Read Online Cali & Drake (The Alliance Book 1) by Stormy McKnight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stormy McKnight
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color, and she averted her gaze. Before he made a fool of himself
and scared her in the process, he asked, “What about the governing body? Who
makes decisions?”
Cali licked her lips and Drake bit back a groan. “Cestori is a matriarchy.
The population is governed by the lower courts for trivial things. The Council
of Three makes all major decisions. My moth —”
Cali coughed slightly, “That is, the leader of the council is a woman named
Aicen Edal.”
So it was true. Aicen Edal was her mother. The supreme leader of a planet
ruled by women. That part of the warning was accurate at least. What was Cali
doing here in the Buffer Zone? If she was being trained by her mother, why
wasn’t she on Cestori? Also, why would Cali use her given name and not admit to
being Aicen Edal’s daughter? There was something odd going on.
“So your planet is matriarchal. Is that why the majority of the
crewmembers I saw on my way here were women?” Drake had wondered at the disproportionate
number of females as opposed to males on
the ship. The only other men he had seen were the guards.
“I suppose so, most of the positions that have any authority are held by women. The physical jobs are usually held
by males. I never really thought about it before.” Cali looked at him under her
lashes and leaned closer, “I don’t mean to change the subject, but may I ask
you something?”
Drake stiffened in his seat, instantly alert. “Of course. What would you
like to know?” The damn smell of flowers intensified, and he couldn’t stop
himself from leaning toward her.
“Can you tell me the truth?”
Drake had been staring at her mouth, his focus on her lips and not the
words. “Truth?” He was pretty sure she had said that.
“Yes. The truth about what you remember.” Her voice held an edge to it
and Drake forced himself to concentrate. It would seem his little flower had
thorns.
Chapter Twelve
Cali forced some authority into her voice. It was almost impossible to
concentrate with his gorgeous blue eyes and full mouth distracting her. They
didn’t teach this at the Academy. Cali cracked a smile at the thought of an
Academy class titled: How to Interrogate When You Are Sexually
Attracted to The Interrogatee 101 .
“I’m not an idiot Drake.” Cali leaned back to put some space between
them. She hadn’t realized she had leaned so far forward, and if she wasn’t
careful she’d end up in his lap. “I know you weren’t telling the truth in medical.
I didn’t press the issue because that
would’ve resulted in your being thrown into a security holding cell. For some
reason I trust you, and I want you to trust me as well.”
She couldn’t help the slightly breathless quality to her voice as she
said that. His nearness seemed to cause a wide variety of reactions that she
had never experienced before. From her voice to the rate of her heartbeat, to sweaty palms. Her attraction to him hadn’t
lessened in the hours since leaving the medical unit. If anything, it had
increased.
“I don’t think you’re an idiot,” Drake murmured. “In fact, I think you’re
very intelligent.”
“Then give me an honest answer,” she got the words out in a whispered
rush. “Where are you from? What’s the name of your starship? What were you
doing in the Buffer Zone?”
Drake watched her with lidded eyes and Cali held her breath. Would he
talk to her?
“My people value complete honesty, and I’m no different. I’ve told you
the truth,” Drake insisted. “I don’t remember. The only thing I’ve considered
since I woke up is there may be others from my ship in trouble. I might not be
the only one who was left behind. Could you please scan for other stasis pods?”
She hated seeing the shuttered look fall across his face because she knew
it meant he was lying. His people probably did value honesty, because he
obviously had no practice with deception. However, his concerns regarding other
survivors were valid.
Sighing at
and scared her in the process, he asked, “What about the governing body? Who
makes decisions?”
Cali licked her lips and Drake bit back a groan. “Cestori is a matriarchy.
The population is governed by the lower courts for trivial things. The Council
of Three makes all major decisions. My moth —”
Cali coughed slightly, “That is, the leader of the council is a woman named
Aicen Edal.”
So it was true. Aicen Edal was her mother. The supreme leader of a planet
ruled by women. That part of the warning was accurate at least. What was Cali
doing here in the Buffer Zone? If she was being trained by her mother, why
wasn’t she on Cestori? Also, why would Cali use her given name and not admit to
being Aicen Edal’s daughter? There was something odd going on.
“So your planet is matriarchal. Is that why the majority of the
crewmembers I saw on my way here were women?” Drake had wondered at the disproportionate
number of females as opposed to males on
the ship. The only other men he had seen were the guards.
“I suppose so, most of the positions that have any authority are held by women. The physical jobs are usually held
by males. I never really thought about it before.” Cali looked at him under her
lashes and leaned closer, “I don’t mean to change the subject, but may I ask
you something?”
Drake stiffened in his seat, instantly alert. “Of course. What would you
like to know?” The damn smell of flowers intensified, and he couldn’t stop
himself from leaning toward her.
“Can you tell me the truth?”
Drake had been staring at her mouth, his focus on her lips and not the
words. “Truth?” He was pretty sure she had said that.
“Yes. The truth about what you remember.” Her voice held an edge to it
and Drake forced himself to concentrate. It would seem his little flower had
thorns.
Chapter Twelve
Cali forced some authority into her voice. It was almost impossible to
concentrate with his gorgeous blue eyes and full mouth distracting her. They
didn’t teach this at the Academy. Cali cracked a smile at the thought of an
Academy class titled: How to Interrogate When You Are Sexually
Attracted to The Interrogatee 101 .
“I’m not an idiot Drake.” Cali leaned back to put some space between
them. She hadn’t realized she had leaned so far forward, and if she wasn’t
careful she’d end up in his lap. “I know you weren’t telling the truth in medical.
I didn’t press the issue because that
would’ve resulted in your being thrown into a security holding cell. For some
reason I trust you, and I want you to trust me as well.”
She couldn’t help the slightly breathless quality to her voice as she
said that. His nearness seemed to cause a wide variety of reactions that she
had never experienced before. From her voice to the rate of her heartbeat, to sweaty palms. Her attraction to him hadn’t
lessened in the hours since leaving the medical unit. If anything, it had
increased.
“I don’t think you’re an idiot,” Drake murmured. “In fact, I think you’re
very intelligent.”
“Then give me an honest answer,” she got the words out in a whispered
rush. “Where are you from? What’s the name of your starship? What were you
doing in the Buffer Zone?”
Drake watched her with lidded eyes and Cali held her breath. Would he
talk to her?
“My people value complete honesty, and I’m no different. I’ve told you
the truth,” Drake insisted. “I don’t remember. The only thing I’ve considered
since I woke up is there may be others from my ship in trouble. I might not be
the only one who was left behind. Could you please scan for other stasis pods?”
She hated seeing the shuttered look fall across his face because she knew
it meant he was lying. His people probably did value honesty, because he
obviously had no practice with deception. However, his concerns regarding other
survivors were valid.
Sighing at
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