Ka'Cit's Haven (Riv’s Sanctuary #3)

But there was a twinkle in his eye and she found herself hiding her smile.

She was done now anyway. Securing the last bit of her makeshift bandage, she started moving back to her spot when the ship suddenly lurched.

If she wasn’t so low on the ground already, she’d have stumbled and fallen, but the effect of the movement caused her to fall awkwardly against him.

There was another loud sound in the engines and her body stiffened.

It was a stark reminder that she was far from safety.

For a moment there with him, she’d forgotten where she was.

The ship lurched again and the rhythmic clanking in the background slowly died.

“What…what’s happening?”

Ka’Cit cursed under his breath and checked the huge band on his wrist.

“Phek,” was all he said as she scrambled off him and he sat upright.

“What? What is it?”

“Herza just killed the engines.”

She stared at him, alarm making her heart beat hard in her chest.

What the hell did that mean? Had they arrived at wherever the ship was going?

“She’s cheaper than I thought…” His gaze met hers.

She had no idea what he meant with those words.

He must have seen the question in her eyes because he continued.

“She killed the engines,” he repeated. “We are…drifting.”

The way he said it, made it sound incredibly bad.

Drifting in space for a few moments could work in their advantage, right.

It meant they were no longer blasting away from Hudo III. The trip back should be shorter.

But the look he was giving her didn’t spark any confidence within her.

Instead, there was a fear that was steadily growing along her spine and she was sure something bad was about to happen.

A surety that only grew as Ka’Cit, for the first time since she’d been around him that evening, lost that unbothered look he usually had.

He was crouching now, his shoulders tense and his entire frame alert.

“I’m sorry, ta’ii.”

16

“Wait here.”

He studied Nee-ya as he crouched once more.

Worry shone in her eyes but she nodded.