Garth Diamandis was sitting up next to her. He probed at the back of his head carefully, then darted his eyes back and forth at the people who surrounded them. Where are we?
Among friends, she said. Safe. At least for now.
The facilities of Fin were primitive, but the water was wonderfully hot. She dallied in the rusted metal cabinet that stood in for a shower, letting the stuff run over and off her in sheets, holding her face under it. Not thinking, though her hands still shook.
A loud banging startled her, and she almost slipped. Venera flung open the sheet-metal door. What?
Bryce stood there. His glower turned to distraction as he took in her naked form. In a moment of reflected vision, she saw his gaze lower, pause, drop, pause again. Then he caught himself and met her eyes. Youre going to use up all the hot water, he said in a reasonable tone.
She slammed
the door, but it was too late; she could practically feel the line drawn down her body by his eyes. So what if I use it all? she said gamely. Youre a mantake yours cold.
Not if I dont have to. She heard rattling around the side of the enclosure. Theres a master valve here, but Im not sure whether its for the cold or the hot. Ill give it a few turns
She threw the door open again and stalked past him to grab the rag theyd told her was her towel. Wrapping it around herself as best she could, she did a double take as she saw him watching her again. Well? she said. What are you waiting for?
Huh?
Get in there. She crossed her arms and waited. Bryce turned his back to her as he undressed, but she didnt give him any relief. It was her turn to admire. With a sour glance that held more than a little humor, he stepped into the stall.
Venera leaned over to look at the side of the enclosure; there was the valve hed mentioned. It was momentarily tempting to give a few turnsshe could imagine his shouts quite vividlybut no. She was an adult, after all.
She left the enclosure and stepped gingerly over the grillwork floor. Despite the stares of those billeted in the hallway, she made her way to where Garth Diamandis lay. He was awake, but listless. Still, he half smiled as he saw her.
Ah, that you should dress so for me, he murmured.
Venera smoothed the hair back from his brow. Whats wrong?
He looked away, lips twisting. Then, It was her. She betrayed me to them.
Your woman? Wife? Mistress?
A heavy sigh escaped him. My daughter.
Venera stepped back, shocked. For a moment she had no idea what to say, because her whole understanding of this man had been changed in one stroke. Oh, Garth, she said stupidly. Im so sorry. We daughters will do that, she though, but she didnt say it.
She held his hand for a minute until he gently disengaged it and turned on his side. You must be cold, he said. Go get some rest. So, reluctantly, she left him on his cot in the hallway.
She mused about this surprising new Garth as she threaded her way back to her sleeping station. It was hard navigating the place; the nation of Fin was less than thirty feet wide at its broadest point. Since it was literally a fin, an aileron for controlling Spyres spin and direction, the place was streamlined and reinforced inside by crisscrossing girders. The citizens of the pocket nation had built floors and chambers all through the vertical wing and grudgingly added several ladder wells. Where Garth lay was not a corridor as such, howeverjust a more or less labyrinthine route between the rooms that were strung the length of the level. Privacy was to be had only within the sleeping chambers, where the ever-present roar of air just behind the walls drowned all other sounds.
Fin didnt have the capacity for an extra seventy or so people. Venera had been informed by an impatient Corinne that they must all leave by nightfall. That suited her fineshe had a meeting with the council later today in any case. But she needed to sleep first. So she was grateful for the little bed theyd prepared behind a set of metal cabinets. You had to squeeze around the last cabinet to get in here and there were no windows; still, it had an air of privacy. She rolled out of the towel and under the blanket.
Venera willed herself to sleep, but she was still a mass of nerves from the events of the night. And, she had to admit, there was something else keeping her awake
A blundering noise jolted her into sitting up. She groped for a nonexistent weapon. Somebody was blocking the light that leaked around the cabinets. Who
Oh, no! You! Bryce stood there, his nakedness punctuated by the towel at his waist. His hands were on his hips.
Venera snatched up the blanket. Dont tell me they put you in with me.
Said there wasnt any room. Last good place was here. He crossed his arms. Well?
Well what?
Youve had at least fifteen minutes to sleep. My turn.
Your? She reached for one of her boots and threw it at him. Get out! This is my room! Bryce ducked adroitly and stepped up, grabbing at her wrist. She rabbit-punched him in the stomach; the only effect was that his towel fell off.