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“The last few weeks have been routine. In fact, things always run better when you’re at the Citadel.” The male grinned, clearly joking.
“Well, this is more of a training exercise than a mission, so we shouldn’t take up much of your precious time.”
The stranger walked over to her and held out his hand. It was a gesture she hadn’t seen since leaving Earth. It sent an unexpected twinge of homesickness pinging through her system. She had accepted the fact that she was Altorian and her fate lay with her mates, but part of her would always miss Earth.
“Hobak Oxtan,” the male introduced. “I’m Draven’s business partner, for now. I’m attempting a hostile takeover.”
Draven scoffed, but the banter was all good-natured. These two obviously knew each other really well.
She shook Hobak’s hand and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.” He was much too charming to be a controller. Maybe he wasn’t a mystic at all. They could have met in the military.
“If you get tired of these two let me know and I’ll make room for you in my cabin.” Hobak winked at her and walked over to one of the stations along the perimeter of the room.
“Hobak flirts with everyone,” Noratu told her. “That’s the only reason Draven isn’t addressing his behavior.”
Draven launched the ship into hyperspace a few minutes later and Flora gasped. She grabbed Noratu’s arm, feeling unsteady. No one else seemed to react to the sudden surge in acceleration. They must be used to it.
“Sorry,” Draven muttered when he noticed her reaction. “I should have warned you.”
Noratu leaned down and whispered, “He is in a hurry to complete this mission. I can’t imagine why.”
Heat reignited on her face and she tightened her bottom around the insert. Her lesson had left them all restless, but this mission was important. It was her final exam. Once they achieved their objectives, and she had no doubt they would, their status as a power triad would be official.
They were in hyperspace for around twenty minutes. Draven showed her around the command deck, introducing her to the crewmembers. They all seemed more at ease now that the ship was underway.
“Why did they all freak out when they first saw me?” Flora asked as they returned to Draven’s station.
“Most of the crew is ex-military and soldiers don’t trust mystics,” Noratu told her, his voice barely above a whisper. “The Citadel makes them uncomfortable.”
“They thought of me as a soldier who helped out mystics from time to time,” Draven added. He checked a couple of readings on his holo-display but didn’t sit down. “Now that I’m part of a triad, they will be happier under Hobak’s command.”
“Then you’re going to accept the president’s offer to join the board of governors?” He hadn’t sounded nearly this sure when he spoke with Zevon.
“There are still a few things to consider, but I am leaning toward yes.”
She pressed her lips together, trying not to let her disappointment show.
Draven chuckled. “You are shielding your mind, so tell me what caused that look.”
“Do we have to live at the Citadel? It’s so gloomy there.”
Both males laughed, but Noratu insisted, “I have no intention in staying there any longer than necessary. We can head to my estate as soon as this mission is over.”
“I will commute from the estate,” Draven assured her. “The Citadel is dreadful.”
“Then let’s get this over with so we can go home,” Noratu suggested.
They led her to the center of the room as Hobak returned to the commander’s station.
It really was impossible to command a ship while participating in a triad. Draven had built this company from the ground up. It had to be hard to pour so much time and energy into something and then just walk away.
“We will need to strike quickly as soon as Hobak brings us out of hyperspace,” Draven said, bringing her mind squarely into the present. “We need to be focused and ready.”
“I understand.” She stood facing the floor-to-ceiling display. Her mates moved into position, forming the now-familiar triangle. Noratu’s arm supported her waist. Draven’s hand grasped the back of her neck. She focused inward. What she was feeling was more important than what she could see.
She felt like a fighter jet pilot heading into her first dog fight. No, that wasn’t accurate. Draven was the pilot, she was the ship, and Noratu was the jet fuel.
They merged their shields, shutting out external forces while giving unrestricted access to each other. Mystic energy flowed from Noratu into Draven and Flora, saturating every molecule in their bodies. She inhaled slowly as she opened her mind completely.
