Page 32 of Throwing Fire

I step back from the balcony’s edge, which is tastefully fringed with olive-green foliage, but I’m sure buried in all those leaves is an anti-grav rail to keep guests from making a dramatic exit. It is a long way down.

There are several clusters of furniture on the balcony, under a white sail that stretches down from the pyramid roof-top above our suite. The sail provides gossamer shade against Kuseros’s binary star, which is already mid-sky and casting its hot red light over the balcony. One of the furniture groups is a table and chairs, with seats for six. How many guests do they think we’re having for breakfast? It can’t be set for the room’s occupants; there’s only one bed. Unless they think our sleeping arrangements are even more complicated than Acker’s.

Chuckling at that thought, I guide the hover-table over to the seating group and go to collect Kez.

She’s sitting up in our bed, looking sleepy and sweetly tousled. I collect a pair of fluffy white robes from a cubby in the bathroom and wrap Kez in one before I carry her outside.

“I can walk,” she murmurs into my neck.

I know she can, but I like babying her sometimes. “Just sparin’ those bruised toes, kitten.”

I deposit her in a chair so deeply padded, it swallows her. Slide into my own robe before I join her at the table. The robe’s heated and the chair’s thick padding conforms to my body as I settle into it. Now that’s luxury.

Kez pours me a cup of kaffe and sits back to cradle her own tea against her chest. She breathes deep, taking in the floral aroma, which I can smell even over the kaffe and briny breeze. “This is nice,” she says, looking out over the water.

“You hungry?” I ask, keeping my tone low, not wanting to disturb her contemplation with big decisions. The last few weeks have brought Kez enough pain. She should be able to sit back and enjoy some of the perks of the space and time we’ve won.

“I thought we were eating breakfast with Payton.”

I shrug. “Let’s make it brunch.”

“Mmm, in that case, I’m starving. What’ve we got?”

“Little of everything.” I ordered all our favorite dishes.Okayuand lots of fruit for Kez. Sweet and savory pancakes, friedpagiaeggs andthree kinds of meat for me. Chok fritters to share, as a treat. Kaffe, tea, juice, and iced water, which is a luxury here on the Clouds, where fresh water is even more expensive than on the mainland. If I gave the water a shake, I bet it would display the Tyng logo. At least we’ll be making back a percentage of whatever ridiculous amount the hotel is charging us.

I pass Kez an etched glaz plate and let her wade in. She takes several crispy pieces ofaurooff a hot tray, which surprises me, since she usually doesn’t eat meat in the morning.

“I can see why you like this,” she says, chewing meditatively. “You and Acker were getting pally last night.”

I shrug. “He feels like an old friend already.”

Kez beams around a bite ofauro. “That’s great.”

“Why’s that?”

Kez chews some more before she says, “Everyone needs friends. Even you.”

“Even me, huh?” I arch an eyebrow at her. I know she thinks she’s reforming me from my loner ways, and she’s probably right. “I got a friend already.”

“I was hoping to be more than your friend.”

I chuckle and take a few bites of the eggs, which have been lightly salted and heavily peppered, exactly the waypagiashould be. “What’d Tiancha have to say?”

“We were talking clothes.” Kez glances at me and flushes to the pierced tips of her ears. “And sex.”

“Ah-ha. Anything interesting?”

“Well, Acker isn’t sleeping with Grace. At least not yet. He wants Tee to accept her first.”

I have to give the man credit. Both for having the balls to go for a threesome, and for having the tact to get Tiancha’s consent first. “How’s she feel about that?”

Kez lifts an eyebrow. “Confused. Hurt that she’s not enough for him. Honored that he’d ask. She loves him for not sneaking aroundbehind her back, but she’s furious at him for wanting Grace in the first place. It’s a mess.”

I finish the eggs while I consider this and start on a stack of lemon, cheese and whitefish pancakes. I didn’t order these specifically, but I recognize the chef’s genius by the second bite. Wonder if they’ll give me the recipe. ‘Honored Tyng’ should have that much pull. If not, I could offer them a discount on the damn water.

While I’m still contemplating, Kez asks, “Were you and Acker talking about the same thing?”

“Some. Some about his problems with theOjos. Some about why the fuck the Kemwars keep signing C-listers like Pevek.”

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