Nykyrian put his fork down and eyed Rachol with a dark frown. "You know, I always wondered what it would feel like to strangle a Ritadarion."
Kiara glanced to Rachol, not sure if Nykyrian was joking.
Rachol continued to smile. "You missed your chance three years ago on Tondara."
"And never got over it."
Kiara continued to listen to their banter. She was amazed at how well they got along and was certain Nykyrian wouldn't allow anyone else to treat him so lightly. After a few minutes, Nykyrian excused himself and went to the main room.
"Is he really all right?" Kiara whispered to Rachol.
Rachol leaned down to her. "Whispering does absolutely no good around him, he can hear from miles away. It's one of those damnable Andarion traits."
Rachol straightened and continued talking, "He's just sullen as a swollen gimfry." He popped his knuckles. "So what trouble shall we get into?"
"I thought you had too much to do to be troubled in this place." Nykyrian's voice traveled into the kitchen without him shouting.
Kiara raised her eyebrows, surprised he really could hear them.
Rachol winked at her. "I do, but you're crazed if you think I'm leaving this sweet thing in your surly presence."
Nykyrian said som ething else in that strange language he used with Rachol.
Kiara looked at Rachol and saw his eyes widen before he shot from the kitchen.
"Bredeh's coming for her," Nykyrian said in Ritadarion to Rachol. He glanced up to see Kiara join them from the kitchen.
"Do you think he'll bomb the building?"
Nykyrian nodded, his stomach tightening at the thought. "We've got to move her. Call her father on the telelink, tell him he has less than a half hour to get here and see her before we leave. Scramble the message."
Rachol nodded and moved to comply. Nykyrian beckoned Kiara to come to him. She hesitated for a moment, before walking forward.
Taking a stylus and computer ledger, Nykyrian wrote his commands for her: “We have reason to believe we're being monitored. I need you to pack enough clothes for several days. We have to move quickly.”
Her eyes widened as she read the note. "Oh God," she whispered and ran from the room.
Kiara trembled in fear. Who was monitoring them? Was it this mysterious Aksel? She opened her bedroom door and heard Rachol arguing with her father over the telelink next to her bed. Through the view screen, she could see the worry in her father's face as he glared at Rachol. Cold, clammy sweat chilled her hands.
"Father," she said, as she stepped into range for the viewer and interrupted his long list of what he intended to do to Rachol. "Everything is fine. I trust them completely."
"I don't," he snapped, eyeing Rachol with a murderous glare.
"Trust my instincts," she said, placing a hand on Rachol's shoulder to prove her words.
She was a bit surprised Rachol didn't protest.
Instead of calm ing her father, the gesture seemed to push his anger to full boil. "Don't you dare move her until I get there, or you'll wish to God you had stayed in whatever hole you crawled from!" He cut the transmission.
"Geez," Rachol snorted. "What a grouch."
"He's just worried about me."
Rachol scratched the stubble on his cheek. "Yeah, well, the man needs a couple of drinks."
Before Kiara could reply, Nykyrian leaned through the door and tossed Rachol his blaster. "The attack's already started."
Kiara went cold. Nykyrian stepped back and Rachol ran to the front.
"I'm scared," she whispered, half expecting to drop into a faint at any moment.
"Don't be," Nykyrian reassured her. "They've got to come through me and I'm no easy obstacle." He held his blaster in his left hand and stretched his right hand out to her.
Without hesitation, she placed her icy hand into his large, warm one. She knew she was safe.
He pulled her with him out into the hallway. They crouched together beside the bar.
Nykyrian surrounded her with warmth, her back against his chest. She could smell the clean scent of soap from his skin.
Rachol hid behind the chair closest to the door. Kiara stared at the laser cutting through the door, remembering her brief time on board her kidnapper's shuttle.
She swallowed her panic, telling herself Nykyrian was here this time and he would see her to safety. As if he knew her thoughts, he rubbed a comforting hand down her arm.
She stared at his left hand held out near her face and watched him click back the release of his blaster. Waiting.
The hissing of the torch grew louder.
"When they come through, be prepared to run," Nykyrian whispered to her, his warm breath stirring her hair and raising a chill on her cheek.
She nodded.
"Meet me at the usual rendezvous," he shouted to Rachol over the sound of her door splintering.
Kiara's heart pounded in her ears, deafening her to all other sounds. The charred stench stuck in her throat and choked her. Fear restricted her vision and all she could focus on was the weakening door that separated them from the men who wanted to kill her.