Page 19 of Tempting Fate

“… rather you focused on the new construction. We have the rescue in hand, but we may have trouble here. Bounty hunters.”

A deep sigh. “Anything to do with what happened on Orith?”

“Most likely, but it’s not what you think. It’s for him,” the first speaker said. Tokki.

The other person let out a growl. “Skikking noble troublemaker.”

“It’s not his fault,” Tokki reprimanded, voice sharp. “But nevertheless, we must be vigilant.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

They’d started walking again, the voices growing fainter, and I strained my ears. “No. Shohari said…”

What had Shohari said? But they’d gone out of earshot.

Fuck. Bounty hunters? Coming here?

“Well that’s more interesting than Ellie’s lack of alien cock,” Fenn said. “But, damn.”

“What do we do?”

“What do you mean?”

“If I was Airida, I’d want someone to tell me.” He might be a spoiled noble, but he had a right to know.

“Maybe? But what do we know about how these things work? Tokki didn’t sound worried.”

I dug my hands into the moss. “I guess.”

Airida would be safe enough in Zyamzh. What with the shaa’ith basically being their own military unit and the deflector shield tech augmenting the original stone walls, the place was defensive enough.

A gust of wind whipped through the garden, bending tree branches and casting their leafy shadows over us. I pulled my jacket closer. Why was I even worrying? Tomorrow was our last night here. Like they all kept saying, this was shaa’ith business. If Tokki wasn’t worried, I wouldn’t be either.

CHAPTER TEN

Brave New World

Airida

KALIDI ROSE ONLY three times a day now, and I could scarce believe I’d been on Vadias half a week. Walking came easier now—I couldn’t go far without running out of energy, but every moment of more strength lifted my mood.

After making a mug of arl-krei tea in the small cooking facilities, I settled in the comfy chair by the window. From here I could see the swaying boughs of a tree, some stone ruins—of buildings similar to the one I occupied, I thought—and beyond that, more varied foliage as the ground dropped away over a low hill. A rough path wound its way down and out of sight.

Think. You do not wish to be here, true, but you are. Be logical.

I still was not ready to look at work, and I had to remind myself Shohari did not expect it. Truly, it was a relief not having the pressure of staring at trading indexes for hours. In my old life, even on days where I felt unwell, I had been expected to do my duty, to have planned my sister’s next nine moves.

And… many of those unwell feelings were mine no longer. The sickness and fever of withdrawal were no longer my companions either. Other than aching muscles, I was left with fatigue that came and went—and though unwelcome, both were old friends, ones I could manage.

What would Kimivha have said? Oh, I dearly missed the old retainer. His grizzled face swam in my mind, golden eyes sparkling in the sunlight as he’d say, “Airida, do not focus on what you do not have, what you cannot do. Consider three good things you do have. Three things you can do.”

Very well, old male, I shall do that.

One. I had my health, a gift I never imagined.

Two. If my legs would allow, I had the freedom to walk as far as I wished—outside this village’s bounds, should I desire it—and nobody would stop me.

Three. I had the possibility of friends.