Page 28 of Dark Survivor (The Qaldreth Warriors #2)

“What happened to the Senate?” she asked, concern furrowing her brow.

“Did I not tell you about the dead humans in the Carne pods?” Nenn frowned. “I shall fill you in on our mission parameters and what dangers lie ahead. If any.” He glowered at Vaen.

The door opened to Gusin and Ulvus. Nenn swallowed a curse. He didn’t need Ulvus to lash out at Tiny with his negativity.

“Welcome,” Gusin said, striding forward to clasp Tiny’s hand.

She offered a tight smile.

“This is Zuphayr aac Gusin Taed.” Nenn slid her hand from Gusin’s and laced his fingers through hers.

She laughed. “Just give me his name, Nenn. I don’t need his last name and rank.”

He stiffened then chuckled. “You are correct. This is Gusin, Tiny.”

“A pleasure to meet you.” She shifted away from Nenn but didn’t release him. “And who is this?” She stared in Ulvus’s general direction.

“Ulvus.” Nenn waited, and as usual, the male disappointed.

“She is blind?” Ulvus spat in Qaldreth. “She is weak and should be killed. This is not how we strengthen our lineage.”

“Oh, he’s a grumpy one,” she said, inching back until she was at Nenn’s side.

“Ignore Ulvus, Tiny,” Gusin said, striding past her. “We do.”

“This is unacceptable. Does Aehort know?” Ulvus demanded. “If he condones it, the new Senate will be most displeased.”

Paying his doomsaying no mind, Nenn picked up Tiny’s bag and led her from the bay. She followed, her trust breathtaking. Not once did her steps falter.

He stopped at her door. “This is your quarters,” he said, tapping the panel to gain access.

“Okay,” she said. “Want to describe it to me?”

“It is unadorned.” He pulled her inside. “On the right is a hard bed. To the left is the indoor waterfall. A bin”—he took her hand and placed it on an indent—“is where you throw your dirty garments. We take turns to do that chore. Above it and around it are storage compartments.”

He dragged her fingers to the left, guiding her to the water nozzle. “To activate, twist the dial to the left for hot, to the right for cold.”

“Are there restrictions in place?”

He frowned, taken aback at her odd question. “In what way?”

“To limit the amount of water we use?”

“No, Ivoy is a planet with water in abundance. The tanks on the Aroagni contain thousands of liters and are often replenished when we pass a non-inhabited planet.”

“Wonderful.” She smiled. “Anything in the way? Like a step or a chair?” She angled her head to glance at him. This close, her scent tickled his nose, tempting him to bury his face in the curve of her neck.

“Nothing,” he said, pulling his focus away.

“Oh, that’s good.” She tugged, and he released her. Around the room she moved, trailing her fingers along the walls, into the indents, until she met the air above her bed. “It’s so clinical.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “And cold.”

He agreed, hating the chill that lingered in an unused room. “Whatever you need, I shall attempt to provide. The latter, immediately. The temperature can be set to your preference.”

“Twenty-four, please.”

He tapped a panel by the door, adjusting it as she requested. “How do you want your bed?”

“Pillows, linen, a mattress?” Both of her eyebrows rose. “Is that possible?”

He chuckled. “Of course. Let me fetch those for you now. I have placed your things to the right of the door.” He bolted, sprinting down the passages to the storeroom in the bay. Upon passing Igar, he snagged the male’s arm and dragged him along. “Need help carrying.”

He was as giddy as the young child who’d gone foraging with his father so many years ago.

While Igar huffed under the ungainliness of the mattress, Nenn had a sheet, two blankets, and a pillow obscuring his vision. Tiny was playing with the water dial when he entered, drawing a gasp from her.

“My apologies for startling you. This is Igar,” he said and gestured to the male to place the mattress. He did but ogled her, his mouth agape.

Nenn nudged him, snapping him out of his daze.

“A pleasure to meet you, Igar,” she said, offering her hand.

Not knowing what to do with such a strange gesture, Igar clasped her forearm in greeting. “Is she not human?” he asked Nenn in Qaldreth. “Or is she part Awayar?” He gestured to Tiny’s white eyes so like the Awayar tribe.

“She is blind,” Nenn said. “I am hoping the Ivoyans will heal her.”

“That’s such a beautiful language.” Her tone was sweet, but the lines around her mouth implied she didn’t truly think so.

“Thank you for the aid, Igar.” Nenn dropped his armload, caught the sheet, and fitted it in place. He folded the blankets at the foot end and left the pillow at the top of the bed. The door swished, marking Igar’s departure.

Nenn waited for silence before facing her. “My apologies. Not all onboard speak human.” He forced a chuckle at his deception. “All want to know who you are.” Like I did.

She laughed. “Fair enough. I guess I shouldn’t be so sensitive.”

He grasped her hand and led her to the bed.

“You made it?” she asked, raising a wide-eyed gaze to him. “Thank you.”

“I am next to you if you need me, Tiny.” He hesitated, tapped his arm to summon the hologrammed commands, and aligned his room to hers. If she screamed, he’d hear her.

“Um, Nenn.” She inched closer to him, her fingers extended. “How do I leave?”

He clasped her hand and drew her to the panel. “Place your palm here.”

When she did, the door opened.

“I will ensure Gusin has programmed it for you and me. I have also set the sensitivity of the room to connect with me. If you need me, call my name.”

With no more excuses to stay, he stepped through the door. “I will leave you to become familiar with your new home.”

Her smile was tentative. She glanced behind her, then at him, before nodding. “Thanks, Nenn.”

And just like that, he was alone in the passage and gazing at the door like Tugo had hit him with a rock.