“She,” Joan corrected. “According to the medical bed, George is a she.”
“Somehow, that just makes it even better that she was the one to take down Baahy.”
“I know.” Joan flashed her a smile. “We females have our resources.”
A shadow crossed Saka’s face, and Joan squeezed her hand. “You were resourceful enough to stay alive. That’s what matters. And soon you will be able to dazzle everyone with your cooking as well as your beauty.”
Saka doubtfully regarded the misshapen pastry she had just created. “I hope my looks are not as crooked as this dough.”
Joan laughed. “It’s what’s on the inside that counts. Do you want to try another?”
After lunch, Joan returned to the cabin to collect a pillow for George. A soft knock sounded, and she looked up to see Issar standing there.
“Varga went down to change a filter in the engine room,” she said.
“I wasn’t looking for him. I was looking for you.”
“For me? Do you want to come in?” she asked cautiously. Despite his strange features, he had never been anything but polite and respectful, and he was obviously devoted to Taliane.
He nodded, and she waved him to the small seating area, trying not to blush as she remembered the way Varga had used it the previous night.
“Is there something I can do to help you?”
“It is about Taliane. I’m not sure if I should be worried.”
“About what?”
Rather than looking at her, Issar looked out the viewport at the stars as he spoke. “The females in the mines were mistreated so terribly. I never intended to add to their abuse, but one day when I was returning to our barracks, I looked over and our eyes met. I knew that she was my female. So the next day I made sure that I collected the most ore so that I could claim her. And I did every day from then on so I was the only one to be with her.”
“I’m glad the two of you found each other,” she said softly.
“As am I.” He hesitated, then finally looked at her. Despite the eeriness of his pale eyes with their vertical pupils, she could read his concern. “But she did not always have me.”
She thought she understood. “You mean she was… mistreated before you came along.”
A short nod of that wedge-shaped head. “Yes. But she has never spoken of it, never mentioned it. When I see Polly, or even Saka, I know how it affected them. I am concerned that Taliane has buried it rather than face it. And a buried wound may still fester.”
Joan thought back to the other female’s calm face and serene voice. “She certainly seems to be more at peace than the others, but I thought it was because of you.”
“It may be, but what if it isn’t? Should I encourage her to speak of that time?”
“I don’t think so. She may have buried it so deeply that it will never resurface. And if it does start to trouble her, you will be there for her, won’t you?”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“Then let sleeping dogs lie.” He looked so puzzled that she laughed. “It means don’t go waking up trouble.”
“Ah, I see.” He extended his hand. “Thank you, mate of Varga.”
She returned his clasp, his skin dry and surprisingly soft despite the scales.
“You will remove your hand from my female before I remove it from your body,” Varga growled, and she looked up to find him standing at the doorway, his skin hardening.
Moving with deliberate slowness, Issar obeyed but he looked amused rather than worried. “Do you think you could?”
“I have no doubt,” he growled, stalking towards the other male.
Joan sighed. “Stop it, Varga. I was just giving Issar some advice about Taliane.”
“If he needs advice to handle his female, perhaps he doesn’t deserve her.”
The amusement vanished and Issar’s spines flared.
“Stop provoking him! I just—oww!” She stood up and deliberately tripped over a stool. As she started to fall, Varga immediately forgot his anger and strode forward to catch her.
“What’s wrong? Are you injured?”
She smiled up at him. “I’m fine.”
“If you do not require my assistance, I will leave now,” Issar announced.
Varga turned to glare at him, but Joan wiggled against him and distracted him.
“Bye, Issar. Remember what I said.”
She heard the door close, but she was far more interested in the big, warm male regarding her anxiously.
“You are sure you’re all right?” he asked.
“I’m fine. I thought you needed a distraction before you went all medieval on poor Issar.”
“You were never injured?”
“Well, I did stub my toe. But you’re welcome to examine me—just to make sure I’m not hurt.” She kept her eyes wide and innocent as she rubbed her breasts against his chest.
He laughed even as she felt his cock harden. “You are a devious female, little bird.”
“Yes, I think I am,” she said complacently. “I learned from my mother.”
“Your mother?’
“My father was very bossy and my mother was very quiet. If you had met them, you would have assumed that he was in charge. And he was—but somehow, my mother usually got what she wanted. I realized that she knew how to approach him because she understood him. So I tried to do the same.” She laughed. “My sister preferred to argue. The two of them would have these huge arguments, and Mom and I would watch from the sidelines.”
“This did not disturb you?”
“I knew they loved each other. I hated the idea, but I honestly think they enjoyed it.” She smiled wistfully. “I
