And I’m utterly besotted. I can’t stop thinking about her and her reactions, and when I get to touch her next, and I need to focus on the situation at hand. So I run a hand down my face, trying to put on a calm demeanor once more. I glance over at Adi. “You eat breakfast?”
He gestures at his station, now covered in crumbs and a stray noodle. “Here. Because I was afraid if I left, Zebah’d keffing carry off some of the equipment or something. Why are those two females so keffing unstable?”
I shrug. “Because that’s how they operate best? As long as they’re on our side, consider it lucky.”
“I heard my name,” a familiar voice purrs, and Zebah saunters onto the bridge, her hips swinging and tail mimicking her sashay. “Are you saying mean things about me, sweet Adi?”
My brother looks distinctly uncomfortable. “Not your sweet anything,” he mumbles. The expression on his face is the same one he wears when we discover one of the food packs in the mess hall has gone bad. Like he wants to run away, or puke, or both. “My mate will gut you if she hears you flirting with me.”
“Then it’s a good thing she isn’t here,” Zebah teases. “And I’m not flirting. I’m being friendly.” She saunters over to Kaspar’s empty seat and sits down, then stretches her legs out onto his controls. “So what’s the plan, males? You have my tracker’s information, and you have to admit that it’s been pretty handy, yes? I like to think that I’ve earned the right to be on this little adventure of yours.”
Adi sends me a worried look over his shoulder. When Zebah isn’t looking in his direction, he grazes his thumb over his neck, the universal sign for “kill it.” As in, Adi wants me to shut whatever she suggests down.
“This isn’t an adventure,” I say coldly. “This is a rescue. And you’re welcome to help us rescue, but I need you to understand there’s very few credits to be won during this mission.”
She shrugs. “I’m less interested in credits to be made. I already know we’re not selling the humans, right? But I don’t have to deal in credits. I can be paid in other ways.”
Her tone has grown purring again. Adiron’s expression grows more alarmed.
“What ways?” I ask, my words blunt. “You do realize that we’re not going to turn around and let you sell information about the humans we rescue just to line your pockets? I mean it when I say they’re off-limits.”
“Not the humans,” she continues in that too-sweet voice.
“Then what?” I snap.
Zebah licks her lips. “I need you to get Bethiah off my back. She’s going to kill me, I think.”
CHAPTER 78
MATHIRAS
“You know she was watching me breathe this morning? I woke up with her a handspan from my face and this crazy light in her eyes. She’s going to kill me and wear my skin,” Zebah complains, following me off the bridge.
I ignore her griping as best I can, but since she’s determined to follow me, I answer. “Then you shouldn’t have stolen her ship.”
“It wasn’t even her ship! She stole it,” Zebah protests. “Why am I the bad guy here? I’ve been more helpful than she has.”
“It’s not a contest,” I say.
“Isn’t it?” Zebah marches out in front of me. “Bethiah is here to get under my skin and to get you to turn against me. She’s messing with me because she knows it’s the best way to get back at me.” She puts her hands on her hips, glaring at me. “I could have kept that information for myself, you know. Put the tracker on the slaver and sold off his location to the highest bidder. But I didn’t. You guys helped me out, so I’m helping you. And now I need you to get that crazy female off my back.”
I bite back a sigh. Zebah isn’t wrong. She complains a lot, but she’s not wrong. She has been helpful and committed to our cause. Bethiah is just, well, Bethiah. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Good! She’s in with the humans.” Zebah gestures back at the bridge. “I’m going to go over there and stay out of everyone’s way.”
Everyone except Adi, it seems. I grunt a response and head toward the rec room. The humans will either be in there or be hiding out in Helen’s old room. I hope Bethiah isn’t harassing them like she is Zebah. It’s been so busy that I’ve completely lost track of everything going on. I don’t think I’ve said more than two words to the humans, and as captain of the ship, that’s something I need to amend.
When I enter the rec room, I’m surprised to see Helen is there with both Bethiah and the two humans. They all sit at a table together, peering intently at what looks like a game of Sticks. “Okay now, pay attention,” Bethiah is saying in the nicest tone I think I’ve ever heard her use. “You get points based off of how many sticks your other sticks are crossing, but if one from the bottom pile touches one of the top of the pile, you lose all your points. Understand?”