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her head – an increasing interest in, and attraction to, the man beside her versus the memories of what he’d told her about the atrocities going on elsewhere, the death of her friend Kane…Rubbing her forehead, she felt a headache coming on.
    A pair of night hunting birds called from the woods behind them. In the parking area on the other side of the celebration hall, a groundcar alarm blared then abruptly cut off.
    Andi stood up, putting her glass down on the bench before resting her hand on Deverane’s arm. “I think we’d better go. Everything you’ve told me today is making me nervous, although I still find it hard to believe there’s danger to Lord Tonkiln’s family, or any of the others out here.”
    “Maybe the Naranti mediators can reduce the tension levels. I understand it’s worked before,” he said. “Not my problem, however. Command doesn’t want any Sectors citizens caught in a Zulairian concern.”
    She turned her head away from him. Even with their own citizens getting killed in the crossfire, the Sectors would take a hands-off stance, leaving the people of Zulaire to solve the problems. The offworld government didn’t care if it meant years of local bloodshed. “Sectors doesn’t want to have to get involved, you mean.”
    “Right.” Crisply, Deverane nodded. “Zulaire provides some essential minerals, from the Abuzan Range, but we’ve secured and supplied the mine to withstand a two-year siege.”
    Andi took a last look at the lake, trying to imprint the quiet scene on her memory. “What did Lady Tonkiln say when you decided to spend the night?”
    “A lot of gracious nonsense. The old harridan didn’t mean a word of it. She left it to Iraku to decide where to quarter us. He must dislike outworlders even more than she does, because he stuck us in the big transport barn with our vehicles.”   He smiled, but his clenched jaw betrayed his true feelings on the subject.
      “You’re not serious?” Andi did a double take. “You’re an officer. Weren’t you provided a room in the main house?”
    “Iraku offered a room to me. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to sleep in a posh mansion while my men bunk in a garage.” Tossing the remainder of his drink into the shrubbery, Deverane set the heavy, engraved glass on the bench.
    She shivered, rubbing her arms, trying to soothe away the goosebumps brought on by the night breeze.  
    Giving her a concerned look, he stood up. “I’m an idiot. I should have thought to ask if you had a wrap before we came out here.”
    “It’s all right. I’ll be fine. I’m upset about my friends and concerned about everything you just told me.”
    “The situation report was a lot to take in, I know.” Deverane moved closer to her, heat radiating from his body. Slowly he reached out with one hand to circle her wrist, tugging her gently closer, until she was right up against him. “Better?”
    Andi nodded, placing her hands on his chest, enjoying the feeling of their bodies together, the implicit intimacy holding promise for what might happen later.
    The lights along the path and beside the benches flickered and went out, plunging them into darkness.
      Glancing around, Deverane frowned in the moonlight. He released her, keeping one hand around her wrist and putting the other on the butt of his blaster. “Is that normal?”
    “The generators have been known to be troublesome in the summer. Probably nothing.” The moment was gone, the spell she’d been under broken. Am I disappointed? Relieved? Things had been moving way too fast between them for people who had just met. “Fortunately, we still have enough moonlight to see the path.” Andi took a step toward the clubhouse.  
    He tightened his grip on her wrist, forcing her to stop. “Wait.”
      Yelling broke out in the large building on the rise behind them. Glaring, sporadic flashes burst from the general direction of the parking area and from the main wing of the celebration hall