Page 49 of Tempting Fate

She gave me a grim smile. “They found Orukem’s speeder in the shrubbery not far from the mountain. No sign of her.”

Shit. “Airida said something about her making a delivery in the mountains?”

Daiytak nodded, grimacing. “There’s a chance she’s harmed Orukem. If we get too close, she’ll hurt us too.”

“She? Who? Hurt how?”

“Mind-husker,” she said, as if that was all the explanation I needed. “Nobody approaches the mountain without prior arrangement.”

Mind-husker? What the fuck was that? “But Orukem…?”

“Takes her deliveries when she needs them. Never had a problem before.” She shook her head, headspines flinging about the place, lips twisted in a snarl. “I swear, if I could go up there and kill her, I would. Nobody harms one of our own. Nobody. We’ll get her back.”

I clasped her arm. “I know you will. Is it safe here? Can I do anything?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just look after Airida.” Daiytak pulled out her comm, already swiping over the holographic display as she walked off.

Airida who occupied too many of my thoughts.

Airida who was angry with me.

I blew a long sigh at Daiytak’s retreating back and tipped my face to the yellow sky.

Until Orukem returned. I could handle this. I could.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Okay, Kitten

Imani

I’D NEVER BEEN one to sleep on an argument, and I wasn’t going to start now, so I grabbed some drinks and headed back to Airida’s hut.

His face remained impassive when he saw me. “Imani.”

“Hey. I brought some fruit juice. Not sure if you liked it.”

“What flavour?”

I peered at the bottle. What was the blocky purple one again? “Well, now you’ve got me second-guessing myself.” I held it out. “That’s awmi fruit, right?”

He regarded it for far longer than necessary.

Fine, he was pissed at me. But either we cleared the air, or he could prove what a dick he was, and both options were fine by me.

His lizard fluttered in through the open window, landing on his headspines, and Airida gave the tiniest smile. “Yes, that’s awmi. My favourite. Thank you.”

Well, that was something. I poured two mugs and handed one to him. “Peace offering?”

He took it, his fingers skimming mine. “What have you been doing?”

“Just sketching.”

“You are an artist?”

“No.” I pulled a ridiculous face. “I like to draw. I’m no artist.”

He pushed his glasses up his nose and regarded me with a flat stare. “Show me.”