“Yes,” he muttered.
Betrys glanced at her timepiece again.“Which bay is your shuttle parked?”
“C2,” he said, his eyes rolling in an alarming fashion.
She’d dress him on his shuttle.The longer they spent here, the greater the risk of discovery.
“I’m going to help you.I’ll put your clothes with you and help you dress later.Then I’m going to wheel you out and load you on Iseult’s fly-mo.You need to be quiet from the moment I wheel you out of here.Okay?”
“Yesss.”
His face had taken on a green tinge, and he looked as if he might vomit at any second.
She arranged him on the trolley with his clothes and boots and covered everything with the sheet.She grabbed currency from her stash, and with a quick prayer to the goddess, she opened the door and wheeled Leo outside.
Although the procedure seemed to take ages, in reality, she made good speed.She spied several of the guards from a distance, and they all staggered and scuttled in the same drunken manner as the first guard and Iseult.Something strange for her to puzzle out later.
With Leo stowed onboard, she closed the door and piloted the fly-mo from the mansion grounds.Designed to seat eight, the vehicle was simple to operate, and Betrys used it often while undertaking chores for Iseult.Including the disposal of bodies.None of Iseult’s staff would think it strange for her to leave the mansion.She’d stop by the market and grab the items on Amos’s list along with some of Iseult’s favorite treats to serve at the celebration later tonight.That might improve Amos’s mood too.
Betrys programmed in the directions for the spaceport—not far from the market—and went to check on Leo.His chest was rising and falling in rapid and shallow breaths, but the green tinge had receded from his features.A spasm vibrated through his muscles, locking his face into a contorted mask.
Betrys gripped his arm to stop him falling off the trolley.If anything, he appeared worse.What the goddess had been in that vial?
The spasm tapered off, and she left him to operate the fly-mo during the approach to the spaceport.Her com squawked, a terse employee from spaceport control demanding to know her destination.
“Mitchell craft.Bay C2 delivery,” she said and thanked her foresight for requiring each male to complete a form with details of their background.
“Go ahead,” spaceport control said.
Betrys flew to the correct bay and parked by a medium-size shuttle.She put the craft in park and hurried to Leo’s side.The spasms had tailed off, and now he sprawled like a weak newborn.
“Let me help you dress.Can you stand?”
“Think so,” Leo muttered.
He lurched off the trolley and almost face-planted the floor.“Think you overstated.”She gritted her teeth and struggled with his weight.Finally, she managed to prop him against the wall and yanked his trews from the trolley.His underwear would have to travel in his jacket pocket.“Lift your right leg.”
He frowned then lifted his left.
“Okay.I can work with that.”She eased the trews onto his legs and pulled them up.She wrestled him into his shirt and closed the fastenings.For a brief moment, she decided not to bother with his jacket, but he began to shiver.“Jacket next.”
By the time she managed to cram his feet into his boots, sweat beaded on her chest and forehead and wisps of hair escaped her donut-bun.
“Okay.”She shoved his underwear into his jacket pocket and slung her arm around his waist.“Let’s get you into your shuttle, then I’ll hire a droid to pilot you home.Someone on your end will need to return him.”
“’Kay.”
Betrys urged him to the exit.Everything was weird today, and she had no idea how long Iseult would be resting.She couldn’t risk staying away from the mansion for too much longer.
Leo stumbled, despite her help, and fell.He hit the floor with a thud, his shoulders heaving in rapid pants.
Panic roared through Betrys as she bent to assist him to his feet.“You’re too big.Too heavy for me.”
“Can’t…can’t…” Leo’s eyes rolled and the lights went out.
Goddess, he couldn’t be dead now, not after all this…
Betrys rested her fingers at the pulse point in his neck and found a heartbeat.A shaky laugh emerged, and she pressed the heels of her hands to her cheeks.On wobbly legs, she rose.The droid would have to help her load Leo into the shuttle.
