Priestess of the Eggstone Read Online Free Page A

objects and sold it to him. I thought the Sessimoniss would quit following me then, that I was clear of them.” He looked across the table. Every pore oozed sincerity. “I’m sorry, Dace. I never thought they would attack you. I thought they were only after me.”
    I rubbed my face. I could always dump him on the next planet. “Tell me everything about these Sessimoniss. And don’t leave anything out.”
    “I don’t know much, just what I overheard. Nobody seems to know much about them. They come from somewhere in the Porlan Cloud, show up every year or so to trade. I swear I didn’t know about the poison.”
    I shifted in my chair, trying to ease the aching itch in my shoulder.
    Jerimon twisted the crumpled cup into a wad of paper. “When we land, I’m going straight to the Patrol. They’ll straighten it out somehow.”
    “You have a lot of faith in the Patrol.”
    “What else am I supposed to do?”
    “You think the Sessimoniss will listen to the Patrol? Just like they listened to you at Rucal? We’re both in this, deep, whether you like it or not.” I shoved my empty tray into the disposal slot.
    “But if I go, the Sessimoniss will leave you alone.”
    “Do you have that in writing? What happened to the other ships they shot at?”
    “But what else can we do? The Patrol is our best option.”
    “Why don’t we find this Eggstone and give it back? That sounds simpler to me.”
    “How do we get Belliff to send us to a planet they don’t have an office on?”
    “Why do they have to send us?”
    “It’s their ship. You said so yourself. You wouldn’t break contract, would you?”
    “Whose hide are you trying to save now?”
    “You can’t just go where you want, Dace! You’ll get locked up for pirating or worse.”
    “That’s better than getting killed by a giant lizard. You didn’t give me much choice. I’ll talk to the manager of Belliff on Viya. The worst they’ll do is void the contract and leave us stranded there, looking for work.”
    “I’m sorry I ruined your reputation with Belliff.”
    I was more than a little annoyed at his martyred attitude, as if his apologies could fix the mess he’d tangled me in. “It wasn’t much anyway. If I get hauled up on piracy charges, I’m taking you with me.”
    His eyes went wide.
    I gave him a nasty grin. Tried to, anyway. The numbness came back with a vengeance. The last thing I saw was the worried look on his face as I slid off the chair.
    Jerimon was in the cockpit when I woke up again, finally clear-headed and back to my normal self. He glanced my way when he heard me, face twisted in guilt.
    I deliberately turned my back. I didn’t want to hear his apologies. I slammed the door to the facilities shut.
    I peeled the bandages off my shoulder when I showered. Several sets of pinkish scars crossed the skin. They puckered a bit and still itched but were just about healed. I felt almost normal after I dressed in the last of my clean suits. I shoved my feet into my boots and went to find food.
    While the dispenser was cycling, I gathered up my clothes, loading them into the cleaner. I sat at the table and waited. The dispenser beeped.
    Jerimon stayed in the cockpit, shoulders hunched.
    The frozen, processed dinner tasted too bland so I found a salt shaker. The top layer of food was white before the food tasted right.
    Jerimon slouched out of the cockpit, sitting across the tiny table. He gave me a very strange look when he saw my dinner swimming in salt.
    “Are you feeling better?” he asked after a moment. He winced every time I scooped up a bite.
    “Other than this strange craving for salt, I’m fine,” I said through a mouthful. “Where are we?”
    “Almost to Viya.” He ran a hand through his short hair. The lights in the cabin picked out blue highlights. Dark circles marked his eyes. He was still vidstar-handsome.
    I realized I was staring and shifted my gaze to my plate. The sight of the thick layer of salt suddenly made me want to