Amina
Amina would love to say waking up to find Helmen staring down at her with frowning ears folded halfway down had never happened before, but that would be a lie.
Stifling a yawn, Amina kept her eyes focused on her upset cousin and captain as she sat up. “Good morning?”
“What are you doing in here?”
In here? Why wouldn’t she be on her own…wait, this wasn’t her cabin! That’s when Amina noticed she was fully dressed. Why hadn’t she changed into her warm, fuzzy sleeping outfit?
With a little gasp, she looked behind her to find Myrum looking up at her.
“Oh, hi! You must be hungry,” Amina declared cheerfully. Ruby poked her head out from under the blanket she’d draped over her and Myrum’s neck. “And you too. I’ll get us all breakfast.”
“Amina!” Helmen snapped. “Before you start acting like this Talin’s servant, why don’t you explain to me why I found youasleep in his bunk?”
Ohhh, when she used that tone, she was pissed!
“Well, you said I could stay with him,” Amina said, trying very hard to look innocent. “There weren't any limits on how close I could get.”
“I’d think it would be implied after what happened yesterday,” Helmen said. She rubbed the back of her head and made an irritated sound similar to a growl.
“Please don’t punish Amina for being kind to me,” Myrum said, his voice soft and pleading. “My earlier actions were unconscionable. I’m deeply sorry. I can only say I would never deliberately hurt anyone. I’ll understand if you want to leave me tied to this bed for the entire journey.”
“I know why he acted badly,” Amina said. She felt Myrum tense and expected him to demand she keep his secrets. She spoke quickly before he could say anything. “I’m sure he won’t do that again. It’s fine, Helmen. He’s safe to let loose.”
“I doubt that,” Helmen said. “Can you tell me more about why?”
Amina shook her head. “It was told to me in confidence.” She looked back at Myrum. “It’s your story to tell, not mine.”
“No.” The single word held a universe of pain in it. Helmen must’ve heard it because her ears relaxed into their normal position.
“Don’t speak, it’s fine,” Helmen said. “Amina has said enough. Still, I’m not ready to trust you to run around the ship without any way for us to easily subdue you.”
“I could rig a collar with a lancer,” Desur said. Amina stood up and turned to see Desur standing next to the door. He had his back pressed against it, as if scared Myrum would jump up and attack.
“Collar?” Myrum said. “What do you mean?”
Desur jumped a little when Myrum addressed him. “Uh, I could make a collar that could, uh, drug you if you acted out.”
“How would the collar know I was acting out?” Myrum asked. He sounded curious, not confrontational. His calm attitude gave Desur the courage to take a small step away from the door.
“There would be a remote,” Desur said. “We know a lancer drug can work on you, so if something happens, we can drug you again.”
“Again? Is that how you subdued me before? Whoever did it was very brave. I’d like to commend them.”
All eyes turned to Amina. She felt her face get hot. “Um, that might’ve been me.”
“Clever,” he said with a purr. “And brave.”
She was desperate to change the subject. “You’d be willing to wear a collar that could drug you at any time?”
“Yes,” he said, then seemed to consider it a little longer. “I have moving plates running down my spine. If a collar goes over them it will make it hard for me to look up or down.”
Desur suddenly looked intrigued. He loved puzzles, and his interest in solving this pushed away his fear of Myrum.
“Let me research it,” he said and rushed from the room.
“You don’t seem to mind wearing a collar,” Helmen said.
