“Arrazyl?” her voice was breathy and uncertain, and her pulse quickened. Whether it was from fear or excitement, I wasn’t sure.
I took a calming breath—she hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, she was trying to help. “It’s something to keep in mind. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.”
She remained tense and my first instinct was to comfort her. I froze as I realized Jzulyk was right. I shouldn’t be involved with the humans. It was causing me to forget my duty as Vorazyr to protect my vorpyrren from the humans. All of them. Whatever I was feeling for this female, it made me weak. And I didn’t allow weakness in my life.
I withdrew from her and stood. “Did you get the information you need for the field trip?”
She tilted her sweet face up toward me, eyes questioning. “Yes, I did.”
“Then come, we’ve been out here a while, I’m sure you’re hungry and tired.”
If my abruptness confused her, she didn’t comment on it. This time when I grabbed her I turned her, so she was facing away from me so she couldn’t press herself to me, cling to me.
As I rose high in the air, I smelled her fear. She would have been more comfortable facing me. It didn’t matter. I hardened my heart. I refused to allow this female to control me. I didn’t know when I’d started letting softness for her invade me, but what I was certain of was that it was dangerous and I was putting a stop to it. Now.
Chapter 15
Nearly a week passed since I’d last seen Arrazyl. When I’d spent the day teaching the children what I could, I’d thought Arrazyl would be present. But if he was, he didn’t show himself. There had been two warriors there, though, watching me. I found myself wishing Arrazyl had been there. He’d been strange on the flight back from checking out the areas I could teach at, and I wondered if I’d made a mistake telling him my thoughts. Perhaps I’d grown too comfortable with him. He had that effect on me.
Vuldrex and Junyv, who I now knew were the main stewards of the Vorazyr’s house, came almost every day with work or to check on our progress. We’d gotten along and they’d been kind. They were nothing like the vorpyr who’d refused to providea drink for me. It shouldn’t have mattered, but my thoughts drifted to that interaction more than once.
I’d been assigned to study the business culture of an alien species, which was slow going given that they didn’t allow me access to any tech connected to a network, but at least it kept me from going stir crazy.
“You should eat something.” Jaron sat down next to me at the table.
“Don’t you miss a good old-fashioned burger or mac and cheese?” I asked, propping my chin on my fist. “Or hashbrowns. Who thought I’d miss hashbrowns?”
“Don’t forget chocolate.” Tatiana added from the living room floor, where she was putting something together. I couldn’t tell what it was. She’d brought it in the last time she’d been let out by a steward.
“Or ice cream.” I sighed.
“Or chocolate ice cream.” Jaron said dryly. “It sounds like you need some sugar in your diet.”
“Thanks.” I grumbled, rubbing my forehead.
Athunkat the door announced someone before the door slid open, revealing Junyv. She stepped inside gingerly. “Jacqueline? Would you come with me?”
I was glad for the break and got to my feet.
“It seems busier around here lately.” I observed as we made our way to the main house. I’d noticed it when Vuldrex had taken a walk with me through the city yesterday. It still amazed me that I hadn’t stepped foot on the ground once to get around.
“That’s because the city is getting ready for the annual festival.” She led me inside and up a spiral staircase to a large balcony that curved out away from the main structure in a u-shape.
Thyra was sitting at a table and smiled at me, waving me to the seat next to her. “I’m glad to see you.”
I said hello and settled in next to her. Junyv poured me a cup of a drink I could only assume was like tea. In the middle of the blond wood table was a tiered tray with bite sized foods.
“I’m up to my ears in festival plans, so I’m wondering if you would help me with these.” She gestured at a hologram of pages spread in front of her of some type of agreement in the intergalactic language. “And when I sayif, I mean it.” Her eyes, a deep purple, were gentle when they met mine. “We have asked you to do quite a lot in the last couple of weeks and if you can’t do both that and this right now, I understand.”
To say I was taken aback was an understatement. I studied the pages to give myself a moment to think. “This looks like an initial agreement to start negotiations.” From what I’d seen so far, there were contracts for everything between species, even contracts allowing them to start speaking about business. “I know I’ve said it before, but I’m not trained in contracts. However, if you download information about the species from the network like you did for the other one you had me do, I’ll start researching right away.” It would be good. I needed to stay busy to keep my thoughts from wandering home, as they’d been doing so much lately.
Heavy bootsteps announced Kyvar as he came onto the balcony. He strode over and plucked a bite off the tray, popping it into his mouth with a moan. “It’s been too long since I last ate.”
“Go get a proper meal before you eat all of my appetizers.” Thyra shooed him.
Instead of leaving, he propped a hip on the table and looked over the documents. “Passing your work on again, huh?” He winked at Thyra who scowled at him, then plucked another morsel up and tossed it into his mouth.
Vuldrex came onto the balcony with another pot of tea and filled our cups.
