“I want you to make me come,” I say quickly. I’ve already decided.
Zebah giggles. Adiron coughs.
“—and we’ll discuss it when I get back.” Mathiras’s face turns that flushed deep blue.
“Oh. Okay.” I beam at him. “But that’s what I want to do.”
Mathiras’s mouth quirks in a wry smile. “All right. Until then, I need you to stay here and protect Adiron for me. If anything happens to me, he’s the one that can fly the ship.”
“Well, nothing’s going to happen to you,” I say indignantly. I turn and give the female bounty hunter a stern look. “If I’m not there, Zebah better handle things.”
“On it, my friend,” she says with a jaunty salute.
Adiron clears his throat. “So uh, me and Helen are gonna hang out on the bridge and you guys are going where, exactly?”
“The Belly,” Mathiras tells him. “My guess is that it’s the parts of the black market that no one wants noticed, not even the regular black market. Zakoar suggested it.”
“If you’ve got extra credits lying around, we’re going to need them,” Zebah says. “And guns. And basically anything we can bring in to protect ourselves. I’ve been there once and let’s just say it didn’t go well.” Her expression is grim. “We go in expecting to be robbed and have to fight, and then we won’t be surprised when we are.”
I make an unhappy sound. I don’t like this. Mathiras needs me at his side. I look over at Adiron, helpless. He doesn’t seem thrilled either. “You need backup,” Adiron says. “I get that you feel you have to go, but if I have to stay with the ship and Helen has to stay with me, that just leaves you with Zebah. And…no offense, Zebah, but we haven’t seen you in a fight. If we needed someone to run their mouth, we’d be set. But I don’t know how good you are at having someone’s back.”
Zebah shrugs, stroking her hand over her blaster. “I fight dirty. That’s all you need to know.”
“I’d still prefer if you had backup, Matty,” his brother says. “What about Zakoar?”
Mathiras shakes his head. “He won’t go down there. He specifically keeps his nose out of things so no one messes with his business. I have to respect that.” But he considers for a moment. “Maybe his assistant, Tikosa. He might be able to handle himself—”
“No,” Zebah says flatly. “He’s a good kid. He doesn’t deserve to be dragged into this.”
“Kid?” Mathiras eyes Zebah. “He’s probably the same age as you.”
“Yeah, but I’ve seen—and been involved with—a lot more shit,” she says grimly. “He doesn’t need whatever trouble we’re going to bring with us. Besides, he has to live on this station, and some criminals have long memories. I’d prefer not to involve him if we don’t have to.”
“Sounds like someone’s got a loooover,” Adiron sing-songs, smirking.
Zebah turns and points her blaster at Adiron’s head, furious. “Shut the kef up. Am I not allowed to say he wouldn’t be good backup? Damn. Can’t a girl be tired of ruining a male’s life?” She casts a sidelong look over at Mathiras, and the slyness returns to her face. “Besides, I have a better idea.”
“Uh oh,” Mathiras says.
“The perfect back-up is already here on station. We just have to spring her from jail.”
Mathiras groans. “Seriously? You want to bring Bethiah to the Belly? Didn’t you steal her ship?”
“Borrowed,” Zebah corrects, lowering her blaster and holstering it once more. She crosses her arms over her chest. “And like, I know where it’s parked. I can help her get it again. She won’t hold a grudge.”
“Bethiah?” Adiron asks, strangled. “Are we talking about the same Bethiah?”
But Zebah isn’t deterred. She tilts her head, all confidence. “She’s got a reputation. She knows how to handle a blaster. And I’m pretty sure she’s been to the Belly lots of times before. Who better to have our back?”
“Me,” I chime in. “I’d be better.” But then Mathiras frowns at me again and I sigh, because I can tell by the look on his face that his mind is made up. He’s not going to let me go with him, no matter what. “Fine. If you can’t take me, at least take this Bethiah female.”
CHAPTER 58
MATHIRAS
I can’t believe I’m about to spring Bethiah from jail so she can join me on a slave hunt. I must be three kinds of damaged in my head. Still, it’s not the worst idea. Bethiah needs someone to spring her from jail. I need backup that’s crazy enough to intimidate the worst, and Bethiah works for that aspect. Zebah relies on her flirtiness and attractive appearance to get what she wants, and I haven’t seen her fire a blaster yet, so I don’t know if she’s any good with one.
Bethiah thrives on chaos and I have no doubt she can shoot.