Page 107 of Lorran
The ship arrived and the nearest tech motioned for Daisy to stand at the side while it landed. A ramp lowered, and the hatch opened.
This was it.
“Assess and adapt,” she murmured to herself.
Lorran, a male she recognized but did not know well, descended the ramp first. A human woman with brown skin and a head full of the most amazing curls Daisy had ever seen followed. She couldn’t imagine strutting off a three-hour shuttle trip looking like a cover model. Her own hair tended to frizz from the change in atmosphere and circles hung under her eyes like she had been up for days, instead of sitting through a three-hour flight.
Mylomon followed. He looked…good. One piece. No obvious injuries.
A tech jogged up to Mylo, and he gave the man a withering look.
Okay, Mylo was just fine. What was new was the skinny kid shadowing him.
“My mate,” Mylomon said, his hand resting on the shoulder of a child. The kid had a Sangrin complexion of plum, though he looked pale under the harsh flight deck lights, and horn buds just poked out of his messy hair. “This is Mikah Shaen, son of Ulrik and Saavi. Mikah, my mate, Daisy Vargas.”
“Hello, Mikah. I’m pleased to meet you.” Daisy held out her hand in greeting but then recalled that Mikah was six and did you shake a six-year-old’s hand? Ugh, why was she acting like she’d never met a child before?
She pulled her hand back and beamed. Mikah was a good foot shorter than her. Though he was slim, it was hard to believe that he was only six. She ran through the ages of the children on the ship. Other than Estella, who was 100% human, Mikah was the oldest Mahdfel child on board.
A skeptical look flickered over Mikah’s face and he twisted to look up at Mylomon. “Her last name is Vargas, and so is yours.”
“Yes. I did not have a surname of my own, so I took my mate’s,” Mylo explained.
“Will I have to take her name? I like my name.”
Ouch. Her heart.
“Your name is your own,” Mylomon said. Mikah visibly relaxed.
“You need to talk,” Daisy said to Mylo, because there was so much to discuss.
“Yes, but there is much to do for this one.” Mylomon patted Mikah on the head and it was almost fond. No, itwasfond. Mylo went out and picked up an orphan like a stray kitten and had already bonded.
Well, that put things in a new light. What was she going to say?No, screw you, emotionally fragile orphan. Get out of here with your big eyes.
Of course she would say yes. She wasn’t heartless. While the kid stood there stiff and straight, she could tell from the way his fingers twitched that he wanted to clutch onto Mylomon’s hand for dear life.
Daisy totally understood that. Mikah was scared; he just lost his family, and this stranger was staring at him like he was unwelcome.
What else could she say exceptwelcome to the family?
If she didn’t know Mylomon as well as she did, and if she didn’t know he felt things deeply and took responsibility even more deeply, she’d suspect he was manipulating her.
No. If anyone was doing the manipulating, it was Daisy as she twisted her way through logical hoops.
Mylo went out on a rescue mission. This child was the only survivor.
“My mate, you are having an entire conversation with me in your mind and reaching erroneous conclusions,” Mylo said.
Daisy released a sigh. “Probably.”
Lorran stepped forward. “I will escort this one to security as I am on my way with my mate, Bronwyn.” He indicated the woman at his side.
“Wyn, actually. Just Wyn,” she said.
“Welcome and a pleasure to meet you. The introductory protocols for new arrivals won’t take long, but they’ll get you hooked up with computers and the network,” Daisy said.
“I’m looking forward to unpacking and staying put for a while. All this travel has really taken it out of me,” the woman said, still looking flawless and ready for a photoshoot.
