Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Requiem for a Life

(snip)

“You see me. I didn’t expect a young rebel from the colonies would be able to.”

Faye swallowed. His finger traced a line in her cupped palm. The next thing she knew, his lips brushed hers. At first she didn’t back away and her inclination was to kiss him back. She silently debated it and ever so slightly pressed her lips more firmly on his. A warmth flooded her body and for a moment she felt contentment. But something also felt wrong and she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Pulling back, Faye dropped her gaze. “I should get back inside. I have to be up early.” Faye tried not to flee, but her legs carried her swiftly, her lips still tingling. Kodell didn’t follow.

Months after The Kiss, life took the shape of a strange holding pattern. She did her work, visited the library, found books left for her on a regular basis and generally was okay with where things were at. Mostly. She and Kodell had not spoken outside of polite exchanges around the others.

But then she was asked to do a new task: be a server for a formal dinner with some apparent VIPs. Her usual casual work garb was exchanged for tidy and smart looking trousers and a blouse. She was meant to blend into the background and be present all at the same time. Faye didn’t ask why, she just did as she was told.

The dinner was an extravagant affair (from her perspective), but for those gathered it was a pretty normal day. Faye and Linella served, slipping in and out of the room and as they did Faye couldn’t help but pay attention to the conversation. Of the nine guests, six were Orions, the other three consisted of two Farians and what Faye at first thought was a Human but after a little while wasn’t entirely sure. She decided to keep her thoughts as quiet as possible when she was in the room, just in case.

“And just like that we had the deal made. Poor idiot didn’t even think to ask for a premium,” one of the Orions said, making several at the table chuckle. Kodell smirked, but Faye could tell even out of the corner of her eye that he was uncomfortable. She had guessed right- he hated these things.

As she moved about the table to clear some small plates, a hand reached out to touch her elbow and Faye froze. “My dear, do you think you could bring some more of that delicious bread out?” The female Orion’s voice was honey and her touch was intended to be gentle and provoking at the same time. It was a bit of unwritten rule that a guest never interfered with another Orion’s servants.

Faye dipped her head. “Of course,” she said softly as she slowly picked up one more plate for her stack and slipped away to the kitchen, her heart racing. Why she was suddenly on edge, she wasn’t sure but it bothered her nonetheless.

Returning with the bread, the conversation had moved to investments and the fact that most were only getting wealthier by the day. Faye silently slipped back around the table and set a plate of bread near the woman whose name she had caught as being Marlas. Once again Marlas reached out, and this time took Faye’s hand, beamed at her and looked to Kodell. “Kodell, you brilliant man, how ever did you find her? One would hardly know she’s even here And when you do she’s so lovely.”

“Faye is special,” Kodell said simply. The others likely didn’t hear the undercurrent of concern in his voice, but Faye did. It felt strangely reassuring.

“Indeed!” Marlas breathed as she gazed heavily at Faye and it was hard to keep her gaze fixed on the table but there was a brief moment where their eyes met. Faye diverted her gaze first, but it was just long enough to know the score: it was all but a game. “Well, if you ever want someone to take her off your hands, do give me a call. It would be my pleasure, no doubt.”

“I’ll be sure to,” Kodell said evenly.

Marlas let Faye’s hand go slowly but once she was free, Faye slipped back into the kitchen, breathing hard. For the first time in a while, she didn’t feel safe.

The dinner finished without further incident though every time she passed through the dining room, she felt Marlas’ gaze on her. It was creepy! So it was to Faye’s immense relief when dinner finished and the guests retired to one of the sitting rooms for drinks and idle chit chat.

Kodell stepped into the kitchen where her and Linella were cleaning up. “Faye,” he said sharply. Faye startled and his expression softened. “Once our guests have left, I’d like to see you in the library.”

She held his gaze for a moment. “Okay,” she said with a nod. He slipped away without another word.

Later as requested, Faye made her way up to the second-floor and slipped into Kodell’s office as quiet as she could. A quick scan told her he wasn’t on the lower level so she slipped to the mezzanine and found him sitting in the reading nook near the window. The sky was clear, allowing the stars to shine impossibly bright.

As she approached, Kodell looked up and smiled at her, gesturing to the other overstuffed leather chair that was set at a right angle, arms touching. Faye sat and simply gazed at him expectantly. “What did you think of our dinner guests?” he said, slipping into a smirk.

He wanted the truth. She frowned. “Uggh! How can you stand them? Whyever do you associate with them?”

He shrugged. “Necessity. Fortunately I don’t have to do that nonsense very often,” Kodell said, smiling at her.

It was like the air cleared between them and the easiness returned. “Good. Because I could tell you were suffering in there.”

Scrutinizing her for a moment Kodell inhaled deeply. “And what else did you notice? About any of them.”

Like the snap of a finger, it all made sense. She had been there to be an inadvertent spy for him. Her memory was nothing more than another tool in her skillset he could exploit. Chewing on her lower lip she met his gaze. “Only two of them warranted notice at all. The trader, Ketin, who is ruthless. He’d stab you in the back and you’d probably thank him for it. Watch him. And of course the scarily smooth Marlas. I think you already know enough of her to know where to be cautious,” Faye replied, keeping her tone distant.

Kodell leaned over and reached out, resting a hand on hers. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Unlike when Marlas had touched her, Kodell made something in her relax, but still she frowned. “You could have warned me that was what you wanted me to do at the dinner. I wouldn’t have objected.”

Taken aback Kodell leaned towards her further. Whatever he initially thought to say was discarded in favour of a sigh. “ I could have, yes. I didn’t think it would bother you.”

Staring at him, she laughed at herself inwardly. Of course you didn’t. Why would he have? He was the Master and she the Servant. Their roles were very clear here. She couldn’t imagine that it occurred to him very often how his actions could affect her.

Kodell sat back and drew his hands together at his mouth. An abrupt exhale. “I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” he said sadly.

“Yep,” she said flatly.

Resting his hands in his lap, the guilt etched itself into his features and Faye felt that now familiar pang. “Tell you what,” Kodell began. “I give you full permission to call me out on my crap when you feel it necessary. In private of course.”

Faye couldn’t help but smirk. “Oh I don’t know. You should be careful what you ask for.”

He laughed and once again the light expression that was his default made her feel at ease. “I think I can handle it.”

An easy silence fell between them and Faye gazed over her shoulder for a moment, looking over the beautiful grounds of the estate. When she turned back, she found herself tempted again. Probably time to leave. Faye rose to her feet. “Well, if there’s nothing else, I should probably head to bed.”

“If you wish,” Kodell replied. “But… you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I… I enjoy your company. Much better conversation than that nonsense at dinner.”

“Anything is better than that.”

He laughed again. “I meant what I said about you though. You make all this somehow bearable, Faye.”

One step. Another. It was so fast and yet it felt like time slowed down. She leaned in and kissed him. He returned it and this time she didn’t run away. It was wrong. So very wrong. It was against all the unwritten rules. Sure, if she had been purchased to be a sex slave it would have been a vastly different story. It was most definitely reckless though. Kodell rose to his feet, still connected to her lips and arms slipped around the other. Her mind couldn’t keep up with all the sensations that simply swallowed her whole.

When they finally took a moment to catch their breaths, Kodell drew her into a tender embrace. “They won’t understand,” Faye whispered. Hell, she didn’t even understand it.

“No, not likely. We need to be careful to keep it just between us.” A statement but it sounded so much like a plea.

“I’m good at secrets,” she whispered and tilted her head up to kiss him again.

And kisses were where it ended, though as Faye traipsed back to her room a little while later after a long conversation, she felt like she was walking on clouds, or amongst those bright beautiful stars. Finally something felt like it might be okay.

{To be continued…}

~Faye Calloway