“Your baggage is in your cabins. You must be tired. Now that you’re here, we will take off immediately.”
He turned to lead them down the corridor.
Kora couldn’t take her eyes off him. She leaned into Aelanna and whispered, “Is this standard issue for bodyguards?Because I suddenly feel very protected.”
He was all height, shoulders and quiet power.
“The symmetry,” Nayli remarked. “His bone structure is unreal.”
Her curiosity overrode everything else, or her enchantment; Aelanna couldn’t decide which.
“Are all warriors this tall? And your hair—does it signify rank? Or family?” asked Nayli.
The warrior glanced at her over his shoulder with half a smile, clearly amused but respectful.
“I can’t speak for all species, but we are Dheltans and all Dheltan males are this tall.” His smile widened, showing perfect white teeth. Without fangs.
Aelanna’s heart raced.
“I’ll let my brothers share some of those answers,” he rumbled.
Nayli beamed.
Aelanna gave her the side-eye.Traitor.
He led them along the corridor which inclined upwards to another floor and reached an elevator. Aelanna looked around her. The walls glowed from within rather than being lit by fixtures, and the curves seemed organic. The way the soft underfloor lighting shifted subtly as they moved, guiding them. She became aware of a faint vibration, almost musical. It was hard to believe she was on an alien ship; it felt like a dream.
The warrior stood back to let them enter first and stepped in last of all. Aelanna kept sneaking glances at the alien’s reflection in the mirrored elevator walls. The warrior stood perfectly still, hands clasped behind his back, the picture of disciplined elegance.
If he felt Aelanna’s eyes on him, he didn’t show it.
“Guest cabins are waiting for you. You will find everything you need.”
Aelanna couldn’t believe they were on a spaceship. With aliens. About to leave Earth. It was so scary it was unreal.
When the elevator doors opened, they stepped out into another corridor. It was wider, warmer, with soft violet lighting and a faint scent like exotic flowers, though she couldn’t imagine what flowers on alien worlds were like.
Kora mumbled, “If the cabins are as pretty as the bodyguards, I’m never going home.”
Aelanna side-eyed her as well. “Not you, too. He heard that.”
“Possibly.” Kora shrugged, and if the alien had heard it, he didn’t comment or even react.
He was probably used to women falling for his looks. He was more than likely fighting admirers off all the time. Better not get too close to the guy.
The warrior gestured toward three doors in a line.
“You will rest here; there’s a room for each of you. I will remain close and you’ll meet my brothers shortly.”
Aelanna tensed at the wordmy. He turned to go and she opened the nearest door and went inside.
Her cabin was small but warm and welcoming. The same sunset glow lit the walls as it did in most of the ship — that she'd seen, anyway. There was a bed along one wall and low curved seating on the other wall. Her carry-on was strapped to the end of the bed. She sat on it, testing the mattress. She thought the air smelled floral, though she couldn’t be sure. The bedding was like an upmarket hotel on Earth, comfortable and luxurious. She looked around her. There was a closet, a small table and a mirror, and a door in the wall to the right of the front door. She got up and peeked in. It was a bathroom — all right, a shower room— with a toilet and a tiny sink. She figured they didn’t have room on spaceships for more.
Suddenly feeling exhausted, as if her energy had leached from her bones, she stripped off and went for a shower, but she couldn’t work out how to turn the water on.They did have water, right?Flustered, she threw her case on the bed and hurriedly dressed in a yoga top, pants and fresh underwear from her carry-on and went to check on the other girls.
Chapter 10
The Pioneer
