Stealing the Dragon’s Heart by Kiersten Fay

7

“You know you want to ride this ride, honey.”

Onnika ripped her arm away from the grip of the miscreant who was supposedly the captain of a small craft called Drudge and continued on her way. Word had quickly spread that she and Caryn were looking to join a crew. Naturally, the knaves were eager to recruit a couple of eager “groupies.”

Groupies they were not, but looking to join a crew? Yeah. That seemed like the best option right about now.

Not just any crew would do, however. As always, Onnika needed to choose her mark carefully. At the same time, she had to hurry. Urgency bit at her heels. She felt exposed here in the sparsely populated hangar, the sense of danger growing, and the race was about to start. Less than an hour and all these ships would be gone…those precious schematics with them.

She’d used the last of the stolen cash to bribe her way into the restricted hangar where the racers were getting ready, warming their engines and taking their starting positions. She turned to Caryn and asked, “Are you getting any good vibes from any of these people?”

Caryn glanced around, twisting her fingers together. She shifted her gaze from one ship to another, then to a group of racers gathered at the registration desk, then back to another ship she’d already considered and on to another set of racers chatting by the bay doors.

She seemed more uncertain than ever.

“Remember, anything that doesn’t get us killed is a good option at this point.”

Caryn absently nodded, her frightened gaze going distant.

Over the loudspeaker, a voice announced, “In forty minutes the hangar will be cleared and racers must be in position.”

Caryn took on that same panicked look that had marked her features back on the mining planet.

Onnika placed her hands on Caryn’s shoulders. “You’ve got this, girl. I trust you.”

“But I don’t trust me.”

Whirling around to face the line of ships, Onnika said, “Then we’ll both have to agree, or we won’t get on any ship. Point to the ones you’re feeling even remotely good about, and I’ll read the crew.”

Nodding, Caryn indicated three ships, two nearby and one at the far end of the hangar. Onnika read the names painted on the hull in bold letters. “Armada, The Condemned, and Dragoon. Dragoon was at the far end, so they’d check that one last. The Condemned was the closest ship. She didn’t see the crew out and about—and the name didn’t exactly foster confidence—so she started with Armada. Two of the crew were arguing over who should be the one to carry a heavy crate onto the ship.

The ship itself was large, but the thrusters appeared to be meant for a much smaller craft. Speed would be an issue. One negative strike already. Onnika cocked her head, focusing her attention one of the two men. He had short, spiky hair with patches of white near the temple. Yet there was a youthfulness about him, an eagerness, even though he appeared to be older than the other. “He wants to win,” she predicted. “Badly.”

Caryn nodded, trusting Onnika’s judgment.

The younger man sported an air of cockiness in every move he made, a young buck ready to butt heads with anything in his path. Yet he seemed less committed to winning. The spark wasn’t there. Of course, that meant little if he was merely a cabin boy. If her memory served, according to the roster, there were thirty crew assigned to this ship. That was more of a turnoff than the boy’s lack of enthusiasm. That many people meant more chances of being recognized as Faieara and their secrets getting discovered.

The Condemnedwas among the handful of smaller ships. It had a pointed nose and sharp, angled edges. It resembled the kind of craft generally more suited for high-altitude, inner-atmosphere travel, but seemed to have been converted for space travel.

It also looked fast.

With no crew in sight, Onnika expanded her gift to reach past the hull, to the interior of the craft. It was more difficult to read a subject that was out of sight, but doable. Distance hampered her as well, but that wasn’t a problem here.

After a moment, she sensed two, no, four people on board…all with absolutely zero intention of winning Phase Nine. She cocked her head at Caryn, who returned a confused look.

“What is it?” Caryn asked.

“Uh, let’s head down to that far ship.”

Dragoonwasn’t the smallest ship in the line-up, but it wasn’t the largest, either. That meant it might boast a good combination of both stealth and speed. By her estimate, it could house a crew of twenty at least, but according to the roster, only six crew members were registered. Plenty of room for two more.

As they approached, Caryn halted for a moment, her eyes distant. She lifted her hand slightly, as if reaching out for something…in the direction of Dragoon.

“What is it?” Onnika asked, brimming with excitement.

Caryn shook herself, looking slightly confused. Then she just shrugged and kept moving.

Only one of Dragoon’s crew was visible outside the ship, a good-looking fellow with short blond hair and a regal jaw. The potency of his determination practically smacked Onnika in the gut. In her experience, whenever she got such a clear reading, it usually meant the person was currently contemplating the very desire she was gleaning, or at least was very close to acting on that desire.

Caryn muttered, “He’s one of the Captains I saw on the holo-screen. What luck!”

Onnika wasn’t sure if Caryn’s own words even registered with her. What luck indeed.

“I have a good feeling about him,” Onnika said. “He really wants to win the race.”

“Don’t they all?” Caryn replied.

“Oddly enough, no. But his intention is strong, like a tempered blade.” She pointed to a man entering the next ship over. “Whereas his intention feels dull to me, like attempting to chop wood with a butter knife. So? What do you think? Is this our ship?”

“Hmm.” Caryn eyed the determined stranger, biting her lip. “I think you’re right. There is something…compelling about him.”

Onnika gave her a sly look. “About him? Or the ship?”

“The ship, I mean.”

“So…you feeling lucky?”

Caryn turned up her nose. “Ugh. Will it never cease? Oh! He’s caught us watching him.”

“He caught you watching him. Come, let’s introduce ourselves.”

Affecting her sweetest smile, Onnika marched up to the stranger. Caryn followed close behind. The man smiled at their approach, eyeing them up and down. Onnika noticed his gaze lingered on Caryn, obvious interest lighting his eyes.

“Hi there,” she began with a smile. “I’m Onnika, and this is Caryn.”

“I’m Lear, prince of the dragon shifters.”

Onnika concealed her surprise. She vaguely recalled hearing something about dragon shifters. It was so long ago that her memory was fuzzy, but she thought a small clan of them had formed an alliance with the Faieara, yet she couldn’t be sure, and she couldn’t remember which clan it had been. There were hundreds of dragon clans scattered over multiple planets.

Lear lifted Onnika’s hand to kiss her knuckles, then did the same to Caryn. As his lips met her skin, he gazed upward, his smiling eyes holding a hint of attraction. “I dinna expect to encounter such stunning competition.”

Caryn’s cheek grew pink and she let out a nervous sound, pulling her hand back.

Onnika inwardly groaned. Crap. It would have been easier if he’d found her more appealing, as Caryn was rather shy when it came to encouraging the attention of the opposite sex. Come on, Caryn,time to step up your game.

Pushing her forward, Onnika informed him, “Caryn and I aren’t competition. Far from it, in fact.”

“No?” He glanced around the hangar in confusion before returning his gaze to them. “Are you reporters? Here to interview me?”

“I, uh…” He’d just given her a brilliant idea. “Actually, we are reporters…from the coalition.” That sounded like a thing. “They want to do an in-depth document on the race by having a few of us follow certain ships through the entire event. Are you the captain of this impressive vessel?”

His chest expanded and there was a twinkle in his eye. “I am.”

One thing Onnika did recall about dragons was that they were extremely prideful, but they also valued honor, which ultimately could work in their favor if he discovered their deception before they got what they needed. The chance of him retaliating with violence was slim, though not guaranteed. She had a thin line to traverse. She’d need to stroke his pride just enough while playing on his sense of honor.

“Just think, if Dragoon wins, the entire universe will want to learn about her handsome captain, prince of the dragon shifters, and his capable crew.”

She could tell by his expression that he found that idea intriguing, yet was reluctant to assimilate strange women into his crew. Time to close the deal. By necessity, Onnika was goal-oriented. Number one goal: survival. Two, safety. Three, protect Caryn, which naturally tied in with goals one and two, but now she had a new goal: Find a way for them both to return to Evlon and end their perpetual wandering, something she and Caryn had been longing for since they’d been sent away. To accomplish that, Onnika had no reservations about exploiting Lear’s blatant attraction to Caryn.

Leaning in, Onnika fake-whispered, “The handsome part was Caryn’s estimation, not mine.”

Lear blinked in surprise. Caryn’s mouth dropped open.

Onnika discreetly pinched Caryn’s side, signaling her to say something.

Yet to have mastered the art of prevarication, Caryn stumbled. “I, uh, I mean, we’d love to do a story on you.”

Compelling as ever, Caryn.

Onnika added, “Also, we can help out where needed. We noticed you don’t have a chef on your roster. Caryn here is a majestic cook. She can whip up a spread that’s utterly orgasmic.”

Caryn’s head snapped at Onnika’s provocative word choice, her cheeks now burning bright crimson.

Lear appeared charmed. “Hmm. I simply must experience that.”

Deflecting, Caryn nervously said, “On-Onnika can fly. A ship, I mean. This ship. She could help pilot if you need. Nothing in the rules that says we can’t help you win. That would be much more helpful than anything I could whip up.”

“All in our crew can pilot the ship,” Lear replied thoughtfully. “Though only two are exceptional at it, so one more wouldn’t hurt, I suppose. And a chef would be a wonderful addition. Especially one so beautiful.”

Onnika held her breath. Caryn could lock this down with her naturally disarming smile. Come on Caryn, flash those pretty teeth.

Peeking at him from under her lashes, Caryn’s sweet smile stunned the unsuspecting Lear. “You think you could make room for us, then?”

Lear blinked. “Plenty of room. Let’s get you registered with Dragoon.”