Page 44

But her eyes never left his gaze, noting how his orbs didn’t blink once.

On theSombra, Xander Roman stood alone in his ready room.

His eyes searched the void.

He turned as a whip of energy passed through the space, and a giant violet-gold spectral spirit glimmered into view above and around him.

He gazed into its glowing eyes and raised his chin in gratitude. ‘Sante.’

TheVenantia Eternaglowed like a celestial fortress, all sweeping silver hulls and rows of pulsating lights as Savvine’s pinnace glided into the massive rear bay.

She slammed on the controls with more force than necessary to initiate berthing clamps.

She escaped the pinnace minutes later, striding toward the lockers, peeling off her suit once inside, and throwing her gloves into the bin with a pointed exhale.

She needed a hot meal, a scalding drink, and Abby.

Changed and freshened up, she headed to the staff dining hall on Deck 12.

She sighed as the familiar warmth, conversation’s murmur, clinking utensils, and the soft hiss of pressure valves from the auto-kitchen surrounded her.

Long metal tables sat scattered between potted synth plants that had long ago been used to divide cliques.

The security crew claimed the far left corner, tech crews sat in the middle, and junior medics always hogged the food replicators at the front.

With a packed tray in hand, Savvine slid into her usual chair at the aft of the room, shoulders aching, jaw tight.

Abby was already seated, devouring a plate of spiced lentils and flatbread with her customary speed, inhaling each bite.

‘You look like hell,’ she said without looking up.

Savvine slumped into the seat opposite her, grabbing a mug of roastedkahawa. ‘I feel like it.’

Abby raised a brow. ‘Let me guess. Eugene tried to kiss you, got a nosebleed instead?’

Savvine bit her lip.

The reason she felt like hell had little to do with their boss.

It had more to do with her strange encounter with the Signet rescuer earlier that morning.

She also wondered whether he’d been present in some form at her meeting with Eugene, and freakin’ shifted her before her drug addled Don had almost shot her.

She was off kilter, trying to get her head around the fact thatshe was attracted to him, even though he operated among Signet’s ranks.

She almost shared this with Abby, but caution held her back.

For now, she wanted to keephimand her unauthorized recon jaunt a secret.

As for her Eugene troubles, those were open slather.

‘He wishes,’ Savvine muttered, her thoughts switching back to their feckless family Don. ‘He played Russian roulette with a laser pistol and gave me marching orders to cozy up to Alexandr Roman, the Signet head.’

Abby dropped her spoon. ‘Are you forfokkin’ real?’

‘Deadly.’

‘Hell. Our playboy boss is truly trash in a velvet smoking jacket.’