Page 10 of Stolen Fire (N.O.A.H (Nostradamus Outerspace Advancement of Humanity) #2)
Cifer lay back in his bunk and waited. The orb glowed a little brighter from its hiding spot in the vent.
Any lighter, and he’d have to find another hiding spot.
The stupid ball had been dark for cycles.
He had no idea why it was activating, but it probably meant he had a closing window of time to return it to the royal family.
Too bad there wasn’t a thing he could do to speed his return.
He hadn’t even been able to let the royal family know he’d successfully retrieved it.
He sighed. One step at a time. Patience was his best tool.
Blaize returned with lunch, a simple fare of protein and starch elevated with a delicious sauce and a smattering of fresh peppers from Veda’s greenhouse.
Cifer licked his utensil clean. “What is this flavor?”
“Dez’s family owns a farm on Din’ Gale. They sent us with food when we left to take Dez to Kolben.”
“Why would you take Dez from Din’ Gale to Kolben?” Cifer couldn’t imagine two larger extremes of condition, and he wouldn’t mind a trip to the lush Din’ Gale. He’d only read about it.
“It’s a long story. But it all worked out, except for his hand.” Blaize stood and took Cifer’s bowl from him. “I’ll be back.”
She returned a while later with several small assemblies in need of repair.
“This one seems to need a bit of adhesive.” Cifer spun the stripped screw.
“I think the previous engineer overtightened it and it broke. I don’t really have anything that will work. Thread tape fills the gap, but it needs something with some stick.”
“What about some spiderweb?”
“Spiderweb?”
“There’s a bit in the corridor, up in the corner. It might work.”
Blaize went out of his cell and turned to go to the corridor to the greenhouse.
“No, the other way.”
She turned around but tilted her head and looked at him strangely.
“I moved around a bit before you caught me.” He gave a half-smile with a hint of guilt.
Blaize had to retrieve a small stepstool to reach the sticky web.
He helped her wrap it around the remaining threads and fit it to the hole.
“It works. A perfect fix.” She gave him a happy smile. “At least temporarily, until I can get replacement parts.”
Cifer’s heart pounded with her approval.
Each cycle, Blaize found items Cifer could help her with, usually after a meal.
After a few cycles, there were no more small projects she could take to him.
For some reason, the lack of time together made her uncomfortable.
Probably because he was bored and lonely and locked up.
The more she got to know him, the more uncomfortable she was with keeping him in a cage.
Perhaps she could find a way to fix that.
“Dez?” Blaize entered the galley where the big gray male cooked with such ease, as if he hadn’t recently lost a hand.
“This about Cifer?” he asked without looking up from the pan.
“Well, you know he’s been helping me. Small repairs, but I could use an extra hand to do some efficiency tests…” She trailed off. Did she really just tell Dez she needed an extra hand? Her cheeks heated. So insensitive.
“You need more of his help.”
She bristled at the word “need.” It would be possible to accomplish the task without assistance, but more risky and slower. “Not need . But he’s very clever. And strong.”
Dez faced her. His yellow-eyed gaze seemed to cut through her layers to parts of her she didn’t care to examine.
“Never mind.” She spun, intending to retreat.
“Wait.”
Dez’s command halted her steps.
“It’s fine. We’ll be at Cassan soon. I’m sure I can get—” She cut off the word help, regretting her decision to come to Dez in the first place.
“You trust him to help you?”
“I do. We’ve been working in his cell on assemblies I could bring to him.
He hasn’t made any threatening moves. And if I’m honest, I’m pretty sure he can get out of his cell somehow, although the door is never unlocked and nothing is ever out of place, but he knows things.
Maybe from when he was on the ship before we put him in the cell, but I’m not sure. He just seems bored and?—”
“It’s your decision.”
“What about Cyra?”
“She trusts her partners. You have our best interests at heart.”
If only Dez would decide and take the pressure off her. If she let Cifer out and something happened, she’d feel horrible. But she’d spent cycles with him, or at least parts of cycles. And he was always respectful and non-threatening. It could be a ruse, but for what?
They were nearly at Cassan. He had everything to lose if he did something dumb and the crew decided to space him.
Once they got there, she might never see him again. The fact that it mattered if she saw him again after they landed disturbed her, but not as much as the idea of not seeing him.
On the station, Cyra would be able to recruit another engineer if she didn’t think Blaize could handle the job.
Better to have everything in working order and as perfect as she could get it.
Dez couldn’t safely help her. Veda was too short and busy with her plants and Dez’s medical care.
Bodi and Rhysa would help in an emergency, but not with cycle-to-cycle stuff. They had their own jobs.
She sighed. Her decision. Her stomach reminded her how it felt to cross a wormhole. “I’ll test it. See how it goes.”
“I’m one heartbeat away. And I can take him, one-handed.” Dez grinned at her over his shoulder.
“Right,” she agreed, unsure if he meant for her to laugh. “I’ll…uh…” Leave before she said anything stupid.
Blaize paused outside the cargo bay door.
She had to get her head straight before she tried to speak to Cifer.
There was something about him that made logic fly out the porthole.
Princess’s crate was empty. Cyra kept the thuringy with her more and more lately.
But that meant Blaize couldn’t avoid her decision by playing with the pup.
Cifer stretched out in the cell, doing pushups without a shirt on.
His muscles were pumped, and he’d probably been at the activity for a while.
He sped up and then added a clap. When she expected him to quit, he started doing one hand for a two count and then the other.
She wasn’t sure how long she watched him, a tightness winding between her legs.
“Have you seen enough, Beauty? Or would you like more?”
Blaize turned away and sucked in a breath. Cifer’s chuckle had her turning back with anger instead of embarrassment. “You knew I was here.”
“Of course. You tend to stomp. Especially when you’re angry.” He stepped to the door and gripped the bars. “What have I done now?”
Sweat made his warm skin glow, like copper in the sun. She shook her head. Damn, he was distracting. “Nothing.”
“Then why are you angry with me?” He reached for a lock of her hair.
She stepped back. “I’m not. I’m trying to make a decision.”
“Can I help decide?”
“It’s about you.”
“Damn, are we back to spacing me already?” His eyes went soft, and she swore he pouted.
“No.” She crossed her arms. “I’m considering if I can trust you or not.”
He pressed his body against the bars of the door. “Of course you can. I’m very good with secrets. What do you want to tell me?”
“It’s not a secret.” Why was this so difficult? “I came to ask you if you’d be interested in helping me in engineering?”
Cifer stepped back. “I’ve been helping you. Not that you need it.”
Did his cell brighten, or was it the surprise of someone recognizing that she was good at her job? She dropped her arms and took a step forward. “I could use a hand. Occasionally. In the engine room and the other system areas.”
Cifer didn’t respond. She figured he’d jump on the idea. Maybe it was a bad offer. Maybe he wanted compensation. Maybe he didn’t want to work with her.
“Thank you.”
“What does that mean?” she snapped. “I mean, if you don’t want to, I understand. It’s not like a job or anything, but I’m out of—” She stopped.
He grinned as if he’d won something. “I would be honored to help you in any way I can , Beauty.”
Ugh. Why did he make the offer sound so sexual? And why did she like it? “It’s Blaize. And one misstep, one red flag, and you’ll be back in this cell for the duration. Don’t make me regret this offer.”
She spun on her heel and retreated to her quarters.
If this decision cost her credibility with her business partners, she’d never forgive Cifer or herself.
But that wasn’t as likely as falling even harder for his charms. She laughed at herself as she flopped onto the bed.
Who was she kidding? She’d already succumbed.