Heir: Home World Book One An Epic Space Opera by Bonnie Milani

Author:Bonnie Milani [Milani, Bonnie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-07-14T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Keiko helped Captain Marsden and the Van Buren boy lower Kamehameha No Name on to a stone bench by the moon gate near the Admin wing. She could sit a while with Kameh here, least ‘til she was sure he could walk on his own. The moon gate opened on to the Manor’s public gardens. It was a place where the people could mingle with proper Types. Haole tourists expected to see the people here, expected to gape at the human monkeys in their natural habitat. No haole around tonight, though, except for the Captain and Van Buren. And the half dozen SecTypes trying to sneak along on the perim. To her trained ears, each snapped twig and rustled branch pinpointed a guard’s bulk and weight and location. For SecTypes, though, they were nui quiet.

The Captain and Van Buren were both sweating by the time they straightened up. In the moonlight tiny sweat beads glittered Van Buren’s forehead like a crystal version of a Māori tattoo. To her surprise, he didn’t seem upset about it.

“You can’t take long, Mote.” Captain Marsden bent to rest his hands on his knees, breathing deep. Even so, his head was cocked, eyes less on her than on whatever it was he saw on that permanent grid his comm implant gave him.

“No hu-hu. Be back soon as he can walk again.” The thought of such a good man enslaved to a machine twinged her heart. Keiko stretched up, put her love and gratitude into a hug. Kissed his cheek for good measure.

Past the Captain, Van Buren cleared his throat. A sidelong glance caught him doing a quick breath-check. Keiko felt the insult in her gut. Well, he’d wait a damned long time for the kind of kiss he was expecting. She heard the captain grunt and realized her fist had clenched, too. She let go and gave him an extra kiss for apology. Then braced herself and turned to thank Van Buren.

She’d expected one of those chest-to-groin smirks. Instead – Sweet Madam Pele, the mahe looked innocent as a puppy dog waiting for a treat. Impossible to stay angry at the fool. Much to her annoyance, Keiko caught herself grinning back. After all, the man really had helped, even sweated up a shirt that probably cost more than the Admiral’d earn in a month – and was the dream lover of every haole woman in the Commonwealth, according to the people’s gossip. Keiko straightened the smile and gave him a proper Samurai bow – keeping her eyes up on him and a hand across her chest. The courtesy obviously disappointed him.

Huh. That was a new one. He looked hurt as a new puppy, too. She tried – unsuccessfully – to keep her eyes off Van Buren’s retreating back as Captain Marsden led him and their invisible escort back to the Manor. Maybe someday, somehow… No, not her business to let daydreams wander that way. She might dream of him being her Prince Handsome, but a dream was all it could ever be.

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