Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 135784 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135784 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Kivian's lucky he's charming, because he's also keffing obvious. His good looks and jovial manner are the only reasons he gets away with so much.
Sentorr and I go inside the abandoned ship in silence. There's a somber feeling that hangs in the air as we board the bridge, and everything inside is utterly still. Dead. There's a fine layer of dust on everything, and it's obvious that wherever the brothers went, they went some time ago. I think of all the times I was jealous that Sophie was waiting anxiously for a comm from them and feel like a callous fool. It never occurred to me that they might be in danger.
"Any signs of anything?" Sentorr asks me as I fire up the ship's logs.
I scan them quickly. "Nothing. Just regular entries. Nothing that says where they went, but that's not a surprise." The V'tarr would have checked the communication logs, too. "Let's check the rest of the ship."
We split up and go room by room, checking everything, but it all looks undisturbed. We meet back up on the bridge and I run a scan, but no life forms show other than the two of us. Sentorr sends a comm back to Kivian. "We're all clear here."
"Excellent." Kivian's jovial voice blares into my ear. "I've worked out the payment details with our kind hosts, and they've graciously changed out the fuel cells on the Sister. She should be ready to go, and we'll be right behind you."
I take a seat at the captain's chair while Sentorr moves to the navigation station. "Ready when you are." I'm more than ready to get this over with. I just want to see Sophie again. I know that the moment we're out of the V'tarr orbit, Sentorr will go back to the Jabberwock and Sophie will come over here. At least then we'll be alone together.
"Running a diagnostic," Sentorr says.
We run every single test possible on the engines, checking for problems, but nothing pops up. There's no issues, no malfunctions, nothing that would have caused the three brothers to abandon a working ship. It just makes no sense. I'm baffled by it, and I can tell Sentorr is, too.
The navigator runs a hand down his face as we wait to launch and leave the V'tarr docks. "It doesn't make any sense. None of this makes sense. Why would they leave the Sister behind?"
"Ransom's the only thing I can think of," I say, but it's not a great answer. It means they've been held captive all this time.
"If that's the case, then where's the ransom? Where's the request for credits?" Sentorr looks weary. "They've just vanished. Zoey won't be satisfied until we have an answer."
I suspect Sophie won't, either. "Something will make itself known. Three grown males don't just disappear. They're somewhere, and they're probably causing trouble."
"Here's hoping." Sentorr's voice is grim. "I'm glad there's no signs of a struggle and yet…"
I know what he means. "And yet you wish you had something to bring back to your mate. Some sort of information that would help."
He nods. "I don't like that I can't comfort her."
I know just what he means. I'm a mess at the sight of Sophie's tears. I can only imagine scrappy Zoey weeping and how much it tears him apart. "Let's just get things moving," I say, my mood souring. "I'm tired of looking at your face. I'd rather look at my mate's."
"Feeling's mutual," Sentorr says, unruffled, and links up the Little Sister's navigation with that of the Jabberwock, setting a course.
Everything goes smoothly, and we leave the orbit of V’tarr behind. I watch the green-and-gold planet disappear behind us, the cluttered ring surrounding it fading from view. Sophie’s missing this view. I watch as we pass by one of the far-flung moons and think of Sleipnir, and how much Sophie adores him.
Everything makes me think of my female. It’s like my brain has been completely rewired and nothing matters except her. I don’t even mind it. If anything, it pleases me. I’d much rather think about Sophie than, say, scrapping, or the war, or anything else. The minutes crawl past as we put V’tarr behind us, and when the request to board comes from the Jabberwock, I practically leap out of my seat.
Sentorr does, too, and I know he’s more than ready to see his mate again, as well. We’re both twitchy and restless as the Jabberwock pulls up alongside the Sister and extends the umbilical that connects the ships together. I accept the connection and move to the portal, watching as each protective set of doors opens.
Then Sophie is there, coming through, her face wreathed in smiles, and I can’t stop smiling, either. Our eyes meet through the windows of multiple doors, and her grin grows even broader, her steps quickening as she moves through the tunnel, the carinoux at her heels.