81

You reach the space where Cederic Oakbar was taken, your heart lodged in your throat. She is here, standing against one of the walls and looking decidedly shaken. Her eyes are wide open, her stature ramrod straight and stiff. Oh, no, the poor darling!

You go to her slowly, speaking in a calm voice and trying to get her to relax. You spend a few minutes with her like that, taking comfort from her presence. You'd thought your ordeal up until now was crazy. Boy, you had no idea what was in store, did you?

"Aw, she's your lady friend, isn't she?"

The voice coming from behind startles you, and you sharply turn around. The blond woman is leaning against the doorway to the cargo hold, her posture relaxed and friendly. The smile she is giving you looks more genuine than her earlier ones.

You take a moment to watch her more closely. She is wearing a white low-cut shirt with a corset underneath and a long skirt that hugs her hips but opens up at the side, showing the pants she has on underneath.

You wonder if she has ever tripped on that skirt while trying to run. Probably not, though—despite her size, she doesn't look like she has a problem with agility.

You realize that you have been staring a bit longer than is considered polite, and you've been doing it silently at that. Way to go, Lambert Aldmin!

You dare to lift your eyes to her face and find her grinning at you. Her eyes are wicked as she looks at you.