Page 35 of Breakaway
"There are three of us," Kolos is saying, although he sounds a lot more serious than he did when he was teasing me and Zill yesterday, when I first met him.
"Yes, there are," a woman says. I'm assuming that's Isha since she's the only crewmate I haven't met yet. "We're all so very proud you've learned to count to three."
Zill coughs to hide a laugh before speaking, "I'm not pulling all of us planetside if it's not necessary."
"Look me in my eyes and tell me her being in danger doesn't make you want to use everything you have," Kolos says, his voice is quieter now, but I've rounded a corner and the dining area's sliding door is open. "You can lie to Isha, lie to Mauve, but I know what it feels like. You'd burn the world for her, and the fact that you're lying about that to us isn't going to help anyone."
"I'm not sending you down there," Zill hisses as if the two men are seriously about to fight over whether or not they're going down to Earth.
I step into the dining area, and only Zill and Mauve turn to face me. I'm assuming the other two already knew I was out in the hall and listening in on their little conversation. As if coming to the same conclusion, Zill glares at the Sombrans. Kolos leans against the far wall. His shadows are out this time, pooling on the floor beneath him. His hair is loose, the ends of his curls hanging close to his eyes. The other Sombran, Isha, is just as tall but slightly less built than Zill. She has dark hair braided and pulled over one shoulder, her shadows flowing over her but not in the erratic way Zill's get when I'm near.
"So…" I start, but don't even know where to go with the statement or question or whatever I'm trying to say.
"So, we're trying to decide if Zill is going to allow the rest of us to help with finding your stalker or if he's going to go all 'I have to protect everyone boohoo pity me' on us and tell me to stay on the ship." Kolos doesn't let his gaze drop from where he's staring at the side of Zill's head, though Zill pays him little attention as he steps over to me and pulls me close.
His hand cups the damp bun I have my hair in as his lips press to the top of my head. He's acting as if I didn't just see him. They're in here arguing about keeping me safe, so maybe he's in need of more comfort.
"What are you really talking about?" I whisper up to Zill.
As he opens his mouth, Kolos interrupts. "I was being honest. He's trying to make me stay up here and babysit an empty ship instead of being useful."
"You don't even like being on Earth," Isha says.
Zill takes a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he shifts us around so I'm at his side, his shadows roaming all over my body over my clothing, his arm draped over my shoulders.
"No one likes Earth," Kolos says with a sincerity that has me snorting. His lips tug up on one side. "Not even your bond wants to be there. Can't blame me for never wanting to go planetside."
Zill stiffens beside me, probably not liking that Kolos knows something about me that Zill doesn't. I did tell him last night that I was more than happy to travel the stars with him, so he should know.
"Oh, he undoubtedly knows," Kolos says, speaking to me as if my thoughts were spoken aloud. "He doesn't like it that I know." Then, because I'm starting to piece together that his teasing is more to irritate Zill than it is about me at all, he continues. "Want to know what else I know?"
My face turns scarlet within a second of the question coming out of Kolo's mouth, and I don't know if I'm supposed to be scandalized by the suggestion in his question or not. But it's upsetting Zill just like it's meant to.
"The woman sings about sucking dick, I doubt her thoughts are any less lewd," Mauve says, startling everyone in the room with the brashness of her words.
Zill clears his throat, his cheeks stained pink as he flashes a look to me from the corner of his eyes. "Yes, well, Kolos is just trying to get me upset, so I'll send him down to Earth as punishment."
Kolos shrugs, his smile still bright. "Can't blame me for trying."
"I can and do," Zill mutters under his breath loud enough for the rest of us to hear, and Kolos lets out a little huff of laughter through his nose. Zill rubs the bridge of his nose before resigning himself to something. "Being on Earth won't bother you?"
"Oh, it's going to be the worst," Kolos says with a levity that doesn't match the seriousness of his words. "They're louder about wanting to find her when we're on Earth, but it's nothing I haven't dealt with before."
"Wait, you've been down there?" Zill asks at the time I ask, "Who?"
Zill's shadows still, tightening around me, but he doesn't answer. No one so much as moves because apparently I've well and truly stepped in it. In my defense, Zill's question seems about as invasive as mine."
"My soulbond is human," Kolos says with a shrug. "And yes, I've been down there plenty. I don't know why the three of you think I haven't been."
"Because you tell us you never want to go there," Isha says, throwing her hands up.
"I don't want to go there, but I have to go sometimes."
And I feel like a complete and total ass for asking at all. What does one even say in this situation? 'Sorry that the person who's a perfect fit for your soul doesn't want you?' That seems needlessly callous. My face pales as I remember how loud my thoughts can be to the Sombrans.
"Don't get all heartbroken on my account. It happened fifteen years ago, and I'm a perfectly happy male."
And because this is a topic that everyone on the ship is acutely aware of, except for me, I change the subject and hope no one minds that it's not subtle in the least. "So what is the plan for keeping me safe?"
