Page 24 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)

Marley blinked, moving to raise her hand to rub her eyes only to discover she couldn ’ t. “ What the hell? ” she muttered angrily, yanking against restraints. Holding her arms down. Now fully conscious, she became aware that her ankles were similarly restrained.

“ Oh good, I see you ’ re awake, ” a deep voice said. She blinked, trying to focus her blurred vision on the figure moving towards her. It resolved into the familiar figure of Dr. Litrelp, the senior medical officer aboard ship. “ No sense trying to sit up, the restraints won ’ t allow it. Sorry about those, but Security insisted on those, given the circumstances? ”

“ What do you mean ‘ the circumstances ’ ? ” she demanded. “ Wait. I remember a loud noise and something hitting me. Then another noise and Charlotte falling down next to me. What happened? If I ’ m being blamed for something, which apparently I am, or I ’ d not be tied up here like this, I have a right to know what t is I ’ m being accused of at least. ”

“ I think I best let Security explain. I ’ m not privy to all the details, ” he said stiffly. Marley watched him walk away, baffled. When she ’ d come for her first pre-natal appointment, he ’ d been friendly. This version of him had barely managed to conceal his feelings of animosity. She racked her brains. The noise and the shaking along with the vague impressions she ’ d had of screams and of being knocked to the floor, something heavy hitting her from behind indicated some kind of explosion. Anger began to pool in the bottom of her belly. Had someone known she ’ d be there and taken advantage of that fact to try to pin this on her? Surely the ship ’ s AI could confirm there was no footage of her planting any kind of device, show that she had just sat there with Charlotte and had dinner.

“ Oh, God, Charlotte, ” she whispered to herself. She turned her head about, trying frantically to see if her friend and co-worker was also injured. The beds on either side were empty and she saw now that she was in a small room with no other beds. The doctor turned to face her., having heard her. His expression was blank but he pursed his lips before turning and leaving. Several minutes later, Commander Gundar entered along with someone else she knew quite well, both standing next to her bed. If Sachuu was here, it meant big trouble.

Sachuu said nothing to her, standing to one side of Commander Gundar, regarding her through narrowed eyes that missed nothing. Gundar regarded her silently for a moment before letting out a sigh. “ I understand you asked about Charlotte, ” he said. “ I ’ m sorry to say, the section of roof that fell upon you both did more than leave her bruised and concussed. She died within moments of the second explosion and I ’ m told she likely was unconscious mere moments after impact and unaware of anything. ”

Marley swallowed, her eyes filling with tears. “ She ’ s dead? ”

“ That is correct. ”

“ But we were just having dinner. We have a whole new bulletin board to create for the next unit on animals. We ’ d just planned it all out, ” she said, her voice wavering. Her vision was now even more blurred and she was only dimly aware of it being because of the tears now spilling down her cheeks unchecked. Surely they were wrong. This was all some kind of mistake.

“ I ’ m sorry, ” Gundar replied, his tone gentling. “ I ’ m afraid that she won ’ t be here to do any of that. Nor will you, as you have to remain in confinement until the investigation into the incident is complete. ”

“ I didn ’ t do anything! ” she cried out. “ I just went for a meal with my friend! Who would do this? How could they get on board to do it anyways? It was an explosion, right? Somebody tried to kill us with a bomb? ”

Sachuu breathed out heavily, his nostrils flaring. “ Yes, it was an explosion involving some kind of incendiary device. We know that you and Charlotte were at Rosa ’ s and the ship ’ s AI reports that you got up and made your way to the area of the restaurant that the blast originated from. Until we know more, due to your past, we thought it best to keep you confined for your own safety. ”

“ My safety? If it ’ s for my safety, why am I tied down like a criminal? Admit it, you think I ’ m guilty! That I, what, set a timer on it and miscalculated? ” Marley could hear her voice screaming but she didn ’ t care. Sure, she ’ d done some terrible things in the past, but never anything like this. She ’ d worked hard to atone for her sins and she ’ d thought herself lucky. That she had been forgiven. She sobbed brokenly. “ It was all a lie. Just a big lie. You all were never my friends, you just wanted to pretend so I ’ d do what you wanted, and never believing in me, that I ’ d changed. That I am sorry. Fuck you! Fuck you all! ”

Gundar stiffened. “ No order was issued by myself that she was to be so retrained, ” Sachuu told him. “ I ordered her kept secure in an area by herself, in case someone blamed her when they realized she had been in the area. I did not wish a grieving and angry person looking for someone to blame to come across her, especially while she was unconscious and the emergency responders stretched thin. ” Gundar nodded at his words and reached towards the restraint on the arm nearest him. Sachuu reached for the one ay her ankle. Marley stared in disbelief as the two males unfastened the restraints and then moved over to the other side to repeat their actions.

“ I have observed you closely ever since my team first moved to apprehend you, ” Sachuu informed her. “ I have seen you grow. I have spoken to your sister and her mate, to their neighbors, and to both of your therapists. Your mate went from wary to joyous, and you have been an exemplary teacher. Charlotte was full of praise for you. I do not believe you did this, but I also do not know yet who did. ”

Marley tried to push up to a sitting position. “ Ahh! Shit, shit, shit, ” she cried out through gritted teeth. Sachuu frowned and slid an arm behind her in support, helping her move into position as Gundar moved her pillow into a better position.

“ You are badly bruised and should take care to not injure yourself further, ” Sachuu gently admonished her.

“ Yeah, got that, thanks, ” she muttered, feeling more than a little embarrassed at her earlier outburst.

“ I am going to have you stay sequestered in here. Until we find out who is responsible, we do not wish to risk your safety, ” Gundar said. “ It is not a punishment. ”

“ It is possible that you were the intended target, ” Sachhu said.

“ What? ” Darla asked sharply, squinting at him.

“ Xero informed me that you were regular at Rosa ’ s, eating there frequently with and without Darla, Melissa, and Steven. It is possible that someone made the device and kept it to hand, concealing it on their person, and placed it when they saw you were there. They may have merely miscalculated the timing of the explosion. ”

“ Why would they do that? ’ she whispered. “ Why would they kill a whole bunch of people just to get to me? ”

“ Perhaps because they saw you on the show you did, where you became mated, ” Gundar replied grimly. “ It is possible that we have a saboteur onboard, one who wishes to make you pay for betraying their cause. ”

The thought turned the blood in her veins to ice. Was it possible? Was there a member of The Human Right within the fleet, having infiltrated with death and destruction in mind. Had her students and friends and everyone around her been in danger this whole time?