Curious to see if her suspicions about Tandor had been correct, she asked, “Do you have siblings?”
He chuckled. “There were six of us. Four biological siblings and Jobek, who my parents adopted.”
Apparently, she was going to have to come right out and ask. “Is Tandor related to you? You have similar features.”
A distracted smile curved Neloff’s lips. “He is one of my brothers. He and Jobek are also part owners of this ship.”
She nodded. Jobek said he was the first officer, so it made sense that he would have a vested interested in the ship. “Ansley, the missing conduit, has she been found?”
“Not yet, but I sent Jobek and Tandor after her so it’s only a matter of time.”
She pushed up to her elbow, concern etched on her face. “They won’t hurt her, will they? Jobek seemed pretty intense.”
“Jobek is intense, but he is also very protective of females. Your friend will come to no harm in their company.”
Lying back down, she snuggled into the warmth of his side and savored the security of his strong arms.
He just held her for a long time, stroking her hair, shoulders, and back. The leisurely pause lasted so long that Eden was almost asleep when he said, “I’m sure you’d like to take a shower. I’ll run your clothes through a cleaning cycle and print something for us to eat. Or did you eat before you beat the shit out of Jessie?”
She grinned, refusing to regret her actions. Jessie had it coming. Besides, the uproar had led to this.
“I didn’t eat and I would like a shower.” She tilted her head back and looked into his eyes. “I’d like it even better if you came with me. I’ll wash your back.”
He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Next time. I need to check in with the bridge crew so I can focus on you for the rest of the night.”
* * *
Halfway through breakfast the following morning Neloff received an urgent message. He heaved a sigh and scooted back from the table. “The other ship has arrived. I have to go.”
“I understand,” she assured him, but that didn’t keep her from being disappointed.
“I’ll arrange for a guard to escort you back to the hold. That works better for your cover story anyway. Arriving with me might arch a few eyebrows.” He kissed her briefly then departed.
Eden felt like an intruder in his cabin without him there, so she left a few minutes later. Last night had been intense and wonderful, intimidating and transformative. Her power was still contained, but she could sense it now. She was one step closer to understanding what all the fuss was about.
Choosing to have sex with Neloff had been an easy decision. His claim that she was his mate, however, was much harder to reconcile. He clearly believed what he’d told her, but her instincts were not nearly as strong. She liked Neloff, enjoyed spending time with him. That didn’t change the fact that he was the only young male she’d ever interacted with. It was foolish, even reckless to make a permanent commitment to someone she’d just met.
“And here’s the jailbird now,” Kendra teased, standing up to give Eden a quick hug.
Eden’s dormmates were still in the corner where they’d been when she left. Not surprisingly, people in high stress situations clung to the familiar for comfort and security. Or humanoid beings, regardless of their planet of origin, would always be tribal.
“What did they do with Jessie?” Amy asked, looking around curiously.
“According to my escort, the commander didn’t trust her not to start trouble again, so he’s going to keep her in detention until we transfer to the other ship. That shouldn’t take long, by the way. The other ship just arrived.”
That launched a flurry of speculation and shifted the focus off of Eden and onto the situation at large. Eden was thrilled by the reprieve. She was still struggling to absorb all the implications of her night with Neloff. She didn’t understand their connection, but she still sensed him, still longed for him.
When one of the guards motioned her over a few minutes later, Eden was hoping he was going to tell her that they’d found Ansley. She would be crushed if they left this star system without her best friend.
“Proceed down the corridor on the right,” he instructed. “Enter the second room on your left.”
