Fiona pulled herself up, swung out of bed herself—enjoying that the height of the bed was Balcoan and human-sized, rather than the higher beds of the Grih—and pulled on the dressing gown that came with the room.
Given she hadn’t heard signs of fighting from beyond, she guessed it had been Trayla.
She had slept with her reflector bracelet on, and she enjoyed the comfort of knowing it would protect her as she opened the door and stepped out into the shared lounge of the suite.
It was morning—she had obviously managed quite a few hours of sleep—and the room was flooded in light.
Trayla, Natta, his handler and Hal all turned to her.
It looked like there was an uncomfortable tension in the room.
“Natta, you look better.” She was pleased to see he looked completely healed.
“I heard it was your turn to go to hospital.” He was studying her as if assessing whether she was really okay, and she sent him a smile.
“I fortunately don’t like the taste of grilko. It saved me.” She looked over at Trayla, and saw her new friend was also watching her, hands clasped together. “You all right, T?”
Trayla blinked. “Better, now I know you’re okay. You should have woken me last night.”
“I was too tired to do anything but collapse,” Fee told her. “I was barely making sense, so there was no good reason to wake you just to let you know I was going to bed.”
“You shouldn’t have been asleep—” Natta’s boss, Lieutenant Crin, started speaking, but Hal stopped her with a chop of his hand.
“It was after two in the morning, we entered extremely quietly, and Trayla had been working for almost a full day and night by then. With no one to switch off with.” Hal outranked Crin, and her eyes widened at his rebuke.
“Point taken. My apologies, Corporal.” Crin inclined her head in Trayla’s direction.
“That said, as we all seem to be here, let’s order some breakfast and talk this over.” Fiona yawned. “I need to shower, though.”
By the time she was showered, dressed and stepped back out into the lounge, breakfast had been delivered. And to her relief, it looked as if someone, probably Hal, had made sure there were plenty of Balcoan dishes included, not just the standard Grihan fare.
Trayla looked as if she’d dived through the shower, too, and Hal had been right behind her in the bathroom.
She’d flicked him a look as he’d stepped under the water, and he’d smiled at her.
“It was your idea to order breakfast,” he reminded her.
“I know.” She watched him a moment longer. “I’m just too darn dedicated, is all.” She grinned. “And hungry. I think they might have pumped my stomach last night.”
She was in the lounge, helping Trayla lay out the breakfast the hotel had brought them on the big dining table, when Hal stepped out of their room. His casual clothing seemed to surprise the rest of their company, and she watched their reactions as he eased himself down at the table beside her.
“I’m getting the sense you are considered a Big Deal,” Fiona said, looking over at him. “Is that because you’re the captain of a battleship?”
Trayla’s eyes widened and her nostrils flared, and Fee guessed she was right on the money. “I’ll take that as a yes,” she said at the shocked silence from everyone else and the raised eyebrows from Hal. “Will your dread and awe hinder you from speaking out?”
Trayla smothered a quick laugh, then cleared her throat. “Iama little intimidated, but no.”
“I might have been, before, but after that look Captain Vakeri just gave you, I don’t think I am anymore.” Natta looked amused.
“What look was that?” Fiona asked.
“Exasperated,” Natta said.
Lieutenant Crin seemed more and more shocked, and Hal leaned forward.
“I’m here because Fiona is extremely important to me, not in my role as a battleship captain. Let’s put rank aside for now.”
Fiona didn’t know if Crin was capable of that, but she said nothing, and Fiona began to put food on her plate.
