Adira's Mate by April Zyon

looked quite different
from the men and women on this destroyer, her skin far fairer and her height
much less than even their women’s height. She also noticed the difference in
how she felt, the air in the ship something she wasn’t accustomed to and making
it a bit difficult to breathe, but thankfully nothing too bad.
    Bracken stopped a moment later,
punched in a code on the pad next to the door, and stepped aside. “I’ll have
some food brought up, along with some clothing. If you need anything else you
know where to get it.”
    “ Thank you, Bracken.” Fintan clasped his arm for a moment, then stepped aside. Turning, he reached out for Adira’s hand and, giving it a squeeze, he led her into the rooms. She waited for
several moments before she finally spoke. “Well that went better than I had
anticipated.” She turned to look at him and watched the way he was moving, sure
that she was missing something. “Why did they all look as if you had signed
your own death warrant when you told them that you were keeping me?”
    He gave a lazy shrug while
looking around the room Bracken had given them. It had a sitting area, a table
that sat four, and a small kitchenette in the main
area. Beyond that was a large bedroom with a decent closet, and a full-size
bathing room. “They tend to get that way when someone bends the rules.”
    She moved toward him and lay a hand on his strong forearm. “Talk to me?” She wanted
to know what it was that they were getting into. “What is keeping me safe going
to cost you, Fintan ? Please, talk to me?”
    “ Nothing I’m not more than
willing, able, and happy to give. Think nothing of it, Adira ,”
he said, finally turning to look at her. “I don’t want you worrying about any
of this. For now we should wait on the food and clothing to be delivered. Then
I really want to have a shower.”
    She
had to agree with that. “ A
shower does sound remarkable. Will they have clothing for me as well? While I
enjoy this dress that I’m wearing, I honestly would love to be able to have
something else on right now.”
    “ I would assume so, though what it might be I’m unsure. It will be clean though, so that has to
mean something. We’ll have the dress cleaned, so you can have it back if you
wish.” He moved back out into the main area with her hand still in his.
    “ Thank you for that. I’m honestly
not certain that I would want it back, though.” The dress was a part of her
past; it was something she didn’t want to hold on to. Taking a deep breath, she
smiled. “I think that I’ll enjoy getting to know the customs of your people.”
    “ I’ll key up some information
about our world so you can read through it. It’ll give you an idea of our
trade, our customs, our laws, and some little bits of information most
outsiders would never figure out. You can read through it at your own leisure.
Bracken has orders to check out a couple of moon stations, odd readings or
something, prior to our return. Should take us about a week
to get home.”
    She nodded, happy that he was
willing to give her a chance. “Thank you. I’d like to be able to get to know
more of your culture before we land there.”
    “ I’m glad you’re willing to do
so,” he said quietly. “Most come to our world without a care, and then get
upset when they are caught breaking a law, or stepping on toes. I wouldn’t go
to their world without learning all I could prior to a visit, so why should
they be any different?” He shook his head and squeezed her fingers lightly. A
chime sounded. “That should be our food,” he said, releasing her hand.
    “ I agree.” She didn’t say anything
else while he moved away from her to get their food. She took a deep breath and
once they were alone again, she said, “I happen to really like having all the
facts that I can have about a place before I’m let loose upon the world.”
    Setting the tray down, Fintan pulled out a chair for her. “The lieutenant said