be anywhere on Earth. Or even much farther away by now. Varrik tried not to let frustration take over. He’d expected disappointments. He knew Nazerel too well to think this would be easy. Still, he hadn’t expected to be shut down this quickly after the search began.
Chapter Five
Nazerel sat on the bed beside Morgan, watching her sleep. The hotel room Phil had provided was shabby, but clean. The Bilarrian trader promised to have Nazerel’s order ready by six o’clock the following morning. Nazerel was frustrated by the delay, but his request hadn’t been simple. Needing time to fill the order was a reasonable stipulation. When he told Phil the campsite had been compromised, the Bilarrian suggested that he take Morgan to one of Phil’s preregistered hotel rooms so they could get some sleep. Phil even gave them a backpack with clean clothes and toiletries. The layover had been a good idea. Nazerel didn’t require as much sleep as humans, but he’d already been up for almost twenty-four hours when this adventure began.
Exhaustion dragged him into a fitful slumber shortly after they arrived at the hotel, yet troubled thoughts soon had him brooding again. He needed to know exactly what had become of his men. If they were still on Earth, he might be able to free them. If they’d already been dragged back to Ontariese, he would have to be much more creative with his assistance.
Morgan murmured something in her sleep then shifted her bound hands to a different position. He’d unlocked her hands from the leash around her waist though he’d left the cuffs in place. Then he’d reinforced her natural need for sleep with a light compulsion before surrendering to oblivion himself.
She was more challenging than any adversary he’d faced thus far. Not physically, of course. But mentally, she was agile and strategic, using every weapon at her disposal with surprising skill. She’d negotiated, interrogated, bartered, and deceived. And through it all she never lost sight of her real motivation—escape.
When he regained consciousness on the floor of the tent, he’d decided to play his final card. Compassion. Could Morgan face her enemy helpless and in need of care and just walk away? He’d accurately predicted her actions. She had removed the collar, but not to tend his burn as he’d assumed. She’d been in the process of trigging some sort of signal rather than easing his pain.
He was relatively certain he’d stopped her before the signal had been activated. Still, he wasn’t willing to risk capture on a hunch. So he threw the collar in a lake many miles from the campsite then returned for Morgan. Abandoning the campsite had been frustrating, but it was the safest course. Finally, he’d contacted Phil, letting him know that plans had changed again.
Phil wasn’t the only one who needed to know his plans had changed. He took out his comlink and entered Garin’s personal identification code. He waited until Garin entered the corresponding code securing the connection then kept his message short and to the point.
Everything has unraveled. I need to arrive tomorrow morning.
After a short pause, Garin responded, You’re always welcome. Knock before you enter.
I have a reluctant guest. Is that a problem?
How reluctant?
There was no point in lying. She’d arrive in restraints. Very.
He could almost hear Garin’s sigh. This wasn’t the first time his decisions had created problems for his cousin. Is she dangerous?
Only a Rodyte would presume his guest was female. Not to you or your crew. She’s human. No Mystic abilities.
Then she is entirely your responsibility.
Understood.
See you tomorrow.
The connection terminated and Nazerel slipped the comlink back into his pocket. Morgan complicated his plans considerably. So why was he even considering taking her with him? Releasing his own heavy sigh, he reached out and caught a lock of her hair. The colorful strands curled around his finger, making his chest
Chapter Five
Nazerel sat on the bed beside Morgan, watching her sleep. The hotel room Phil had provided was shabby, but clean. The Bilarrian trader promised to have Nazerel’s order ready by six o’clock the following morning. Nazerel was frustrated by the delay, but his request hadn’t been simple. Needing time to fill the order was a reasonable stipulation. When he told Phil the campsite had been compromised, the Bilarrian suggested that he take Morgan to one of Phil’s preregistered hotel rooms so they could get some sleep. Phil even gave them a backpack with clean clothes and toiletries. The layover had been a good idea. Nazerel didn’t require as much sleep as humans, but he’d already been up for almost twenty-four hours when this adventure began.
Exhaustion dragged him into a fitful slumber shortly after they arrived at the hotel, yet troubled thoughts soon had him brooding again. He needed to know exactly what had become of his men. If they were still on Earth, he might be able to free them. If they’d already been dragged back to Ontariese, he would have to be much more creative with his assistance.
Morgan murmured something in her sleep then shifted her bound hands to a different position. He’d unlocked her hands from the leash around her waist though he’d left the cuffs in place. Then he’d reinforced her natural need for sleep with a light compulsion before surrendering to oblivion himself.
She was more challenging than any adversary he’d faced thus far. Not physically, of course. But mentally, she was agile and strategic, using every weapon at her disposal with surprising skill. She’d negotiated, interrogated, bartered, and deceived. And through it all she never lost sight of her real motivation—escape.
When he regained consciousness on the floor of the tent, he’d decided to play his final card. Compassion. Could Morgan face her enemy helpless and in need of care and just walk away? He’d accurately predicted her actions. She had removed the collar, but not to tend his burn as he’d assumed. She’d been in the process of trigging some sort of signal rather than easing his pain.
He was relatively certain he’d stopped her before the signal had been activated. Still, he wasn’t willing to risk capture on a hunch. So he threw the collar in a lake many miles from the campsite then returned for Morgan. Abandoning the campsite had been frustrating, but it was the safest course. Finally, he’d contacted Phil, letting him know that plans had changed again.
Phil wasn’t the only one who needed to know his plans had changed. He took out his comlink and entered Garin’s personal identification code. He waited until Garin entered the corresponding code securing the connection then kept his message short and to the point.
Everything has unraveled. I need to arrive tomorrow morning.
After a short pause, Garin responded, You’re always welcome. Knock before you enter.
I have a reluctant guest. Is that a problem?
How reluctant?
There was no point in lying. She’d arrive in restraints. Very.
He could almost hear Garin’s sigh. This wasn’t the first time his decisions had created problems for his cousin. Is she dangerous?
Only a Rodyte would presume his guest was female. Not to you or your crew. She’s human. No Mystic abilities.
Then she is entirely your responsibility.
Understood.
See you tomorrow.
The connection terminated and Nazerel slipped the comlink back into his pocket. Morgan complicated his plans considerably. So why was he even considering taking her with him? Releasing his own heavy sigh, he reached out and caught a lock of her hair. The colorful strands curled around his finger, making his chest
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