Ethereal Lives: A Romantic Sci-Fi Novel

Chapter 15

The first thing Ariane noticed when she woke was that her pillow felt cold. After waking every day for the past few weeks with her head on Ax's chest, it was rather strange to feel a cold pillow beneath her cheek. Reaching her hand out, she felt the other half of the bed. Disappointment filled her when she encountered empty sheets. She sniffed and rolled onto her back. What had she expected, that things would be the same after her breakdown yesterday?

She'd killed some aliens and then cried her eyes out about it. In the space of a day, she had proven just how unsuited she was to this environment. Any respect the men had developed for her must be gone now. Yes, Ax had comforted her last night, but it hadn't taken him long to leave.

Climbing from the bed, she dressed and retrieved her PD. About half an hour later, guilt still ate at her for the deaths she had caused, but after doing some research, she felt relieved to find out Gornneds were not very nice. Granted she couldn't assume the entire race was the same, but the general consensus seemed to be that they were a planet made up of con men, thieves, and murderers.

Though, since she herself was now a murderer, she wondered whether the research could be trusted. And, if she thought about it logically, Ax and his men were kidnappers, but she knew they were good men. Were the Gornneds just misunderstood, too?

Dropping the computer onto the bed, she ran her hands through her hair and flopped back onto the pillows. This was getting her nowhere. No matter how she looked at it, she'd done something awful, and she had to learn to live with it. She had no choice. This was the world she resided in now. It was easy to forget how different things were. Enclosed on this ship with Ax and his men she'd been sheltered from everything, but she wouldn't be here forever. Despite their destination not being mentioned, as far as she was aware, they still headed towards the Sixth Galaxy and her auction block.

It appeared she would have to toughen up if she intended to survive in her new environment. She needed a distraction or she would dwell on this all day. Forgoing breakfast, she headed towards the engine room. Biz was bound to have some job she could do to occupy her mind.

"Morning," he greeted. Out of all of the men, he was the only one who hadn't changed his original human appearance. She found it rather comforting, even with the scar running down his face.

She flopped onto his sofa and helped herself to a biscuit off the table. "Morning Biz," she mumbled around a mouthful of food.

He glared at her as he always did when she shortened his name but didn't say anything. He seemed to have learnt that the more he protested, the more she did it. She thought it rather nasty of him to spoil her fun by not arguing.

"I hear you had a meltdown yesterday."

She slumped back into the sofa. Trust Biz to get straight to the point.

"Are you feeling better now?" he prodded.

Ariane leant her head back and closed her eyes. "How do you get over it?" she asked.

When she heard nothing but the low hum of the engines for a few minutes, she lowered her head and met his gaze.

"I don't think you do." He picked up a tool of some kind and passed it between his hands while he spoke. "I think you just have to learn to live with the decisions you make."

"I don't know if I can."

Biz got to his feet and started tightening a bolt on one of the machines nearby. "You don't have a choice, what's done is done. You can't change it. You just have to accept it and move on."

He had a point. No amount of guilt or crying would change what had happened. "You're right."

"Of course I am."