Stealing the Dragon’s Heart by Kiersten Fay
12
Priya had been gone a while, so Onnika decided to use the opportunity to ingratiate herself with Lear…or rather, ingratiate Caryn with Lear.
“So, Lear,” she began, “it looks like our acquaintance will be short-lived. If Aidan isn’t planning on executing us, then I have to assume he’ll kick us off the ship as soon as we land. It’s a shame, though. Right, Caryn?”
“Yes, it really is,” Caryn replied morosely, accustomed to following Onnika’s lead and playing along with whatever she had planned, even if Caryn had no idea what it was. “I really was enjoying your company before.”
That sounded pretty sincere. Maybe she wasn’t just playing along.
Lear remained stoic, though still brooding over being fooled. “As was I. Before I learned of your deception.”
Caryn’s face fell.
“We both feel really bad about that,” said Onnika. “Hey, how about you let Caryn cook something for everyone, as an apology-slash-thank you for, you know, not killing us and all?”
Caryn lit up, clearly perceiving Onnika’s scheme, last-ditch effort that it was. Tag had often demanded Caryn cook for him, and for good reason. Girl could whip up orgies for the taste buds. If this crew enjoyed her cooking as much as he had, maybe keeping them aboard wouldn’t seem like such a bad idea.
“Please, Lear.” Caryn stood, showing a bit of vigor for the first time since being caught. “I’d really like to cook for you before we part, as a thank you for your kindness.” And there went that gleaming smile. Onnika stifled one of her own, knowing it would look triumphant and calculating.
For a moment, Lear seemed transfixed by Caryn.
Way to work it, girl.Except Onnika was unsure if Caryn was working the angle...or if she truly was eager to prepare a meal for this man.
“Plus,” Onnika continued glumly, “it’ll probably be our last meal for a while, seeing as how we’ll be left in a strange place with no credits and no connections.”
Lear’s expression pinched, his tone souring. “You could just steal again, could you no’?”
“We don’t like to steal if we don’t have to. But if it comes down to me and my sister here starving, then yes, I will do what I must. You may not care what happens to us, but I’ll do anything to keep Caryn from suffering.”
That seemed to hit him right in the guilt-gullet. Pow! Chew on that.
He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, his throat working hard. After a moment, he reluctantly relented. “If you wish to prepare something before you go, I’ll no’ stop you.”
Onnika rubbed her hands together. “It’s settled. Come, Caryn. Let’s see what you have to work with.”
Though a little less excited after Lear’s cold manner, Caryn followed her to the attached galley. Lear trailed close behind, but he remained by the door with his arms crossed, resolved to guard them closely.
No matter. Together, she and Caryn found the pantry and pulled out a few items—vegetables, meat, spices—which prompted Caryn to begin preparation for a simple stir-fry dish. While Caryn heated up a pan, Onnika settled in next to her and dutifully chopped vegetables.
Then another devious plot formed.
On a downward slice, Onnika deliberately slashed a superficial cut into her finger. “Ouch! Oh, I’m such a klutz!” She moved to the sink to run her finger under cold water.
Lear dropped his arms, seemingly concerned, which elevated him in her esteem. “Are you all right?”
“I’ll be fine, thank you. Would you mind helping Caryn with the vegetables? I’m of no use right now.”
“Uh…” Thrown off guard, he grudgingly sidled up next to Caryn and took over.
Wrapping her finger in a cloth, Onnika settled back against the counter and prepared to play puppet master. “So Lear, do you mind if I ask you a question?”
Uneasy, he simply grunted.
“Earlier, Caryn asked me why such a dashing dragon prince would run this dangerous race himself, and I must admit, I too am curious. Why not send an underling?”
His eyes darted to Caryn for a moment, and Onnika could tell it pleased him to hear Caryn thought him dashing, but just as he was about to reply, Aidan appeared in the doorway, looking dangerously furious.
“The underling would like to know what the hell is going on here.”
Caryn jumped at the sound of his booming voice, nearly toppling the pan of hot oil.
Onnika’s spine straightened and her pulse jumped into hyper drive. “I-uh, I mean, we were just…well, we thought that…Caryn can cook, so…as a gesture…we, um...” What the hell had happened to her puppet master skills? She wasn’t used to being tongue-tied. Even Caryn looked at her with cockeyed confusion.
To Onnika’s utter surprise, Lear came to her rescue. “What does it look like? I’m putting them to work. It’s the least they can do, don’t you think?”
“So then, why does it appear as though you’re the one being worked?”
“Onnika cut her hand,” Lear informed him.
As if needing to provide proof of her injury, Onnika raised her poorly bandaged finger.
Lear continued, “I’m merely being polite. You should try it sometime.”
Aidan’s tone darkened further. “Is that a royal decree?” It suddenly felt as if an ice storm had found its way into the galley. The two males stared each other down. Onnika got the impression there was some deeper issue between the two she couldn’t yet decipher.
To Onnika, Caryn mouthed, What is wrong with you?
Onnika mouthed back, I don’t know. She really did need to get it together if she had any hope of grasping control over their situation. Still, her heart hammered in her chest, and a light sheen of perspiration glistened over her skin. Was her body warning her to be extra cautious around this man? There was still a chance he’d change his mind and cut their lives short, just because he could.
Lear ended the standoff and resumed chopping. “Would it make any difference if it was?”
“Not a bit.” Aidan’s hostile gaze transferred to Onnika. Crossing to her in two steps, he grasped her by the wrist, though his hold wasn’t as harsh as she’d anticipated. Then he proceeded to unwrap her makeshift bandage. Tone dripping with sarcasm, he intoned, “Oh my, what a deep laceration. Amazing you didn’t bleed out. We must get you to the infirmary at once.”
“Not necessary,” she rushed out. “It’s not that bad. I’ll be fine.”
“I insist. It seems space is teeming with infectious organisms.”
Why did that sound like an insult directed at her?
“It would only be polite,” he droned on. Still holding her by the wrist, he tugged her out of the galley and through the mess hall, not letting go until he planted her on a bench in the infirmary. Without a word, he turned away and began shuffling through drawers.
Her nerves still sizzled, but thankfully it didn’t show in her voice this time. “You didn’t really bring me here to tend to my wound. Why don’t you just say what you want to say to me?”
He turned to her holding a vial of clear liquid and placed it on the counter beside her.
She eyed it suspiciously. “What is that?”
He didn’t answer. From another nearby drawer, he retrieved a cotton swab and a small bandage. Then he set a chair in front of her and sat, positioning himself so that her knees were tucked between his. She found his closeness unnerving.
After whetting the swab with the vial’s mysterious liquid, he reached for her hand.
She pulled it back, protectively cradling it to her chest.
He glared at her. “Relax. I’m just disinfecting it.”
After gleaning his intent and finding it benign, she allowed him to claim her hand. He angled her palm up so that he could more closely examine the small wound, which had already stopped bleeding due to her naturally swift healing. His skin felt warm against hers. For some reason, her pulse spiked again.
“You’re flirting with Lear, as if he has any say about what happens to you.”
“What? No, I wasn’t.”
“He might be a dashing prince, but he has no power here.”
How much of her conversation with Lear had he overheard? “I wasn’t flirting.”
He dabbed at her cut. It stung a bit, but not too badly. Still, she winced. He glanced up, and those molten whiskey eyes captured hers for a moment. Outwardly, he didn’t appear as angry as before, but whatever emotion stared back at her, she couldn’t say. It felt both cold and warm at the same time. It made little sense.
Oddly flustered, she broke eye contact and he carried on cleaning her wound, taking his time. Once he finished, he put the cotton aside and picked up the bandage, but before placing it over her wound, he first blew a light stream of air over it.
She swallowed, wondering why her pulse reacted even more hectically to this gentle attention than his previous hostility. His touch shot tingles through her nerves. A shiver swept her body.
He hesitated for a moment as though he’d noticed her reaction, but made no comment. As he wrapped the bandage around her tender digit, he muttered, “I suppose you’re entertaining hopes that he’ll take you back to his amazing palace and make you his princess.”
She withdrew her hand. “I—wasn’t—flirting.”
“It doesn’t matter. You and your friend are off my ship as soon as we stop.”
“Fine with me.”
“Is it?” He leaned back in his chair. “You don’t even want to try that flirting act on me next?”
She cocked her head, not getting a clear read on him. “Would it work if I did?”
“Nope.” His gaze lit with cruel amusement.
Dick.“Then why waste my time? Unless…” She read him again, and again found it difficult. It was as if even he didn’t know what he was going to do from one moment to the next. “Unless that’s what you want.”
His body went stiff, and the humor left his eyes.
His actions told Onnika she’d struck a nerve. “Were you hoping that tending to me would make me want to flirt with you?”
“Don’t be daft.” He crossed his arms. “I only mean to warn you against playing your little games with the dragon prince in there.”
“Why? Are you afraid he might like me?”
“Well, he does have poor taste.”
Having been the recipient of worse insults, she easily shrugged that off. “I think you might be jealous. I think you’re dying for me to flirt with you.”
He pushed his seat back and then stood to gather the supplies. “Think what you like.”
“After all,” she continued, “You did see me first. Isn’t there some sort of unspoken rule amongst males about that?”
“You mean when you ripped me off like it was just another day?”
Finally she gleaned something from him: He wanted nothing more than to get away from her. Because she was right? She had him on the defensive, and that delighted her. “Did it bother you when I told him he was dashing?”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
She followed him across the room as he put the supplies back in their drawers, nettling him further. “Would you like it if I said you were dashing?” It would even be true.
He didn’t respond as he went to the sink and washed his hands.
“Would it please you if I said you were the most handsome man I’d ever met?” She thought she caught a bob in his throat at that.
He grabbed a hand towel, practically ripping it off the hook. “I know you to be a liar, so no, it would only irritate me further.”
“You have me there. I am a good liar. I’m good at a lot of things…” She knew she shouldn’t be provoking him like this, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. She was having too much fun. But fun could easily turn disastrous.
Just as the thought surfaced, his arm whipped out and palmed her by the back of the neck, forcing her to look up at him. “Good at playing men, you mean.”
Her pulse thundered beyond comprehension, her breaths rushed in and out of her unevenly, yet she wasn’t afraid. She was…aroused. His gaze dipped to her lips, and she licked them for him. Would he kiss her like he’d wanted to before? Would she let him?
He hissed in a breath. “You act like this when I could have you at my mercy? Tempting me? You play a dangerous game.”
“Life is a dangerous game,” she remarked. “And no one gets out alive.”
His face twisted into something like grief before turning stony. Abruptly, he let her go, and she stumbled slightly backward. Then he turned and headed for the hatch. “That, Onnika, is one thing you’re right about.”