“Interesting.” One of the nicest things about Danek is that he’s never made me feel like an idiot. He explains stuff that I don’t understand without being the slightest bit condescending about it. Most of the people in the Rebellion are pretty good that way, but I’ve run into a couple people that are convinced that humans are mindless fools.
The skimmer pulls up in front of the boutique. We enter the store, which is empty except for two women, one of who directs a beaming smile at us. “Welcome to Nimral,” she says. “You must be the couple that Kanika sent over. She warned me about your shirt.”
Danek makes a face. “I had a small run-in with a gang of floofs. As you can see, they won.”
She laughs melodiously. “It is of no matter; I can find you a replacement. How may I be of service to you?”
The other woman turns around just then, and Danek’s shoulders stiffen for a brief second. Then a wide smile comes over his face. “Director Lashi’vi,” he says, bowing to her. “What a pleasure it is to run into you here. I am Danek ab Usora, the safety inspector you hired to check Noturn’s domes.”
Oh shit. This is Danek’s boss. It’s time to do my best ‘madly in love with my new husband’ imitation.
9
Naomi
You can do this, Naomi.
The woman—Director Lashi’vi—bows to Danek in greeting, a wide smile on her face. “Danek ab Usora. You came very highly recommended. I didn’t know you had already arrived, otherwise I would have offered you a berth in the private Cindifin spaceport.”
“It is of no consequence,” he replies smoothly. “My bondmate has never seen the Wekat Exchange, and so we decided to come early.”
“Ah, yes. Your bondmate.” She turns toward me, her gaze curious but friendly. “You’re from Tor Karah? I personally approved your travel to Noturn. The story of how you met is so romantic. And now you can’t bear to be separated from each other, not even for three months.” She sighs. “New love. Remember the early days, Xeni, when we couldn’t bear to be away from each other for even a night?”
Xeni is the woman that greeted us. Ah crap, she’s the Director’s wife. I wonder if there’s a way we can beat a graceful retreat and buy clothes somewhere else, where we won’t be under scrutiny?
Danek gives me a warm smile. Lacing his fingers in mine, he tugs me forward. “This is Naomi,” he says. The rebellion figured that since I was a newbie, the less I lied, the better, so I’m keeping my first name. “Naomi, this is Director Lashi’vi, Fourthborn of the House of Cindifin. She’s in charge of the mining operations on Noturn.”
Umm, how does one greet a high-ranking Zorahn? Should I shake hands? Do a full-on curtsy? I have no idea. Should’ve finished reading Dariux’s manual. I take a cue out of Danek’s book and do the same half-bow he did. “It’s good to meet you.”
She gives me the same blank look the salesperson in the pet store had given us. “My bondmate doesn’t speak Zor,” Danek interjects, offering the same explanation he’d given the saleswoman in the pet store.
Lashi’vi looks discomfited. “Please forgive me,” she says to me. “My translator has not been updated yet.”
“Umm, it’s not your fault?”
Danek translates for me. Lashi’vi gives me a brilliant smile. “You are too kind.” She bows to me again, and since I don’t know what to do, I bow back. Then she bows again, and then I bow back because I don’t want to be rude, and I have no idea what the protocol is. I wonder if we’re going to do this all day, but thankfully, Lashi’vi’s wife, Xeni, intervenes. “You need clothes for your trip?” she asks me. “You’ve come to the right place. We have all the latest fashions from the Homeworld. Starcloaks, fibpants, camorobes, and tempdresses.” She turns to Danek with a knowing smile. “And we have the finest lingerie in all of the Exchange.”
“Lingerie.” Danek gives me a smoldering glance. “What a good idea.” He pulls me closer, his touch possessive. “Naomi deserves only the finest things.”
What is Danek playing at? Why is he looking at me this way, as if I’m a tasty snack that he wants to devour? It’s hot enough to make me burst into flames. My long-dormant libido awakens. My cheeks flush, and arousal flares through my body.
You idiot. We’re being watched, remember? We’re supposed to be nuts for each other. Danek is acting.
I don’t know why, but that realization makes me feel a little deflated. I keep my reaction off my face—I was a bank manager, I’m an expert at maintaining a blandly pleasant expression, no matter how annoying the customer is—and flutter my eyelashes at Danek. He responds with a slow smile. “Want to try on some lingerie, Naomi?”
Xeni claps in delight. Lashi’vi gives us a knowing smile. “Xeni and I have been together for fifteen years—”
“Eighteen,” Xeni interjects with an exasperated glance. “It’s been eighteen.”
“Eighteen years,” Lashi’vi corrects ruefully. “You know I’m bad at dates.” She turns to us. “We met in a bazaar on Veris. Xeni was wearing a green cloak with an all-over pattern of shimmering stars. I asked her where I could buy one, and she told me she made it. And then she said—”
“Buy me a drink, and I might be persuaded to make you one,” they both finish in unison.
Aww, they’re adorable. So far, I haven’t really interacted with normal Zorahn people. I’ve met the ones that tortured Cassie and me, who were assholes, and I’ve interacted with the people at the Rebellion, who are mostly grim and purposeful and determined to restore justice to the Draekons. Don’t get me wrong, that’s an admirable goal, but it’s nice to meet normal people. Normal aliens, with normal retail
