“And riskier,” Malik replied. “The Mir-Ferrin clan-lord wants the Mir-Brennan ruling family exterminated. He’ll have us shot out of the sky.”
Vic gave a slow nod, while Jenna suppressed a shiver.
Indeed, Mican Mir-Ferrin wouldn’t think twice about destroying one of his shuttles, if it could rid him of Cathal and his family.
She exhaled sharply then. “So, dawn it is?”
Malik nodded, his gaze finding hers. “I’d suggest we went at night, but even with the fast hoppers we’ve hired, it’s too risky … most of the things that’ll eat you on this planet are nocturnal. We don’t want to cross paths with a felda or a chelrog before reaching the tower.”
Jenna tensed. No, she wasn’t keen on an encounter with a giant desert crab or a chasm lizard either. She then rose to her feet. “We should all get some rest.”
Vic sank back in his seat and raked a hand through his short brown hair. “I suggest you do … we’ll leave here at 0600.”
“The trip to the tower shouldn’t take longer than an hour,” Malik replied. “The Passageexit lies a klick south of it.”
“Will the Mir-Ferrins have seen the exit?” Vic asked.
“Both the entrance and exit are disguised,” Jenna assured him, before adding, “it’s at the end of a ravine. The door looks like a sheer wall of rock … there’s no way the Mir-Ferrins will know about it … unless Cathal has told them.”
Vic leveled a look at her. “Would he have told your husband?”
She shook her head, surprised at how sure she was. Cathal might have discussed military strategy with Tian, but there were some things he would never reveal.
An ache rose under her breastbone. It would be strange sneaking back into a place that had once been her home. The Mir-Ferrins would have killed or imprisoned the Lord’s Watch and the House Guard, but what about the other staff who resided within the tower? She imagined they’d been ‘replaced’ with droids.
Swallowing a sigh, Jenna glanced over at the lounge’s single window. The shutters were open, revealing a strip of pink sky. The light was just starting to fade. The twilights were long on Idral—darkness wouldn’t settle for another couple of hours—but she needed a shower and some sleep. Her eyes were gritty, and tiredness dragged down at her. “Right … I’m off to bed then,” she announced. “See you both at dawn.”
“You might want to set an alarm,” Malik reminded her. “I’m going to.”
“I will.”
Leaving the lounge, Jenna stepped inside her small bedroom and pulled the door closed behind her. She then glanced around, taking in the plain sandstone walls and the tiny shower cubicle just off it. Her bag—her only luggage now—sat on the narrow bed.
It felt strange to be alone after spending the last few days with Malik.
Despite that he was only next door, she found herself missing his presence—a realization that disquieted her. In such a short space of time, her bodyguard had become important to her.
Trying to push aside the unsettling sensations, Jenna stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower cubicle. She switched it on, gasping as cool water peppered her skin. Water was precious on Idral—and although she’d been able to shower for as long as she wished back at Mir-Brennan Tower, most people who lived here didn’t enjoy such luxuries.
As soon as she turned the water on, Jenna noted there was a timer on the shower, which gave her three minutes to hurriedly soap down and wash her hair. She’d just rinsed the last of the soap suds off her roots when the water clicked off.
Grabbing a towel, she wrung out her hair and stepped out of the shower, walking naked across to the bed. The moment she left the cubicle, the warm air dried her. By the time she stretched out on the bed, her skin was barely damp.
Next door, she could hear the rumble of Malik and Vic’s conversation in the lounge. Listening to the rise and fall of their low voices, Jenna yawned and dug into her bag. Retrieving her tablet, she turned an alarm on for 5:30. Half an hour would be plenty for her to ready herself to depart. If she got up any earlier, nerves would just get to her.
She’d be nervous now if she wasn’t so exhausted.
Rolling over onto her stomach, she closed her eyes.
“Do you want a drink?” Vic retrieved a can of local brew from the fridge and held it up.
Malik nodded. He then stretched back on the sofa and placed his bare feet up on the low table. His limbs felt heavy, and he had a slight headache. He’d need to retire soon as well. However, he’d enjoy a cool drink first.
Beyond the open window, the sky was turning mauve, and now that the fiery sun was setting, the heat had started to wane. This had always been his favorite time of day on Idral: the long evenings when the town’s streets came to life, when you could finally breathe again.
The can opened with a hiss, and the first mouthful of brew bit at the back of Malik’s throat.
Vic seated himself on the sofa opposite. “This place is a furnace … did you really enjoy living here?”
