Page 93 of Tethered

“We need your help, please. We’re happy to pay for the inconvenience of it,” Maximus reiterates diplomatically.

Julian swings that big head of his and narrows blue eyes at Maximus. “We don’t have time for niceties. For once, skip the courteous act.”

He speaks in Surya-Vaani; his articulate, surprisingly upper-class voice tense with strain. The brothers share a heavy silence. Beside me, Tanisira practically steams with irritation. When she makes that face, she is genuinely terrifying.

“Tell me what you want or get off my ship.”

They both snap to attention. Maximus hesitates, and Julian grunts, a warning sound if I ever heard one.

“Our client wasn’t happy about the theft, and is now accusing us, though he has no evidence. He’s attached a price to our heads. Once they realise we’re on Novus, half the bounty hunters in the system will be on us like carrion. We need a ride home, and this is the only ship we can trust.”

“Absolutely not,” Tanisira says.

I shouldn’t be surprised, but my jaw sags at how passionately she answered. She sees my reaction and shrugs.

“There’s a price on their heads. Maybe I could justify the danger if I didn’t have you and Vee on the ship.”

She’s right, and I appreciate that she immediately thought about us, but I grew to like the brothers during their short stay.I can’t bear the thought of harm coming to them. Plus, Devyaan would never forgive Tanisira if she let Julian fall into the hands of a bounty hunter. Rarely do bounties stipulate that the runners be caught alive.

Sighing, I lay a hand on her arm and ignore the tension beneath my fingertips. This may just be another stupid decisionof mine today, but I already feel so flayed open, I can’t stand the idea of leaving the brothers behind.

“Did anyone see you come here?” I ask them.

“We used evasive techniques.” Julian scowls as if I just asked him for what price he’d sell his mother.

“He’s not exactly inconspicuous,” I reply evenly, nodding to Maximus: a handsome Suryavan dressed like he’s been swathed in the sun. I wonder if he picks vibrancy on purpose, or if he doesn’t bother to check the colour of his purchases. To his credit, Maximus looks chagrined. He holds up the item in his hand that I’d taken no notice of. It unfolds to form a dark, hooded coat.

“I wore this.”

I glance at Tanisira. It’s not my decision, of course, but I’m giving her my opinion on the matter. If they weren’t seen arriving at the ship’s docking arm, then I think Vee and I will be safe enough. She’s not happy, but she inclines her head.

“Fine. We’ll take you to Red Horizon, but at the first sign of trouble, you’re gone. We haven’t had a chance to offload your escape pod yet—you’ll be off the ship in that thing before you can even blink.”

She sounds stern, but she wouldn’t do that. I think. With some discomfort, I remember that things aren’t so clear-cut anymore. I do know she liked the trio by the time it came to say goodbye, though I have a feeling Liz was her favourite.

Maximus flashes a thousand-watt smile. Julian’s sneer drops a shade in intensity.

“Where’s Liz?” Tanisira asks, confirming my suspicion.

“She’s safe. Filed her insurance claim and caught a ride home with a friend. She was off the station within three hours. Our client doesn’t know we were on Liz’s ship; she’ll be fine.”

Tanisira nods. It looks perfunctory, but I can tell she’s pleased. Stepping aside, she gestures for the brothers to carry on through the cargo bay.

Ulterior Motives

“He could have finished making dinner first,” Khrys grumbles, picking at the goop on her plate.

Devyaan, upon seeing Julian, had abandoned dinner and dragged the man to his cabin. He hadn’t, however, told anyone, nor had he put the simmering food aside either. What was intended to be a pie of some sort is instead burnt crust, a mush of vegetables and rock-hard meat pellets. If Khrys hadn’t popped her head in, the AllPrep would have reduced it to soup.

Beau reaches over and boops Khrys on the nose. “It was in the name of love, you grump.”

“Lust, you mean.”

“You say tomato...”

She looks incredulous. “You have never been in love.”

“I fall in love every day, wench.” Beau grins and leans back in their chair, looking for all the world like a handsome imp. “You’re just jealous.”