Holding onto his oxygen mask, Darren was standing alongside the wall watching the repair bots which had patched thebreach. Pilot Joel and Engineer Yunus were also present. Aelanna went up to them and slipped her hand inside Darren’s arm. His hand found hers and squeezed it while he panicked about his brother, eyes searching frantically.
“Blayze. Is he—?”
Blayze stepped up to him. “Here, brother. I held on to the transporter.”
“Bless the dimming, you’re safe,” Darren rasped, choking with emotion, and he hugged his brother tightly to him.
Adrenaline coursed through him, making him lightheaded and his limbs fluttery, but that could have been made worse by his heavy intake of oxygen. Repair bots had found him almost immediately he had kicked the Drek into space; one had held the oxygen mask to his face, and he had gulped it while the other cut the ties on his wrists. Another pair of bots had done the same for Blayze.
Darren turned to Joel. “Will it hold until we get to Drypso?” he asked.
Joel nodded gravely. “Should do, but it’s a serious breach and we’ll keep the inner door locked just in case. I’ll post sentries on it in case anyone is foolish enough to try to come in here.”
“What happened? Are you hurt?” Aelanna asked, glancing anxiously between the pilot and Darren.
Joel looked at her. “Your bodyguards were very brave. I’ll make a detailed report in the diner, later.” Darren smiled down at her. They smiled at each other. He had saved her life and those of her friends. The idea warmed her insides, and she felt closer to him than ever. A sudden insight startled her: she loved him.
Kora came up and took Aelanna’s free hand. She took comfort from the physical gesture. “You alright, babe?” Kora asked.
“I’m fine, you?” Kora nodded and bit her lip.
“Where’s Lero?” asked Aelanna. “I haven’t seen him.”
The pilot answered her question. “He commed down from the cabin floor. He’s checking to make sure it’s clear of threat, and he’s patrolling the corridor. He says all the girls are accounted for except you three.” He turned to Darren. “Take your charges to their cabins, I’ll take over here.”
Nayli and Blayze had already left for the med bay. Aelanna and Kora gave the pilot a grateful smile and let themselves be taken to the elevator by Darren, who had an arm round each of them, his injured arm round Aelanna.
“Shouldn’t you get that seen to?” Aelanna asked as they went up.
“After I’ve dropped you off at your rooms.”
She frowned at the slash along his forearm and his bloody knuckles. The slash oozed blood, but he didn’t seem concerned by it, and she guessed Dheltan warriors were stoic by nature or by training. When the elevator arrived at their floor, the doors opened. They saw Lero patrolling in the empty corridor. Kora ran to him but stopped short of reaching him.
“Are you hurt?” she asked. She couldn’t help concern showing on her face.
“No,” came his answer and he hugged her. Darren’s brows shot up. By this time, he and Aelanna had reached Lero and they shook hands warmly and Lero hugged him too and slapped him on the back.
“Good to see we all made it, brother,” said Lero, the first time Aelanna had heard him choked up. He might be grumpy and give the others a hard time, but he’d shown at that moment he had as big a heart as his brothers. “I’m going to see Kora to her room and then I’ll check on Blayze,” he told them.
Darren nodded, placed a hand on the small of Aelanna’s back and they went into her cabin.
“Don’t you want to get your wound dressed?” she asked.
He guided her to sit on her bed. “I’m more worried about you. You’ve had a shock but you’re safe now.”
She was glad for his concern, but she didn’t want to be fussed over. “I’m fine. I’ll tell you if I need the doc.”
“Have you got a medical box in here?” he asked.
“I don’t know. What does it look like?”
They found one attached to a wall above the sink in the en-suite. It was white with a green cross printed on it and she guessed some symbols were universal. She wondered why she hadn’t noticed it before but she’d had no reason to.
He opened it and fumbled around inside. To her, it was obvious that his wound was hurting more than he let on, and he’d have to care for it single-handed. The enemy blade had slashed through the sleeve of his leather jerkin and cut him from elbow to wrist.
She took the box from him. “Here, let me do it. I was First Aid Officer at work.”
He gave in to her without protest, and she asked, “Can you take your jerkin off without disturbing the cut, or can I cut the sleeve?”
