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She nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face.
“What?” he asked. “You think it’s a waste?”
“Not at all,” she told him. “Droids work hard. I was just thinking that maybe this is why you treat me the way you do.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he retorted.
She was probably going to say all the things the women he had tried to date told him:
You’re emotionally unavailable.
You’re a grump.
You’re always staring into the distance like you don’t even want to be with me.
“You treat me like I matter,” she said simply.
He blinked in surprise.
“You can’t actually be surprised by that,” she laughed. “Surely, you know the way Terrans are viewed in this system. It’s much more common to be treated the way the night manager at the inn did than to be treated like a full being.”
“I’m very sorry to hear that,” he told her honestly. “I had no idea it was as bad as that.”
He glanced over to see her eyeing him dubiously.
“Well, I mean I had some idea,” he admitted. “But I don’t put any stock in that stuff. How is it your fault that your people were late to space travel?”
“Well, it’s not my fault,” she said. “But a lot of people would still think I’m a weak Terran, genetically inferior compared to the more advanced races.”
“That’s their loss,” he told her. “Terrans bring plenty to the table.”
“I know, I know,” she laughed. “Coffee.”
“Other things, too,” he told her, flicking the reins.
The deer cantered into the tundra enthusiastically, no doubt eager to burn off the energy from a big breakfast.
“Like what?” she asked.
“Seems to me that your people bring a sense of wonder and humility that was sorely lacking before you got here,” he told her.
“We got here before you were born,” she said.
“Read the history books,” he told her. “You’ll see what I mean. Your people may not be physically strong, but you’re not afraid to take risks and make mistakes. And you’re not afraid to celebrate your wins, however small.”
She laughed, but it was a gentle sound of recognition.
He found himself smiling.
They rode on in companionable silence for a time, watching the glow of morning light intensify until the top layer of frost began to melt.
9
ELLA
Ella felt strangely at home in the sleigh. Bo was snuggled into her chest, and the pile of furs kept them cozy while the cold air swirled all around.
They could have been traveling for moments or hours. It was hard to say when she had entered a state of relaxation like this. She looked over her shoulder and was stunned to find that the inn was no longer in sight.
