Page 17 of Stolen Fire (N.O.A.H (Nostradamus Outerspace Advancement of Humanity) #2)

Cassan was Blaize’s adopted home. Where she’d gone when she’d left behind the judgmental bullies on her home planet. A touch of nostalgia and security settled over her as she watched through the viewscreens on the bridge as the ship maneuvered into place and the bay sealed behind them.

Rhysa was the first to unbuckle. She stood and stretched.

“Don’t run off,” Cyra said as she freed herself. “We were thinking of hosting a celebratory meal tonight since we survived Kolben and Varik.” Dez moved behind Cyra, her ever-present shadow with muscles. “Cifer, we’d be happy to have you as our guest.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Cifer tucked his casual shirt deeper into the waistband of his pants. “But I have several items of business to attend to before we leave again, including transferring credits for the trip here.”

Wait. What happened to where she went, he would follow ?

“Of course. But if you change your mind or finish early, we’ll be at the Sage Compound. Join us if you can,” Cyra replied.

“Thank you,” Cifer said and then left the bridge.

Blaize couldn’t help but track him as he moved, graceful despite his size.

She rose from her chair and decided following him was a very good idea.

It had to be something urgent and personal if he was running off alone.

Despite the fact that she shouldn’t care so much, she couldn’t help it.

“I have to check on a couple things as well, Captain. I’ll meet you there.

If I run late, start without me. I shouldn’t be too long, but I’m not sure.

I haven’t spoken to the girls in the engineering program, and I’m supposed to have?—”

“I’m in,” Rhysa cut ub, and for once Blaize appreciated the interruption. “I’ll see about our fuel first, though.” A seductive purr laced Rhysa’s words. She did a few side stretches and lunges.

Blaize would never see what Rhysa found appealing about Gareth, the hairy block of a male who supplied fuel rods. Except for the discounted price he charged them, which was more than attractive.

Bodi and Veda agreed to join Cyra and Dez as well.

Blaize left the bridge as calmly as she could.

As soon as the ramp was down, she’d tail Cifer and find out what he was up to.

Despite the sexual tension between them, or maybe because of it, she still had questions about him.

Everything she’d seen had been honorable, but there were so many unknowns.

Like why she couldn’t keep her hands or eyes off him.

Why she had an irresistible need to know where he was going.

Blaize hurried down the loading dock. Cifer had nearly cleared the bay, entering a crowded public area of the station.

She raced through the bay, catching sight of him by intuition more than any particular characteristic.

The dock was packed with the crews from hundreds of ships that landed and left constantly.

Beings of every color, shape, and size swirled in a tight dance, intent on reaching their destination, while avoiding the hired sleds, the pedaled trykes for short rides, or the single person jet-scoots.

Blaize hated those things. They had been an unnecessary danger to the rest of the inhabitants until there were rules against them.

She scowled as one blasted past, nearly clipping her.

Bits of conversations in universal Galaxian fell around her like confetti, mixed with other unknown languages, some punctuated with clicks, pops, and grunts.

Cifer moved quickly, driving forward with an uncommon grace.

Bigger than most of the beings around him, he seemed to flow like water through the swirling morass, unfazed by the intense kaleidoscope of lit signs, loud sounds, and unidentifiable smells.

Where could he be headed so urgently? If she found out he had a lover…

Nothing.

She would do nothing. But the idea of it made her hurry a little faster while she chastised herself about unfairly suspecting him.

The entire point of following him was to gain more insight into who he was.

She was so focused on not losing him, she bumped into a Gordinian.

He released a cloud of gas designed to repel a threat that had her choking down the vomit that rose in her throat.

No apology would appease a Gordinian, so she ducked away and moved faster.

She scanned the crowd.

Shit . He was gone.

Her gaze was drawn to the gold and red entrance of a fancy cafe she was somewhat familiar with, Pan Mandu, in time to see Cifer disappear through the door. Blaize slowed and let a few moments pass before she edged her way to peek in through the open screens.

A server led Cifer to one of the white cloth–covered tables toward the back with a woman Blaize recognized. She blinked and leaned back from the screen. What was he doing with Niquola Glinchart?

Blaize pressed her face to the clear barrier, her chest tight and breath rapid.

He smiled at the stylish woman—the same smile Blaize had grown familiar with.

The perfect turn of his lips made him appear charming and approachable.

His focus was solely on the orphanage director, and he barely nodded to the waiter setting ice blue water in crystal tumblers at their places.

The director laughed and chatted with him like they had known each other forever.

Blaize would give her right tit to know what they were saying, but there wasn’t a chance in hell that she’d be seated in a swank cave like this.

Her boots were a bit oily from climbing through the engine room before they landed.

Her hair hadn’t been brushed since she’d dragged a comb though it upon waking, hours ago.

The beings dining in this place were polished and coifed to perfection.

Cifer was especially handsome in a casual suit, his hair pulled back into a low queue.

A stowaway, and yet he had a change of clothes?

Time to fix his hair? That hadn’t been what he’d been wearing when he left the ship, she was sure of it.

Confusion wrinkled her brow as she replayed his path to the restaurant.

“Move along.”

Blaize startled. The security officer had snuck up on her.

“Um, I…” Blaize needed to stay to see if…. What? If Cifer did one of his magic tricks for Niquola? If he touched her? If they kissed? Blaize shook her head. She was pathetic.

“Do you have a reservation?” The officer’s sarcasm slapped the back of her head with its intensity.

“I don’t.” She couldn’t lie. “I know some people in there, and I need to see what they’re doing.

I won’t be a bother. I’m not a criminal.

I know the woman. She’s a good person. He could be trying to take advantage of her.

” Even as she made the lame accusation, she didn’t believe it.

“So really, if anything, you should be talking to him.” Blaize bit her tongue, hard.

The words that came out of her mouth were gibberish, they erupted so quickly. She took a deep breath and peered in through the screen one last time just as the director reached for Cifer’s hand. A strange stabbing pain tore through Blaize’s lower abdomen, and she nearly doubled over.

“You need to leave.”

The officer’s voice broke her fall down the voyeuristic tunnel she’d tripped into.

Blaize could visit Director Glinchart later in her office and find out more about Cifer.

That was the point of following him—not stalking, not jealousy, and certainly not getting arrested, but finding out everything she could about who he really was before they began the next leg of their journey.

For now, she would hole up in the minuscule housing unit she leased, clean up, and get some rest in a place that didn’t require her constant attention.

“Blaize, it so nice to see you.” Niquola Glinchart rose from her utilitarian chair and held out her hand over the plain metal desk with a warm smile plastered on her face.

She wore the same navy skirt suit from earlier, her blond, nearly white hair still in its perfect updo.

“I didn’t know you were back on the station. ”

“It feels like I was gone for years.” Blaize shook the woman’s hand, the same one that had touched Cifer.

“Please, sit. Tell me about your travels.”

Blaize gave her a brief summary of the planets they’d visited, leaving out a lot of details. She was here to get information, not expose her own emotional mess.

“Sounds like you’ve been busy, but what an amazing job.”

Blaize basked in the approval from the woman she greatly admired. “I love it.”

“The students in the academy seem to enjoy it as well.”

“Really?” Blaize’s chest lifted, filled with a warm glow. “That’s wonderful news. When you let me start it, I wasn’t sure. I mean, not all girls feel about engines and systems like I do. But I’d hoped.”

Niquola nodded. “It’s the academy with the fewest absences and the longest waitlist. We’ve only had one drop out.”

“Who?” Blaize had met all the girls in the class.

“Elaya.” The director shook her head. “She fell in with some unsavories. We tried to talk her into coming back, but she couldn’t be persuaded.

” The director straightened and smiled. “But we need to focus on the girls who are committed. We have a small class who will complete the training by the end of the galactic year.”

“Excellent.” Blaize swallowed hard. The plan for the academy had come together easily. But for the next level—working on live systems as apprentices—she hadn’t made the progress she’d intended.

“We do have one apprenticeship spot. Voyagetech is willing to hire on one of the graduates as a junior tech full-time. We are using that as a reward for our top graduate. I have two females who are vying for it and working their tails off—one of them literally.” The director chuckled at her own joke.