Page 20 of Pursued By the Dragon Alien

But she didn’t wait to hear the rest. “Sorry. Never mind,” she said, her heart thudding. The doors swished closed and she hurried through the ship’s narrow corridors. What had she done to earn his…indifference? Dislike? It wasn’t even clear what his problem was with her, unless it was something Krask had said to make Razion begin to avoid her. She’d learned enough in the past cycles to know she was doing a good job in the cargo hold, but right now, that didn’t matter. The walls began to close in, and she needed to breathe.

Lilas stepped into the small common area where crew members relaxed during their downtime. She dropped onto a bench, burying her hands in her hair, praying it didn’t show on her face how deeply the interaction with Razion and Krask had rattled her.

She had gotten comfortable with the crew, yet the thought of being disliked by the captain and first mate gnawed at her insides. One thing she knew—she should never have gone in there, and she never would again. She ran a hand across her face. It was time to begin planning an exit strategy off the ship.

“Hey, everything alright?”

The voice drew her attention upward. Cozax stood nearby, a small ready-looking snack in hand and a look of genuine concern on her face. Lilas offered a small smile. The warmth in Cozax’s eyes was a comforting contrast to the mess inside her. “I’m fine,” she said, convincingly, she hoped.

Cozax studied her for a moment longer, then leaned against the table. “You sure? You don’t look fine.”

Lilas shrugged, her mind swirling with thoughts of Razion and the weight of Krask’s warning. “Just processing some things. I really am fine.”

“Processing or scheming?” Cozax pressed with a slight smirk.

“Maybe a little of both.” Lilas sighed, glancing away, wishing she could shake the unease that had settled into her chest. “Just trying to find my place here.”

“You’re doing fine,” Cozax said easily. “You’ve caught on faster than most who come aboard. You’re accepted as part of the crew now, and your good work has been noted by the cargo hold team leader.”

That small reassurance made something inside Lilas shift, if only slightly. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I appreciate that.”

“Why don’t you join me for a meal?” Cozax asked, brightening, “It’s space stew, Vedd’s latest creation.”

A reluctant grin forced its way to Lilas’ lips. “What’s space stew?”

“Oh, you’ll love it.” Cozax rolled her eyes dramatically. “It’s just an excuse to throw together anything edible from the replicator that Vedd deems ‘mysterious.’”

“That sounds oddly enticing.” Lilas chuckled, feeling a flicker of warmth as she considered spending more time with Cozax. The lingering uncertainty about Razion still played along the edges of her mind, but she resolved to put it aside, if only for a while. “Alright, lead the way.”

Cozax straightened, a smile stretching wide across her face. Together, they walked toward the dining hall, and as they rounded the corner, the low murmur of voices grew louder. Lilas inhaled the scent of the stew wafting through the air, an oddly comforting blend of spices and savory notes, but slowed down. It sounded like there would be more people at this dinner than Cozax make it sound like there would be.

Sure enough, once they entered the hall, Lilas spotted Krask sitting at one of the tables. His expression still brooding, his posture rigid as he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. She didn’t like him. Straight up—shedespisedhim. But she took care to make sure she didn’t let it show. This was her chance to shift her focus, and there was no way afekkerof a first mate was going to keep her away from a good meal.

Ignoring the way his eyes flicked to her with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, Lilas followed Cozax to the food replicator. Her senses were attuned for Razion and she felt a hit of relief when she didn’t see him there. It was painfully clear that he had no intention of seeking her out. Instead, she focused on what was directly before her, which was food.

After taking a bowl of the mysterious space stew—a combination of colors that looked strangely appetizing—she let Cozax guide her to a table with a few other crew members. They greeted her with light chatter, banter that felt oddly comforting. Every laugh, every shared story helped push Razion’s absence further from her mind, even if only temporarily.

The group discussed upcoming raids, trading jokes that made her chuckle, even as her heart ached for her friends. She shared a few stories from her time on the farm, leaning into the companionship she felt in this moment. It wasn’t until she paused to finish her stew that she caught Krask watching her. His gaze was steady, not mocking or dismissive as before—just flat and observing. It made the back of her neck itch.

She held his gaze for a moment longer, made a face at him, then shifted her focus back to the others at the table. A warm laugh spilled from her lips as one of the crew members recounted an outrageous story about a past raid on a merchant vessel. The room felt alive, charged with laughter and shared camaraderie—a stark contrast to the isolation that had gripped her since her arrival aboard the Darkslip.

But even as she mingled with the crew, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Krask’s eyes bore into her, studying her with an intensity that made her uneasy. She pushed away her empty bowl, trying to keep her thoughts from drifting back to Razion.

Lilas sighed, glancing around the room. For all the chatter and laughter, the absence of Razion gnawed at her increasingly. Dinner ended and she rose from the table. Her heart felt heavy once more. The other crew members drifted out of the dining hall. Their conversations bubbled with energy, but Lilas lingered for a moment, sipping the last remnants of her drink.

Finally, she pushed her chair in and headed for the exit. The door slid open with a quiet hiss, revealing the dimly lit corridor beyond. Her feet moved automatically, guiding her toward her quarters, but her mind wandered—lost in thoughts she had no business having about a ship captain.

Just as she turned the corridor, she saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and a collected expression on his face that suggested he had been waiting there for a while. The moment their eyes met, heat rushed through her and every coherent thought disintegrated beneath the weight of his intense gaze.

“Razion,” she breathed as a weird mix of relief and consternation flooded her. The way he watched her sent a snap of tension through her limbs. Her body instinctively braced for whatever came next.

For a fleeting moment, she thought—hoped—he might say something clever, something teasing, something that would reset the strange rift between them. But instead, his expression remained unreadable. His storm-gray gaze was steady as he reached out and closed a firm hand around her arm.

“We need to talk,” he said, his tone low and certain.

Lilas swallowed against the sudden rush of heat in her chest. She could have pulled away—wanted to, just to make a point—but something about the way he held her wasn’t forceful. It was controlled. Measured. Like he was giving her a choice, but daring her to pull away.

She tilted her chin up, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “Finally decided I was worth speaking to?”

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