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5
Onnika paid the vendor for the skewers of succulently cooked meat in sweet, sticky sauce and pocketed the remaining chips.
All around the food court, holo-screens blasted information about Phase Nine. As badly as Onnika wanted to watch the happenings, she couldn’t let it distract her. Survival took precedent.
Not bothering to wait till they made it to their table, Caryn claimed a skewer and tore off a large hunk with her teeth. “Mm.” She chewed blissfully. It was their first good meal since arriving at Armina.
Onnika didn’t enjoy having to steal, but mouths gotta eat.
Unfortunately, she only saw more theft in her future. And though she’d love nothing more than to stick around and revel in the pageantry of the coming race, they needed to move on from this place as quickly as possible.
Tag was on their heels.
What she’d thought was a killing blow had apparently only knocked him out for a short time. Luckily, while she and Caryn had been racing for one of the waiting shuttles, the militia had been occupied with chasing down their pursuers, presumably to finish the job she’d failed to complete.
Yet somehow Tag had managed to free himself from the rockslide and get to the other shuttle. He’d followed her and Caryn here, likely tracking their ship’s heat signature. Worse, she thought she spotted Ajay with him. Had Rice survived too? If so, she and Caryn were in more and more danger the longer they stayed.
To their benefit, the crowd here was so dense it was all too easy to get lost, blend in, hide. However, this many people also meant potential problems. Yes, magic comes at a price, and it was always Onnika and Caryn who paid.
They’d managed toprocuresome remarkable holo-jewelry that cuffed the edge of their ears and visually changed the shape. If anyone knew about their kind and the innate magic they wielded, their distinguishing ears wouldn’t be what gave them away. To unsuspecting onlookers, their ears resembled that of a race called Pakovian, who hailed from the next parsec over.
The craft that had shuttled them here was a total loss. Tag, having likely found it docked, would have eyes on it constantly. If they returned to it, there was no doubt he’d be notified. They couldn’t even sell it, let alone fly it out of here without detection. And even if they could, it was tainted, too easily tracked. They either needed to scrounge up enough money to buy a new shuttle, or purchase a safe ride off this port, both difficult tasks when one had little to no currency.
“What about the Tranzinite?” Caryn asked.
“Shhh.” Onnika glanced around to see if anyone had overheard, then she leaned in and lowered her voice. “Eventually we can sell it, but not here. Too many drecks looking to bilk ignorant tourists. We’d be swindled for sure. Or jacked.”
What a predicament, to have such a windfall and still be as broke as a snapped drumstick. Ironically, they were both the richest and the poorest women here. A stone was just a rock until its value could be verified. Before they could sell the Tranzinite, it would need to be appraised by a reputable source. She wouldn’t count any of the merchants here as reputable—or honest. Grifters, the lot of them. That rat-eared merchant, for example, with his so-called “magic” charms. The only charm he had was sweet-talking gullible tourists out of as much money as he could get in exchange for colored thread woven into useless patterns. Tourists such as that handsome stranger she’d stolen from—and boy, was he rolling. Ten thousand chips, to be exact, though still not near enough for a new shuttle.
She told herself that his money was better spent on feeding two starving Faieara instead of useless knickknacks.
Amazingly, she’d almost fouled up the lift when she’d suddenly gotten the distinct impression he’d wanted to kiss her. He’d caught her off guard with that little surprise. She had to admit, under different circumstances she might have given him a chance to make his move. She’d felt a captivating sort of intensity during their brief exchange. Didn’t hurt that he was a gorgeous beefcake with a side of icing. What would it be like to stop looking over her shoulder, even for a moment, and indulge in an innocent fling? One where she didn’t have to have an agenda?
She tossed the thought away. She didn’t have time for men, even ones with warm chocolate eyes.
A kindly looking older gentleman approached their table. “Hello, ladies. I wonder if I might trouble you for a couple of chips, if you can spare them. I haven’t eaten in a while and am mighty hungry.” He wantonly eyed their food.
Onnika assessed him up and down. He wore a somewhat dusty, soft-brimmed hat atop his head, a nicely tailored coat and pants that were only slightly frayed in spots, and faded scuffed boots. He wasn’t clean-shaven, but his close-cropped gray beard was well kempt. By all appearances, he was a harmless elderly scavenger, but as she well knew, looks could be deceiving.
Without giving her a chance to dismiss the old kook, sweet-hearted Caryn simply smiled up at the man. “Of course we can spare a couple of chips. Right, Onnika?”
Onnika inwardly groaned. “Uh, sure,” she muttered, shooting Caryn a scolding look before handing over enough chips for the man to purchase a meal from any vendor he might choose. Although she was a bit skeptical of what he’d actually use the money for, she scoured his intentions for signs of trickery or ill will and was satisfied that he had no desire to wrong them in any way.
The man glanced down at his score with something like surprise. “This is very generous of you. I thank you kindly.” He tipped his hat.
“It’s not a problem,” Caryn declared with that sugary smile of hers that often mesmerized whomever she unleashed it upon. “We know what it’s like to be down and out.”
“Good karma be upon you.” The man tipped his hat again and headed toward the food vendors. Perhaps he really was just a hungry old man with no credits. Or a panhandler by trade, making his way by begging for handouts.
Onnika was about to admonish Caryn for her misplaced generosity when Caryn cried out, “Oh, look.” She pointed to a nearby holo-screen. “They’re naming all the Captains. Ooh, that one’s cute.”
Onnika sighed. “Caryn, focus. It’s your turn to work. What’s our next move?”
Caryn’s shoulder sank, instantly self-conscious about her gift. “I wish you’d stop doing that. I can’t pick the right path, I don’t know why you still think that I can after the mess I’ve gotten us into.”
“Just playing the odds.”
Caryn scoffed. “The odds? How many times did I nearly get us captured, or killed? That cliff? It’s a miracle we even survived.”
