Chapter 20
“Sharon, you need to eat.” TanAR pushed her tray closer to her. “You need to eat.”
“I’m not that hungry.” Sharon ignored her tray of food.
“If you don’t eat, I will tell MarIK.”
She glared at him. “You wouldn’t.”
“Yes, I would. He worries about your well-being — and he should, as your potential mate.”
“You’re not playing fair.”
“I don’t completely understand that but I won’t let up until you have a full meal in you.”
Sighing, she picked up her fork and began to eat. The more she ate, the more she realized that she really had been hungry after all. Before she knew it, she had eaten the entire tray of food. She looked up as she finished the last bite, and TanAR smiled with satisfaction.
“Do you feel better?”
Begrudgingly, she admitted, “I do. Thank you for being such a good friend.”
“It is my honor that you consider me your friend. Are you done eating? You will feel even more refreshed after a good night’s sleep.”
She frowned. “I won’t sleep good until MarIK is free.”
“You care for him deeply, don’t you?”
“I’m in love with him. It happened so quickly. Our spirits seemed to connect instantly. I could talk to him for hours about nothing at all or simply let him hold me quietly. He gets me.”
“He’s a lucky male to have your love,” TanAR told her sincerely.
“I’m lucky to have found him. I—” She was interrupted by a loud beeping sound and the dizzying sight of the lights flashing red and green. “What is that?”
TanAR jumped up to his feet, as did all the other warriors. “You need to return to your quarters now, Sharon.”
“Why?”
“We’re about to go into battle.”
“Is it the Morins?”
“I don’t know yet.” He was ushering her out of the meal room, trying to protect her from being crushed by the warriors. “Go to your quarters and stay there until the lights stop flashing.”
“TanAR…” He was already running off in the direction of the docking bay. He would take a war ship out to fight. She worried about him, but as she started heading to her quarters, she realized that she wanted to be with MarIK instead.
She changed direction and took the lift down to where the holding cells were located. There weren’t as many warriors guarding the cells as before; they were all taking their position preparing for a battle. There were only two guards left and they looked at her with frustration.
“Miss Task, what are you doing back here?”
“I want to remain with MarIK until the battle is over.”
“That we cannot do without the Commander’s approval. You will have to leave.”
“It will be all right, Sharon. Go to your quarters,” MarIK told her.
She glanced at him once more before walking out. Distracted by her feelings about leaving him there, she didn’t realize she had turned down the wrong hallway. As she was about to turn back, she caught sight of a body on the floor. She cautiously approached it and realized it was one of the guards. Suddenly, she heard several men’s voices and she recognized one of them — OrIN.
“It’s about time. Free my warriors and prepare to leave. I have a score to settle first.”
