An explosion boomed. Blinding light flooded the cabin as the ship jolted. Clinging to the largest dial, Kalie risked another look over her shoulder. The coast was clear.
Taking a deep breath, she sent up a prayer to Azura that there was a pod beneath the hatch, not open space. Her heart hammered and the floor thrummed under her knees.
She was in Azura’s hands.
The thought wasn’t as calming as it used to be. But this might be her only chance to run, so she braced her hands to lift the hatch.
“Going somewhere, Princessa?”
Kalie whipped around, and her blood boiled.
Wells stood in the doorway, clutching his arm. Despite the bleeding wound and his sickly pallor, a smirk curved at his lips. His hand wasn’t on his holstered pulser, which was a good sign, but she’dseen him fight before he abandoned her in that tunnel. He didn’t need a weapon to prevent her from leaving.
“Am I a prisoner?”
“No,” Wells drawled, shuffling closer, “but since we just jumped to a gate and saved you from the Feds?—”
“I didn’t need saving.”
“—now’s not the best time for a pod to detach.” Glancing at the hatch, he rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t get far, anyway. You aligned it wrong.”
“So I’m supposed to trust you?”
“I came back for you, didn’t I?”
Kalie studied him, but either he was being genuine or he was good at hiding things behind his ridiculous smirk.
“You can thank me anytime, you know.”
She huffed. “I was perfectly capable of saving myself.”
“Oh, really?”
He sauntered towards her. Kalie glowered at him, willing herself not to step back.
“How did you plan to overpower six armed legionnaires? You hiding a few weapons up your sleeve? Some combat skills I don’t know about?”
“Not every battle has to be fought with weapons,” Kalie said, echoing Father’s advice. “Many can be won with words. I was just negotiating the final terms of my release.”
It would’ve come at heavy cost to herself, but he didn’t need to know that. Someone with that much arrogance didn’t need any extra boosts to his ego.
Wells kept smirking. Her hands itched to claw it off his face.
At least they’d gotten away from Carik’s men. The blinding flash of light must’ve been the jump to the stargate route, and aside from the softer roar of whatever thrusters were left, the ship was quiet. The battle was over, and her racing pulse slowed.
She could worry about Wells and his money later.
A gush of water sprayed from the kitchenette’s sink, and Vega’s worried voice drifted in as she scrubbed her hands. “Find the regenerator,Cybel, his arm ruptured when we teleported—Zane, sit down! Idiot. I swear to the stars…”
“Mira, it’s fine. I’ve had worse,” Wells grumbled, but he slumped onto one of the leather couches. His long legs dangled over the end.
Heavy footfalls clomped against the floor as the aibot, Cybel, crossed the room. As it rifled through the battered chest of drawers, metal clanked and squeaked. Kalie cringed. Her head was throbbing, and the noise sounded like it came straight from Zagan’s hell.
“You look like shit,” Vega said, drying her hands and marching past her.
As Kalie stiffened, Wells snickered. “I bet she’s not used to people talking to her like that.”
She glowered at him, but it was true. Only Ariah had ever gotten away with it. Even Julian and Haeden hadn’t dared.
