Page 25 of The Price of Peace
“Fekking royalty! They’re all alike … think they know better than anyone else!” Xyrox paced a circle around the control room.
“My clone seems to trust him,” I offered with a shrug.
“He isn’t telling us something. I had a bad feeling about Captain Helos already, and now I’m certain trouble is heading our way. How am I supposed to protect you when I don’t know who the enemies are?” He stomped to the wall and punched it.
“Fekking hell, Xyrox. Stop that.” I felt a sudden sharp pain through the bond but he didn’t even wince. His skin, however, reddened even further and I could see his tattoo glowing through the remains of his shirt. I rubbed mine, just as it began to pulse.
“Hey, at least we’re getting off this rock, one way or another.” Shoving my hands in my pockets, I tried to offer the bright side. It was unlike me, but being mated to him made me mushy and I felt compelled to soothe him. “No matter what happens, we’ll figure it out.”
Xyrox’s nostrils flared as he huffed breath after breath and tried to calm himself. Slowly, I crept toward him until I could place my palm against his chest. His eyes met mine, and his fists unclenched. I felt his heartbeat slow under my hand, and his breathing became easier. Well, alright then. Calming the raging beast was a new superpower.
“I’m sorry.” He stepped into my touch and surrounded me with his giant arms. “My temper got the best of me.”
“After all we’ve been through, I’ve never seen you lose control like that,” I murmured into his chest, enjoying the warmth and solidity of him after all the revelations of the past few days. Xyrox was the one thing in my current life that was real and here just for me.
“I rarely lose my temper, but the thought of not knowing the plan to keep you safe—of someone taking that out of my hands—it made me crazy.” His arms tightened around me. “You are a fierce warrior in your own right. I know this. But I have this overwhelming urge to protect you at all costs, anyway.”
I leaned back far enough to see his face. “I’ve never had anyone to protect me. Except when I was a small child, of course. Zame’s goal was always to teach me to protect myself, and she was a tough taskmaster. Making me self-reliant was how she showed her love for me.” A tentative smile teased my lips. “But I think I might be able to get used to a big, strong agent wanting to protect me … even if I have to drag his heavy ass to a MEDIC on occasion.”
Xyrox threw his head back and laughed. A real belly laugh, like I’d never heard from him before. My smile widened. Another superpower unveiled.
Julie, unfortunately, took this lovely moment to interrupt. “Food has been prepared for you in the break room. Please follow the lights on the floor to your destination.”
I rested my forehead on Xyrox’s chest a minute to soak up the last of the vibration from his laughter before stepping back. “Thanks, Julie.”
Xyrox took my hand in one of his big paws and rubbed his sculpted abs with the other. “I’m starving. I hope she made something more edible than protein goo.”
“Same. I could eat about twelve of those Earth burger things right now.”
We followed the lights to a room with tables and chairs. On one of the tables, we found a Rykantosian feast spread out before us—Sandstrider stew, ember scorched crisps, glazed dunefang skink skewers, and dewdrop gelée for dessert. My mouth watered at the sight and it didn’t take long to polish off the majority of the plates in front of us.
“I’m stuffed.” Groaning, I rubbed my belly and leaned back in my seat. “I can’t remember the last time I ate that much.”
Stretching, Xyrox mirrored my movements. “Me neither.” He yawned. “And this is why. I can barely keep my eyes open now.”
Helpful Julie piped right in at that moment. “When you’re ready to retire, please follow the lights to your sleeping chamber.”
She must be eavesdropping all the time. The thought bothered me a little. I wondered how much time we had for sleep—and other things.
Xyrox glanced at one of the monitors on the wall.We have a little over a rotation before they’re due. Time enough for a rest anyway.
“And Helos was farther out than they were so we should be good,” he said, as if reading my mind.
That’s right. You can do that.
Not all the time, but that was pretty loud.He looked amused.
I narrowed my eyes at him.Don’t be smug. I just want to sleep well.
He only smirked back, pulled me up from the table, and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Shall we retire, mate?”
I rolled my eyes as he led me back into the hallway. We again followed a trail of lights to a utilitarian sleeping chamber with a double bed, a small side table with a lamp, and a small cleansing station in a corner. A very small elimination station was next door. “This must have been the head guy’s quarters. I can’t see workers getting a whole room to themselves, much less their own cleansing station.”
“Lucky us.” He waggled his eyebrows comically at me and I slapped his chest.
“I wonder if there are any clothes left around here.” I wrinkled my nose and held my filthy shirt away from my body. “Do you think Julie has a dry cleaning function?”
Xyrox raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t notice she cleaned the blood out of my pants and repaired them while I was being healed?”
