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  “Again?” he asked.

  “Yes, Kyr,” she said. “Again.”

  It was Kyr’s turn to grin. “That’s the first time you’ve called me by my given name,” he said, just before he kissed his woman.

  “The snow berry bushes are two kigs down the ravine,” said Aja.

  “I remember.”

  “And there’s a cave just above them where you can conceal yourself.”

  “Aja.” Kyr kissed her. “You’re repeating yourself.”

  “I’m just... I’m concerned. This man is important to you. He’s been a valuable member of your crew and I’m, well, I’m responsible for his death.”

  “He’s not dead yet,” replied Kyr. “And the responsibility will be mine, not yours. It’s precisely because he is a member of my crew that I am responsible for his actions.”

  “But I’ve seen his death so in a sense it’s already happened, and it’s happened because of me.”

  “No, love, it’s happened because Wyer is about to do something terrible to you and I intend to prevent that.”

  Aja studied his face for a moment. “Thank you.”

  “There’s no need to thank me. Your safety comes before everything.”

  “Our safety,” Aja corrected him. “We face the future together.”

  Kyr stretched out his hand and Aja pressed her palm against his. “The Blood will improve your intuition, increase your strength. Trust your instincts,” she said. “Don’t fear the power I’ve given you. Use it.”

  “You have faith that I won’t abuse the power?”

  Aja leaned close. “If I didn’t…” she whispered against his lips… “I’d never have shared myself with you in the first place.”

  Kyr wrapped his arms around her. “Today we’ll do what needs to be done. Tomorrow we leave. Have you found a way out of this trap yet?”

  “Yes. Our escape is in the rising sun. If all goes well, we leave tomorrow at dawn. Have you spoken with Mr. Fedd?” Aja pulled away from him.

  “No. The less he knows the better, for his sake.”

  “You must warn him, though. There are two Coalition ships scanning for any human signatures outside of the settlements. He must stay within the ship with the shields up. By the time Wyer takes the bird, the repairs should be nearly complete. Will you have an opportunity to speak with him privately?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I must go. Wyer is expecting me to leave the ship. He asked me about more snow berries when I brought him a cup of cavitt this morning. I told him I’d be hiking back to collect another basket full this afternoon, to bring with us on the journey.”

  Aja headed down the companionway.

  “Be careful,” Kyr called after her. “The future isn’t set in stone. You told me so yourself.”

  Aja turned. Her smile was grim. “But I’ll see him coming, unless he doesn’t come. I’ll be careful.”

  Kyr watched her grab a bag from a shelf near the galley and sling it over her shoulder. She disappeared down the gangway. He took a deep breath and followed.

  “Mr. Fedd, Chief Wyer,” he heard her call out from where he stood on the far side of the ship. “Do either of you need anything before I leave?”

  Davi’s response was muffled. He didn’t hear a word from Wyer.

  “All right,” Aja replied. “I’ll be back in a turn or two.”

  From where he stood, the captain couldn’t see her leave, but he could feel her nonetheless‌—‌an effect of the Blood. Aja had already warned him. From now on, he would feel her presence and her absence. He would know if she was in trouble or hurting or happy. She would know the same about him.

  Kyr strode around the side of the ship toward his men.

  “Chief, I’m well enough to pitch in and help you finish up so we can get out of here first thing tomorrow.”

  The engineer climbed down from his perch atop the ship. “No, Captain, she’s almost done. Mr. Fedd might like your help with the underside, but I’ve got my repairs completed up here.”

  “Davi?”

  “Another turn and she’ll be in one piece. You’re the captain. You want the job, it’s yours.” Davi Fedd straightened up from his crouch and grinned.

  The captain smiled back at his first mate. “I think a bit of welding would be good for me. We have an extra torch in the supply room. I’ll grab it.”

  Kyr headed back toward the gangway.

  “Captain,” called the Chief. “I’d like permission to take the bird and go after those spare parts I told you about. They were off at the edge of nowhere and an extra blade, and a rotor or two always comes in handy.”

  The captain pretended to consider his request. “When do you expect to be back?”

  “Two turns at the most. I won’t be gone long. Is there a problem?”

  “I just want to know when to come looking for you if your ass isn’t back here when I think it ought to be back. Which way is this dump?” asked Kyr.

  “South by southeast, around forty kigs. I’ll have to take it slow so I don’t show up on a scanner.”

  “Permission granted. Let me know when you’re back so I don’t worry unnecessarily.”

  “Right,” said Wyer. The Chief put away his tools and headed off toward the small transport vessel.

  “Fucking murderous Chigalla,” muttered Kyr. He retrieved a torch from the supply room then returned to assist Davi. He waved to Wyer as he flew off, the bird in silent mode.

  Kyr cut his torch and tossed it to the ground. “Let’s go, Davi, now.”

  The two men sprinted in the direction Aja had gone not twenty minutes before.

  “Where the hells are we going?” Davi asked.

  “After I say what I have to say, you’re going back to the ship. Get her ready as quick as you can. Strap everything down and make sure she can take off at a moment’s notice. And Davi, no matter what, stay within the shielding. There are two Coalition search drones scanning for us.”

  “All right. Tell me what’s up, Kyr.”

  “Wyer plans to get rid of our guest, and I can’t say he’s got the most pleasant method in mind. I’m going to take care of it.”

  Davi Fedd ran alongside his captain. “So we’ll be looking for a new chief engineer, then.”

  The two men had known each other since childhood.

  “Yes,” Kyr said.

  “You need me to back you up?”

  “Thank you, friend, but no. I’ll handle this. Finishing the repairs is more important. If things go according to plan, we leave at dawn.”

  “Kyr, what if Wyer returns, but you don’t?”

  “Keep your pistol with you and shoot him dead on sight. Then come down the canyon and bury our bodies. Leave the ship and lay low for a while. There’s plenty of coin in the safe in my cabin. And there are two small vials of the antidote. Take them. When you can, get back to the men on Kesa. Most of them will stay with you. Anyone who wants to strike out on his own, don’t stand in his way. I trust them not to betray you. Wyer was always my only question mark.”

  “What do I do with the antidote?”

  “Give it to Karna, only Karna. Tell my brother everything that’s happened.”

  Davi grabbed Kyr’s arm and stopped him. “You’d better kill him,” he said. “I’d make a lousy captain.”

  DAUGHTERS OF PERSEPHONE

  Aja sensed Kyr’s presence long before she caught any movement. She made an effort not to respond to his nearness, deliberately shifting to a patch of snow berries nearer the cave mouth, to make it easier for him to reach her quickly. She had no doubt about her ability to defend herself against Wyer, but Kyr had claimed the killing for himself and she intended to respect that. He was a man, after all, and her mother had told her that even the best of men were prideful.

  She’d learned that last night and this morning. It seemed men did indeed take a great deal of pride in claiming a woman. At least Kyr did. Despite her circumstances, Aja couldn’t help but smile. Kyr had claimed her four times. Each t
ime had felt better than the time before, once her blood had dissipated the initial soreness.

  Beyond a doubt, the free joining of a man and a woman was a gift from the Gods. Her mother had spoken the truth. She’d said this would happen, this overwhelming excitement, this incomparable pleasure, but the man must be the right man, chosen by both the Blood and the heart.

  Kyr had been unexpected. She hadn’t foreseen her Blood bond with him.

  Aja heard stealthy footsteps behind her, and she forced herself to ignore them, despite the energy she felt surge from her blood to every muscle fiber, every nerve bundle. She had to play the victim. She’d given Kyr her word.

  A strong arm was wrapped around her waist and a hand was pressed to her mouth. She was dragged, struggling, from the thicket.

  Aja managed to bite down on a stray finger just before she was tossed to the ground. The wind went out of her. Rough hands tore at her clothing. She kicked at the man.

  “Stupid whore,” Wyer hissed, pulling at her trousers.

  Now would be nice, Kyr, before I kill this son of an iga beast with my bare hands.

  Then the heavy bulk was gone. Aja rolled onto her back and scooted away. She looked up at Kyr. His face was a cold, hard mask as he stared in silence at his chief engineer.

  The man sputtered for a moment, then shut his mouth. Any attempt to defend his actions was meaningless and he knew it. The knife Wyer held in his hand was no match for the gun his captain pressed against his temple.

  Aja turned away, shutting her eyes before he pulled the trigger, but she heard the report of the gun and she knew Wyer was dead. She felt Kyr move to stand between her and the body. He pulled her to her feet and held her close for just a moment.

  “Let’s go,” he said, still shielding her with his chest, as if by doing so he could make the dead man disappear. He grabbed her hand and dragged her down the trail toward the ship.

  Aja dug in her heels. “Stop,” she cried, tugging him back toward the body. “We have to get him into the cave.”

  “Why the hells would we do that? Leave him for the scavengers. That’s what he intended to do to you. It’s better than he deserves.”

  “The Coalition with their scanners, they’ll be here. The body will leave a heat signature. We have to move it, now.”

  Kyr stopped and glanced back. “I’ll do it,” he said. He strode toward the berry patch.

  Aja followed close on his heels. She watched him sling the body of his chief engineer over his shoulder and carry it up the slope to the overhang. He ducked beneath the rocks and disappeared into darkness.

  Aja kicked sand over the blood and brain matter. Even the warmth of the blood, if left on the surface, could be picked up by a sensitive scanner. Just as Kyr reappeared at the mouth of the cave, she stopped and stood still, her eyes staring off into the distance. She held a hand up to him, indicating that he should wait where he was.

  Darting over to Kyr, Aja grabbed his hand and pulled him into the cave.

  “They’re coming,” she whispered. “Davi?”

  “I ordered him to stay within the shields.”

  “Will he do that?”

  “Yes.”

  Aja closed her eyes and turned her head, listening hard. “It’s an unmanned craft, a scanner only. They’re keeping it well off the surface and with your shields up their comp is unlikely to detect the ship.” She tilted her head toward the rear of the cave. “Where did you put him?”

  “As far from the mouth as I could get him. The roof is too low back there for me to get him in any further.”

  “It’s far enough,” said Aja.

  Kyr’s arms went around her and he drew her close. “I’m sorry.”

  “You owe me no apology. He was your crewman.” Aja spoke into his chest. “It’s not an easy thing to do, to take a man’s life. A man you knew. A man you’d worked with and depended upon.

  “No, it’s not that. I hesitated because I was so filled with rage when I saw him put his hands on you that for an instant I couldn’t move. My feet felt glued to the ground.”

  Aja’s sought his warm mouth, reassuring him with a kiss. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “And I’m grateful to you.”

  Kyr wrapped her tight in his strong arms. “They could find us,” he said. “They could find us and kill me and take you away.”

  “I don’t think so, at least, not today. I think they will pass us by. Kyr…” Aja smiled. “I can stand on my own two feet you know. I’m not a frail flower.”

  A dead man lay not fifty yards away, but still Kyr barked out a humorless laugh. “Yes, I watched you kill two men, remember? Naked and armed with nothing more than a scalpel. I have no doubt that you could have killed Wyer if I’d agreed. But he was my problem and my responsibility. Besides, it’s rough on a man’s ego to know that his woman can kick his ass.”

  “No,” Aja murmured into his neck. “We are in this together, I swear it.”

  “They’ve passed us by,” said Aja, eyes closed, listening. She blew out a long breath, shutting out visions of the dead man in the corner.

  He’d set his own death in motion. There was nothing she could have done. She reminded herself Wyer hadn’t suffered, except from the certain knowledge that his life was over.

  “Can you see if Davi is safe, and my ship?”

  Aja leaned back against Kyr, silent for a moment. “Yes, it seems so. Remember, he put her down in the narrowest section of the ravine. Even if he’d been out in the open, I don’t think he’d have registered as much more than the possibility of an isolated life form.”

  “Smart man, my first mate.”

  “Smart captain, for choosing the first mate.”

  Kyr kissed the side of her neck and rose to his feet, pulling her with him. He brushed the dirt from her clothes.

  “We have to find you something to cover your feet,” he said.

  “No need. I’ve gone barefoot for years. The Coalition takes great pleasure in keeping my family clothed in rags and on the verge of starvation. I live on a dry rock very much like this, remember?”

  “Doesn’t it bother you, the isolation? The distance from the galactic center?”

  Aja shrugged. “They tried keeping us on Matsu for a time, but they feared a revolt. I was a small child when we were sent into exile. The Sauran Asteroid Belt feels like home to me. It’s an exciting place to fly. You should try it sometime, when the revolution is over, that is,” she teased.

  Kyr’s response was a playful tug on her long braid. He strode from the cave, her hand held tight in his, pulling her along with him. “Damn the revolution, let’s get the hells out of here and back to the ship. Davi must be preparing to search for us right about now.”

  Fortunately Wyer had hidden the bird at the base of a tall cliff. Kyr stayed low, barely skimming the surface, to avoid detection.

  Davi met them at the head of the gangway, pistol in hand. At the sight of Aja and his captain, the tension in his face melted away. He and Kyr pounded each other on the back for a few moments before they battened down the hatches for the night. Aja reminded them they would leave at dawn.

  DAUGHTERS OF PERSEPHONE

  Aja sat in the navigator’s chair. Davi acted as co-pilot. Kyr piloted the ship. Aja kept her eyes closed, navigating by inner vision alone. She had already explained it took all her concentration to see their pathway yet at the same time relay instructions to Kyr and Davi.

  Davi had been a bit skeptical at first, but Kyr had complete faith in Aja and Davi had confidence in his friend and captain. He agreed to set aside his doubts and follow Aja’s instructions.

  Kyr had no choice but to tell his second in command about Aja’s abilities. It was necessary as Aja had not yet determined whether it was safe to go directly to the Resistance. She surmised that she might need to stay out of sight for a while.

  She’d confided to Kyr it might be preferable to allow the Coalition and the Resistance to sort things out without her.

  It was clear to Kyr that she
could quickly become a powerful pawn for idealists and fanatics on both sides.

  “Head directly into the sun.” Kyr heard the focus in Aja’s voice. “Fly low and fast. Hug the contours of the terrain. Five hundred kigs from here you’ll see a hauler leaving the planet. Stay in its gravity shadow.” She opened her eyes. “Is that possible without burning us?”

  “Yes,” replied Kyr, with a glance at Davi.

  “Now,” said Aja.

  Kyr fired up the engines and lifted from the dusty surface. He took off, reaching top land speed within seconds. He was pressed back into his seat, but the sensation was second nature to him. He took a quick look at Aja. Her eyes were closed again and she seemed to be handling the speed without any problem. Despite the fact that he’d dropped the light screens, the desert sun was very bright and Kyr felt as if he was flying by feel alone. The land rolled rapidly away beneath the ship, like a vid in fast forward. Red rock outcroppings, sand dunes, ancient eroded mountains, dry river beds. The occasional herd of bramah passed beneath them in less than a heartbeat.

  “Coming up on the hauler,” said Davi.

  “Can you stay right with him?” asked Aja. “Make like a shadow if anyone tries to get a reading?”

  “Easy,” Kyr answered. “Watch me.” He brought the nose of the ship up sharply and dove into the larger vessel’s wake. “Brace yourself, Aja.” They were buffeted by turbulence from all sides.

  Aja’s voice shook. “Stay with them until they reach the first moon. They plan to—” she concentrated for a moment, “—pick up several junked vessels on the far side. They’re dragging them to the parts depot orbiting Aria.”

  “You want us to go with them to Aria?” Davi asked.

  “No,” replied Aja. “Drop off as soon as they reach the dark side. Drop off and lay low while I scan for Coalition signatures. Then we need to power up and flash. We’ll have to flash as fast and as far as we can and hide near the outer settlements. That’s the only way to stay out of their hands. They’re not sure if I’m alive or dead, but those who suspect I may be alive expect me to make my way to the Resistance forces near the galactic center. We can’t go there, Kyr, I’m sorry. That way is death for the three of us.”