She’s twirling in the stuff. Slowly, because she’s clearly finding the higher gravity of Glacea harder to maneuver in. She’s in her blue-and-pink jumpsuit, and it stands out brightly against the whiteness. It makes me glad she’s not still in her priestess robes—there’s no way I’d even be able to see her out there.
But all of a sudden, the sweet little high priestess stops, leans down, and makes a snowball—which she promptly hurls in Beckett’s unsuspecting face.
“I bet three hundred planetas that Beckett won’t throw one back,” Ian murmurs from his position at my shoulder. We haven’t been this close since our last near kiss.
“You don’t have three hundred planetas,” I shoot back. “And if you do, they’re likely mine anyway. Remember the buttons?” It’s only a few seconds before Beckett balls up a handful of snow herself and hurls it straight at Rain. “Looks like you would have lost.”
“Wonders will never cease.” He shakes his head. And I understand the slight grin teasing his lips. Beckett, while still surly toward me, has seemed a lot lighter, for lack of a better word, the last couple of days. I don’t know if it’s Rain or if she’s finally starting to feel better after being away from the Caelestis for so many days.
I guess I hope it’s both.
Suddenly, as if from an unseen force, a few little flecks of white start drifting down from the sky. Rain squeals like I’ve never heard from her before. “Kali! Get your beautiful ass over here right now! It’s snowing!”
A herd of rabid drokarays couldn’t keep me from this. I run forward, my tongue already out, trying to catch the few tiny specks of white as they drift toward the ground. Somewhere to my left, Rain is laughing, yelling, chasing Beckett as they both try to beat the other to their first taste of snowflake.
I probably never actually catch one. But maybe I do.
Either way, I’m alive. This is living.
I turn to grin at Ian and find him watching me with a curious look on his face. The feeling of his eyes on me is heady, intoxicating, and suddenly my heart is beating fast for a whole new reason. I go back to chasing flakes but add a little swish to my hips for good measure, and even with my back to him, I continue to feel him watching me. I feel my face redden.
“Hey, kids,” Ian eventually shouts. “Time’s up. Back to work.”
Rain turns, raises both arms in the air, and throws herself backward, almost disappearing in a drift of snow. “Please, Daddy? Just one more snow Ancient before we go?”
Laughing, Beckett drags her up, and they stumble back toward the ship, arm in arm and laughing like the kids Ian just accused them of being.
They’re still laughing as they hurry past Ian, brushing off the last remnants of snow and leaving a watery trail in their wake as they head for the bridge. I reluctantly follow, though not before I nudge Ian with a snow-covered shoulder as I brush past him.
“Think I caught my first flake,” I murmur, darting my tongue out to the corner of my mouth.
He groans. And it’s fucking amazing.
A couple of minutes later, Beckett is back at her post. Then we’re in the air again, flying toward the sky port of Rodos.
It’s close to Glacea’s capital city, Lanberu, and in a highly populated area. We could be recognized, and that likely wouldn’t be ideal, considering the dead-or-alive-flyer thing. But Rodos is where the Reformer was heading, so that’s where we’re going, too.
“What’s the plan?” I ask as Ian and I stroll back to the bridge at a more leisurely pace.
“Gage and I are going to ask a few questions.”
“And what if you don’t get the answers you’re looking for?” I really hope he does, but I’m doubtful. And worried about what he’ll do next if he doesn’t find Milla here.
“Gage is Corporation, remember? He’ll have the ins we need to get the answers.” He shrugs. “And if not, he’ll see if he can break into their systems. The Reformer likely had a flight plan filed—even if it’s not accurate, it will at least give us a next move. And the security in these places is usually crap. Not many people have a clue how to hack into a spaceflight management network. Most have never even seen one.”
That’s a lot easier for me to imagine after our stop in Rangar. But all I say is, “You’re lucky to have Gage, then.”
“Yeah, even if tossing him out of the airlock still seems like a good idea now and then.” He grins.
“What about the rest of us?”
“I only thought about tossing you out of the airlock a couple times,” he teases, but then he gets serious when he sees my look. “You stay here. Beckett is going to take off so the Starlight isn’t a sitting varlen in port, but she’ll keep close. We don’t know if there are any reports out about the ship, but best not to risk it. Then we’ll rendezvous back here in a couple of hours.”
“I think I should go with you and Gage.”
He turns to study me, one eyebrow raised.
“I’m not going to contact my mother,” I protest. “Surely you believe me by now?”
He looks pained, but he says, “I do.”
“I’m just thinking that if you do get into any trouble, then having me along might make a difference. You could use me—or rather pretend to use me—as a hostage. Or I could persuade them not to shoot you. The possibilities are endless.”
“I think you’ve forgotten that you are also wanted dead or alive.”
“I absolutely haven’t. But I’m convinced that there’s more than one lot of people after us. One group might want us all dead.” And I really wish I knew why. “But the other—the Corporation—I think likely just wants to get me back. And then there’s also a chance we might run into the security forces. My mom is bound to have everyone she can out looking for us.”
He’s considering it; I can all but see the thoughts flickering through his mind as he studies me, and I cross my fingers behind my back.
“You might have a point,” he says eventually, but then his lips twitch. “Hmm. Just give me a minute. I might have an idea.” He disappears in the direction of his room, then reappears a few moments later, looking way too pleased with himself. “Hold out your right hand,” he says.
I frown but do as he asks.
Then quickly regret it as, quick as a bug jumping off a dead drokaray, he grabs my wrist and slaps a silver cuff on it. I’m still staring at it in disbelief when he fastens the other half of the set to his left wrist, officially binding us together.
“What the actual fuck?” I screech, tugging at my wrist. “I thought you said you trusted me!”
“I said I believed you, and that is not the same thing,” he points out. “And anyway, this just proves your little hostage story. We’re making it believable.”
I scoff. “Sure, sure. And what sort of pervert actually carries handcuffs around with him?”
“One who’s prepared for anything.”
Merrick appears in the doorway to the bridge. He sees us, and his eyes widen, then narrow almost immediately. “Am I interrupting something?” The disapproval in his voice would be hilarious if I wasn’t freaking out so much at this newest turn of events.