Luna soaked up the attention.
I stretched. Restlessness pulsed under my skin. I needed to move, not sit here and watch Valovia shrink on the displays. It was only evening standard time, so it was too early to sleep, even if I could get the adrenaline to subside long enough to attempt it. I didn’t trust Empress Nepru, and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I wasn’t the only one who was nervous. The bridge was full, even though we were almost a day and a half away from the first wormhole. My crew had changed out of the Valovian armor, but Torran’s team still wore theirs. I wasn’t sure if that was a bad sign, or if they were just more comfortable in armor than clothes.
“Eli, you have the bridge. I’m going to check on the others and then make a snack for anyone who wants one.”
“I have the bridge,” Eli acknowledged. “And if you’re making a snack, I vote cookies.”
“Oooh, yes, please,” Kee said, looking up from Luna. “I’m dying for some sugary goodness.”
I grinned at them. “I’ll see what I can do.”
I left the bridge with a wave and made my way to the crew quarters. Nilo had been put in Havil’s room while he recovered, so the doctor could keep an eye on him. The door slid open at my knock, and Havil smiled at me from where he was propped up in bed. Nilo remained out cold.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m feeling better,” Havil said. “And Nilo will be fine with a bit more rest.”
“Good. Let me know if you need anything.”
Havil nodded, and I waved before sliding the door closed. I moved down the hall and knocked on Torran’s door. I waited for a long moment, but no one answered. Worry nipped at me, but Torran could take care of himself. Maybe he’d decided to take Cien down to the medbay with him.
My stomach rumbled as I headed to the galley. Between the time changes and the weird double sunrises, my body had no idea what time it was supposed to be, but stress burned a lot of calories. Cookies sounded amazing.
The galley wasn’t empty. Torran and Cien sat at the table eating what looked like pasta and cheese. Torran still wore his armor, but Cien had obviously had a bath.
When Cien caught sight of me, he froze, his eyes huge and scared. I stopped near the door. Rather than focusing on him, I turned my attention to Torran. “Kee has requested cookies. Would you like to help me make them, or should I come back later?”
Torran turned to Cien. “Would you like a cookie?”
The child hadn’t taken his eyes off me, his food forgotten. He mumbled something in Valovan, but Torran just waited. Cien sighed. “What is a ‘cookie’?” he asked in Common, his tongue tripping over the unfamiliar word.
Torran said something in Valovan and Cien’s eyes widened, but he didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he watched me like a hawk. It broke my heart to see the kid so scared.
Then I felt the cool touch of a mind against mine, but rather than the light, delicate touch I associated with Torran, this was heavier, clumsier. “Reading a human’s mind without their permission is extremely rude,” I said, my voice gentle but firm. “It can be viewed as an attack.”
Cien’s chin tilted up. “Your shields are terrible.”
He looked so much like Torran right then that I had to bite my lip to suppress my smile. “Even if I didn’t have any shields at all, it’s still rude.”
He frowned. “Humans are strange.”
“Maybe it’s Valoffs who are strange,” I said. “But I bet you wouldn’t read another Valoff’s mind without permission, shields or no.”
Cien ducked his head and his pale cheeks flushed red.
“If you want to know something about me, just ask.”
“You could lie.”
“I could, but I won’t.” I waved at Torran, who’d been quietly watching our conversation. “Ask your uncle if you don’t believe me.”
Cien’s attention turned to his uncle, but he still watched me out of the corner of his eye. They spoke telepathically for a moment before Cien turned back to me, his eyes wide. I would’ve given just about anything to know what Torran had told him.
After a long pause, Cien asked, “Will you hurt me?”
“No. Nor will I allow anyone else to hurt you if I can prevent it.”
The suspicion didn’t drain from his expression. “If you make cookie,” he started, then paused with a questioning glance at Torran. After a bit of silent communication, Cien corrected himself. “If you make cookies, can I have two?”
I smiled at him. “Well, you’ll have to ask your uncle for permission, but as far as I’m concerned, you can have as many as you want.”
That earned me a shy smile, just the barest twitch of his lips. He inclined his head, as regal as the emperor he would one day become. “Okay. Make cookies.” At Torran’s pointed cough, he added, “Please.”
“I will have to enter the galley to cook,” I said. “Is that okay with you?”
Tension tightened his small frame, but he nodded.
I took the long way around so that I would pass behind Torran rather than Cien. As I did, I felt the lightest brush of a mind against mine. “Thank you,” Torran whispered into my head. The touch vanished before I could respond, but I gently tapped my fingers against his shoulder in acknowledgment.
“Cien is in the galley,” I said subvocally over the comm. “Avoid it for now because the kid is shaken. I’ll bring the cookies out when they’re done.”
I got back a wave of agreement.
I checked our supplies and decided to make two batches, chocolate chip and snickerdoodle. I worked on the chocolate chip cookies first, mixing the batter and dolloping it out on a tray. I felt Cien’s eyes on me the whole time.
Once the first batch of cookies was in the oven, I held out the spoon. “Want to lick the spoon?”
A brief flash of longing crossed Cien’s face before he shook his head. I shrugged and moved to pop it into my own mouth.
“I do,” Torran said.
I smiled and moved to hand it to him. “Good thing you weren’t any slower or you would’ve been too late.”
Rather than waiting for me, he stood and approached. I frowned at the way he favored his side. “Has Havil checked you over?” I hissed once he was close enough that Cien wouldn’t overhear.
“I’m fine,” Torran murmured.
So, that was a no, then. Before I could press him to go to the medbay, he wrapped his fingers around my hand that held the spoon. He lifted the spoon to his lips and licked the batter from the back of it, his eyes hot on mine. Desire blindsided me, and I shifted as I noticed just how close he was. I could just lean over and . . .
I shook myself. He hadn’t renounced the life debt yet.
He brought the spoon to my lips. “Try it,” he urged, his voice deep and tempting.
“There is a child in the room,” I whispered.
“And I’m showing him that you are trustworthy,” Torran replied just as softly, but his tone held a wicked edge of heat. “Touching you is just a bonus. As is tempting you.” He brushed the spoon against my lips.