Page 96 of Lorran
He went further back, discovering images from Etes 3, particularly the view from their room. Again, quick, confident strokes lacking fine details and again, the swirling design.
“This is significant,” he said, tapping the screen. “This is part of your magpies.”
“I just doodle it a lot.” Wyn leaned forward to take the tablet back, but Lorran moved it out of reach.
“Please. Explain it to me.” This was important. The clues had been laid before him, but he hadn’t bothered to piece them together.
“Well, I told you about the invasion.”
“You were injured.”
“Right, and a Mahdfel rescued me. I don’t know his name and I barely remember what he looks like, but I remembered his tattoo. Isn’t that strange?” She pushed back her hair from her forehead. The curls immediately sprang back. “I guess I stared at it so long when he carried me that it imprinted on my memory. I just doodle it now when I’m thinking. I don’t even realize I’m doing it.”
Lorran tapped the screen again to enlarge the image. The design seemed familiar, but he had seen it so many times from Wyn’s absentminded drawings on every available surface, including windows and dusty tables. “This design could signify his clan. We could locate him if you wish,” he said.
“Hmm, I don’t know,” she replied. “I mean, thank you for offering, but I barely remember the man and I was nothing to him.”
“Incorrect. He carried you to safety. He might not remember you specifically, but you were important.”
Her cheeks flushed that pretty color. All her colors were pretty, but he especially appreciated the ones when she was flustered or shy. “Do you want to know?”
“Yes,” he said, surprising himself. “I want to meet the male whose mark my mate inscribed into her skin. I want to thank him for preserving the most precious being in the galaxy.”
“That’s sweet. We should rewind the show. I have no idea what’s going on—and why is that woman wearing an eyepatch?”
“Ah. She is hiding her cybernetic implant,” he said, returning his attention to the screen.
“Seems a bit obvious, like a spy announcing that they’re a spy and asking have any other spies recently stopped by.”
“I disagree. No one believes a spy when they claim their spyhood, therefore it is a sound strategy.”
“Spyhood…and you even said it with a straight face,” she muttered, voice breaking into a soft laugh.
They watched the program filled with overly dramatic pauses and staring off into the distance. He enjoyed this and suspected that he would never get enough of these moments.
Eventually, she broke the quiet. “What’s going to happen on your ship? Is life always going to be this chaotic?”
“Chaotic?”
She sat up to look at him. “I mean, you’re a warrior. A soldier. I get that throwing yourself in harm’s way is the job description, but from my point of view, it sucks; I’ll always be worrying if you’re going to be okay and I don’t enjoy worrying.”
“I cannot change that nature of my existence,” he said. “A warrior’s life is filled with duty and obligation. Danger is unavoidable.”
“Do all your missions last this long?”
“No. This is unusual.”
She sighed. “That’s something, at least.”
“More troubles you.”
She shook her head. “There’s just so much going on, I can’t hear myself think. I’ll be glad when things settle down to normal.” Then, she muttered under her breath as if she expected him not to hear, “Whatever normal is.”
Wyn
“About time.” Sonia’s voice filled the room.
“Sorry. We were out of comm range,” Wyn said.
