Knightqueen (Oronis Knights #3)

She tried the control panel. “Nothing.” Frustration chewed at her.

Sten slid a hand over the built-in screen. “No power.” He dropped down and slid under the console. “Let me take a look.” He yanked a panel off.

“I didn’t know you were any good with ship systems.” She perched on the edge of a chair and watched him work.

“I’m not. But you know I grew up on a farm. My father could fix every bit of equipment he had. He taught me a few things.”

Sten rarely talked about himself or his family. All she knew was that his mother had died when he’d been young, and he’d been raised by his father.

“Have you seen your father lately?”

He yanked on some wires, then paused. “He died nine months ago.”

Carys gasped. “You never told me! You didn’t take any time off.”

“There was nothing to be done. I saw to his funeral.” His tone was gruff.

“Time off to grieve, Sten.”

“I didn’t need time.”

She looked up at the ceiling. The man drove her crazy sometimes. “Losing someone important to you hurts.”

“He’d lived a good, honest life.”

She looked back and saw he was watching her.

“Dad was proud of me for becoming a knight. He died content.”

Sten was alone now too, like she had been for so long. “Sten—”

He touched some wires together and there was a shower of sparks. Lights flickered to life on the console.

She leaped to her feet. “You did it.”

“It’s only emergency power.” He rose and dusted off his hands.

Carys swiped the control panel. “I can’t read this text, but hopefully it’s got a standard configuration for the system.” She tapped and swiped, trying to find the communications. “Got it.” She pressed the screen.

A red warning flashed up.

Her heart sank. “That doesn’t look good.”

Sten pressed his palm to the screen and stared ahead. “Let me see if I can connect via my implants.”

She saw his eyes flicker, then he pulled his hand away.

She read it in his face. “It’s not functional.”

He shook his head. “The communication array was destroyed. There’s no way to transmit a message.”

Sten watched Carys whirl, then kick a chair.

“Ow.” She hopped a little and made a frustrated sound.

“Hey.” He knew he shouldn’t touch her, but he wanted to comfort her. He settled his palms over her shoulders. “We’ll find a way off this planet.”

“How long will that take?” She sagged back against him. “The Gek’Dragar are planning an attack, I can feel it. I need to protect our people.”