Gods.
I took a long drink just to avoid answering. The concoction Ella had brought tasted exotic. Not unpleasant, but nothing like I ever had before.
"You like?" She asked, pointing her cup at mine.
"It's different."
"It's coffee. Real coffee. Ashley had it brought up from Earth."
Ashley lifted her cup with a wink. Whatever this drink was, it had to be something special. I took another sip. Black and bitter.
Ella’s expression softened slightly.
“You don’t have to figure everything out today,” she said quietly. “None of us did.”
The gentle understanding in her voice unsettled me more than pressure would have. Because it made me want to trust her. And trust had always been the first step toward losing control.
As if by secret agreement, the men entered the small room, one after the other, making it almost suffocatingly smaller. If they intended to intimidate me, they'd be in for a surprise. I really didn't care if I lived or died, but the only person in the universe who knew that was Kael’Varyn. The only reason I had for staying alive was to get as many punches in as I could to the Sythari Empire. I had nofamily—not that I even knew what that really meant—and my only closefriendwas Kael’Varyn.
Xandros entered first, broad enough that he seemed to fill the doorway by himself. Zapharos came next, all controlled golden power and sharp watchfulness, followed by Dravok. Thyros came last.
The moment he stepped into the room, my body reacted like it had been waiting for him specifically. Heat slid low through my stomach. As much as I tried to suppress it, it fought back with just as much vengeance to stay in place.
His gaze found mine instantly, his amber eyes darkening slightly, as though he felt the same thing. I looked away first out of pure spite.
Ashley handed me a plate without ceremony. “Eat before the interrogation starts again.”
“I appreciate the honesty.”
“I’m from Earth,” she replied dryly. “Passive aggression is one of our primary communication styles.”
Ella snorted, while Nadine immediately became distracted by something on the wall display.
“Technically, sarcasm and passive aggression are not identical?—”
“Nadine,” Ashley interrupted.
“Right. Social moment.”
I sat carefully on the edge of the bed next to Ella, who had made herself completely comfortable, and balanced my plate on my knee while the others spread through the room with varying levels of intimidation.
Or attempted intimidation. Ella still looked incapable of threatening anyone intentionally. Zapharos leaned against the far wall, studying me with unnerving calm, while Xandros remained near the deactivated shield like he expected me to launch myself through it at any moment.
“We thought about your request,” Ella said carefully.
“My request for basic autonomy?”
“Yes, that one.”
I took a bite, mostly to avoid smiling. The humans were growing on me. That realization alone probably qualified as a medical emergency.
Xandros crossed his arms. “Your crew will be moved into guest quarters within the hour.”
Relief punched through me so suddenly I almost showed it. Almost.
“And the Sythari prisoners?”
“Still prisoners,” Xandros answered flatly.
