Read Online Eban's Command: Scifi Alien Abduction Romance (Science Fiction Alien Romance) (Survival Wars Book 2) by Hana Starr - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Hana Starr
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think
about it. “And you haven’t seen me fly, have you?”
Her thoughts raced. There was no reason for her to think
this was anything but an invitation, to get her out and mingling with her new
people, but she couldn’t help the butterflies. If a man said this to her
anywhere else, she would have considered it a personal interest. A date. And
she was getting excited, old habits and former meanings urging her to think too
much into this.
“I…don’t think I have,” she managed, trying to calm herself.
Eban nodded, pleased. “Good. I should tell you right now
that the commander of the Icari is meant to be one of the best of the fliers.
Shall we go?” He held out his hand.
Deftly and politely, she pretended she misunderstood and
walked past him like it was a gesture for her to head out first. He said
nothing though, and she wondered if her pretend misunderstanding had led her to
the correct choice after all.
He sped up a bit to walk beside her, and they headed down
the empty white halls flanked on either side with metal doors. “I was starting
to think you were afraid of heights,” she teased.
He smiled a little bit. “Not quite. And it’s not like I
couldn’t fly where I needed to go, so I’m not afraid of being seen as
frivolous.” He seemed to search for more words as they turned the corner and
walked out into the atrium where most of the flock had already gathered. “I
just think that change is difficult. We have had to change once before but now
we’re settled into this like it’s actually life. I wish so much that soon,
there will be more changes. I want to make sure that my people are ready, and I
have to start small in order to do that. Not wearing my wings is just one of
many things they consider an oddity of mine.”
“I see,” Saffron murmured. “It must be difficult to be the
start of change.”
The commander glanced sideways at her, and it was only then
that she realized what she’d said. After all, she’d done exactly the same thing
once before and was meant to do it again. He patted her shoulder with a fond
laugh, and then guided her towards a bench.
With the lights low like this, it was such a calm and
romantic settling. Couples ancient and new were wrapped in each other’s arms.
The flights were luxurious and slow, wings stretched to their fullest length.
That was one of the things she loved the most about watching them. No one was
the same color. The biomaterial of their feathers could be changed at will by a
visit to a doctor, but Eban told Saffron that most people stuck with their
original color or made just a single change during their entire lives. Looking
up now, she saw two pairs of shimmering black, and plenty of shades of downy
grey and pleasant off-white. One little girl scrambling around a set of monkey
bars had blood-red speckles melded in her tawny feathers. They were beautiful
and so graceful.
She even felt graceful sometimes, sliding around the hallway
even though she still had none of their control and lifelong dexterity.
Eban touched her shoulder again, but it wasn’t merely a pay
this time. He kept his hand there, leaning over her shoulder to speak softly.
“I have to fetch my wings. Just relax and I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay,” she replied, but he was already gone.
Someone handed her a scrap of muffin, and somewhere in the
distance strange music began to play. It sounded like plucked, discordant
strings being tugged on and it was terribly beautiful. Closing her eyes,
Saffron let the music wash over her and mingle with the faint lilt of accented
voices, conversations all around her. The scene reminded her of the saloon
she’d been in once during her travels, where everyone knew everyone else and
acted like they did even if they didn’t. It was such a homey, loving atmosphere
and she had no idea how long she spent there just listening to lovers whisper
sweet nothings in each other’s ears. Even
about it. “And you haven’t seen me fly, have you?”
Her thoughts raced. There was no reason for her to think
this was anything but an invitation, to get her out and mingling with her new
people, but she couldn’t help the butterflies. If a man said this to her
anywhere else, she would have considered it a personal interest. A date. And
she was getting excited, old habits and former meanings urging her to think too
much into this.
“I…don’t think I have,” she managed, trying to calm herself.
Eban nodded, pleased. “Good. I should tell you right now
that the commander of the Icari is meant to be one of the best of the fliers.
Shall we go?” He held out his hand.
Deftly and politely, she pretended she misunderstood and
walked past him like it was a gesture for her to head out first. He said
nothing though, and she wondered if her pretend misunderstanding had led her to
the correct choice after all.
He sped up a bit to walk beside her, and they headed down
the empty white halls flanked on either side with metal doors. “I was starting
to think you were afraid of heights,” she teased.
He smiled a little bit. “Not quite. And it’s not like I
couldn’t fly where I needed to go, so I’m not afraid of being seen as
frivolous.” He seemed to search for more words as they turned the corner and
walked out into the atrium where most of the flock had already gathered. “I
just think that change is difficult. We have had to change once before but now
we’re settled into this like it’s actually life. I wish so much that soon,
there will be more changes. I want to make sure that my people are ready, and I
have to start small in order to do that. Not wearing my wings is just one of
many things they consider an oddity of mine.”
“I see,” Saffron murmured. “It must be difficult to be the
start of change.”
The commander glanced sideways at her, and it was only then
that she realized what she’d said. After all, she’d done exactly the same thing
once before and was meant to do it again. He patted her shoulder with a fond
laugh, and then guided her towards a bench.
With the lights low like this, it was such a calm and
romantic settling. Couples ancient and new were wrapped in each other’s arms.
The flights were luxurious and slow, wings stretched to their fullest length.
That was one of the things she loved the most about watching them. No one was
the same color. The biomaterial of their feathers could be changed at will by a
visit to a doctor, but Eban told Saffron that most people stuck with their
original color or made just a single change during their entire lives. Looking
up now, she saw two pairs of shimmering black, and plenty of shades of downy
grey and pleasant off-white. One little girl scrambling around a set of monkey
bars had blood-red speckles melded in her tawny feathers. They were beautiful
and so graceful.
She even felt graceful sometimes, sliding around the hallway
even though she still had none of their control and lifelong dexterity.
Eban touched her shoulder again, but it wasn’t merely a pay
this time. He kept his hand there, leaning over her shoulder to speak softly.
“I have to fetch my wings. Just relax and I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay,” she replied, but he was already gone.
Someone handed her a scrap of muffin, and somewhere in the
distance strange music began to play. It sounded like plucked, discordant
strings being tugged on and it was terribly beautiful. Closing her eyes,
Saffron let the music wash over her and mingle with the faint lilt of accented
voices, conversations all around her. The scene reminded her of the saloon
she’d been in once during her travels, where everyone knew everyone else and
acted like they did even if they didn’t. It was such a homey, loving atmosphere
and she had no idea how long she spent there just listening to lovers whisper
sweet nothings in each other’s ears. Even
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