Torkel's Chosen by Michelle Howard Page B

positions they’d used when they escorted her to the market.
Inside, Faye cried out in misery. What had she done?
    ***
     While Geile
waited by the front door, Faye put away her new things and changed clothes. The
men were going down to the recreation room and Faye decided to hang with them.
Being alone in the quarters she shared with Torkel right now scared her. She
hadn’t had any problem until the stranger cornered her.
    The recreation
room was full of laughter when she and Geile arrived. She carried with her one
of the packages she’d bought at the market. Gregir and Jaron tossed an oblong
ball around from one to another. Arak focused on a table top game and Kyele
manned his customary position holding up the wall with his arms folded over his
chest.
    Over the last ten days
they had opened up to her. Slowly Faye learned their quirks and odd mannerisms with
the exception of Kyele. He was different. Standoffish. More than his scarred
visage kept him separate but she couldn’t put her finger on the reason. He
watched her constantly and this would have worried her if not for the fact he
watched her more when she and Torkel interacted together.
    Today, she hoped
to break through his icy reserve with the item she’d bought from the market. Perhaps
she’d make enough for all three of Torkel’s teams. All of the men from Torkel’s
unit were nice to her but Faye had to admit to a fondness for Team One because
she spent more time with them.
    “Jaron can you
show me how to work the cooking device? I want to prepare something.”
    Jaron flung the
ball at Gregir and jogged over. When he noticed what she held in her hand, his
smile brightened. “I haven’t had this since my maman used to make it.”
    She sighed with
relief. The packet reminded her of frozen cookie dough. “It’s a snack, right?
I’m not about to serve something nasty to everyone?”
    He chuckled and
set a timer on the table-top silver box that she’d seen everyone making meals
in. “It’s a common sweet pastry. This is set. Just break it into squares and
place inside.”
    Faye followed his
instructions carefully and hit start. Simple.
    Jaron crossed his
legs at the ankle. “You do know we have a fully staffed kitchen downstairs for
all our meals.”
    She shoved her
fingertips in the pocket slits of her bright yellow skirt. The gauzy material
reached her ankles and flowed when she walked. The white top billowed around
her waist. Enotian clothing rocked and her new outfit didn’t looked bad at all on
her. For a race of thin people they sure knew how to design outfits that
flattered all shapes.
    “I wanted to do
something nice since the team got stuck babysitting me.”
    He snickered.
“Even when I understand your Earth words they don’t always make sense. We’re
not babying you. Torkel entrusted your care to us. He would do the same for any
of us if our Chosen needed to be safe during a mission.”
    Faye appreciated
his honesty and felt less like a burden. “Are there any other Chosen here?”
    “You and Lissi are
the only ones.” He referenced Torkel’s sister. “She stays with Shaya and Marlin
when her Chosen is gone.”
    Faye frowned.
“Have I met him?”
    Jaron shook his
head. “Her Chosen is the team lead for Team Three. I call them the team you
don’t want to meet in the dark.”
    The ball sailed
passed his face and clattered to the floor. “Enough talk, Jaron. Come back.”
    Geile and Gregir
both glared in the kitchen nook. Jaron grabbed the ball with a wink for Faye.
“When it beeps take them out.”
    Minutes later Faye
had four men vowing eternal loyalty if she’d make the dessert again. Apparently
it was a childhood sweet that held fond memories for all of them but no one
cooked it any more. The one she wanted to win over didn’t make loyalty promises.
Kyele waited for everyone to head back to their quarters later that night and
volunteered to escort her back to the place she shared with Torkel. He stopped
at the door but