would be cut too.
Then, with a gruff voice, the Hesparian demanded Jessa stand.
Jessa’s eyes caught his, and he could read the fear and trepidation in their depths. With an inhaled breath she reached for the aids, but the physician tut tutted and shook his head. “You won’t need them.”
Galan extended a hand and she stood, placing the injured leg on the floor. “Oh. My. God.” He smiled at the comment. “You fixed me!” She let go of Galan and flung both arms around the healer with a squeal.
He looked at Galan, horrified, and tried to disentangle himself while Galan guffawed at her reaction. “Come now, Jessa. Let the healer do his job.”
She looked at him and smiled, placing her fingers back in his. He savoured the strength of her grip and the connection between them. Her breath caught, her eyes sparkled and her cheeks regained a pink glow. It stopped him in his tracks as his mouth dried.
I won’t be able to let her go. Ever. The thought crashed into him as the agent stepped up to them.
Jessa took a step closer to Galan, the amazement at her recovery now overshadowed by anger in the face of the agent who stood before them. Not that she honestly thought that he would hurt her, but something deep and primal told her she needed to stay close to Galan.
The agent must have seen something in either her or Galan’s face—he stopped. The security officer waited, his shoulders hunched as if ready to act. Jessa slipped closer to Galan who wrapped an arm around her.
“Come. We have work to do.”
Jessa looked up at him in amazement. Here I am in the middle of the room, with people watching me. What am I doing? Immediately she pulled away and heard him snicker.
“This way.” He indicated through a small doorway where a table sat and there at the end was Seth.
He smiled broadly on seeing her. She grinned back and made her way to the empty seat beside him. It wouldn’t do to embarrass herself further, she thought ruefully.
Once they had taken their places, she noted Joras, Galan, herself and Seth were joined by two others. She looked at Seth.
He shrugged. “I don’t know who they are.”
A pen and pad waited on the table and she gratefully clutched them, cleared her throat and asked, “So, do we take minutes? And do we know everyone at the table? I don’t know these gentlemen.”
They both turned to stare at her. She wanted to shrink under their silent searching and slightly intimidating gazes.
The older man, wearing spectacles and suit, cleared his throat. “I’m here on behalf of the Prime Minister.”
Jessa waited, looking at him.
He stared back.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. What is your name for the record?”
He leant back and made a steeple with his hands. “My name is Dr Lovejoy. And I am still unaware of how you came to be involved in these negotiations, Miss Bankia.” His haughty tone and steely gaze were no doubt, supposed to make her feel inferior, but a burble of laughter rose in her chest.
Jessa coughed to cover the snorting sound that escaped, forming a small fist with her hand. “Because I am. That’s all you need to know right now.” She grinned, satisfied at the shocked look on his face. “And the man next to you?” She settled once more, the fingers of her other hand cramping as she gripped the pen. She ran the nail of her thumb along the smooth surface.
“Rear Admiral Denton.”
Jessa nodded and jotted down the names. “Right, so where do we begin?”
Galan caught her eye and she noticed the furtive wink he sent her way. Seth kicked her foot under the table hard, and Jessa had to stop the ‘oww’ from escaping.
The meeting progressed slowly. The government pressed for the removal of Seth and Jessa from the working party, Galan blocked it effectively, his voice firm each time it was raised. Joras said little as did Seth and Jessa in the first hours. The government wanted access to their medical systems. Galan smiled, making a sound of non-committal agreement
Then, with a gruff voice, the Hesparian demanded Jessa stand.
Jessa’s eyes caught his, and he could read the fear and trepidation in their depths. With an inhaled breath she reached for the aids, but the physician tut tutted and shook his head. “You won’t need them.”
Galan extended a hand and she stood, placing the injured leg on the floor. “Oh. My. God.” He smiled at the comment. “You fixed me!” She let go of Galan and flung both arms around the healer with a squeal.
He looked at Galan, horrified, and tried to disentangle himself while Galan guffawed at her reaction. “Come now, Jessa. Let the healer do his job.”
She looked at him and smiled, placing her fingers back in his. He savoured the strength of her grip and the connection between them. Her breath caught, her eyes sparkled and her cheeks regained a pink glow. It stopped him in his tracks as his mouth dried.
I won’t be able to let her go. Ever. The thought crashed into him as the agent stepped up to them.
Jessa took a step closer to Galan, the amazement at her recovery now overshadowed by anger in the face of the agent who stood before them. Not that she honestly thought that he would hurt her, but something deep and primal told her she needed to stay close to Galan.
The agent must have seen something in either her or Galan’s face—he stopped. The security officer waited, his shoulders hunched as if ready to act. Jessa slipped closer to Galan who wrapped an arm around her.
“Come. We have work to do.”
Jessa looked up at him in amazement. Here I am in the middle of the room, with people watching me. What am I doing? Immediately she pulled away and heard him snicker.
“This way.” He indicated through a small doorway where a table sat and there at the end was Seth.
He smiled broadly on seeing her. She grinned back and made her way to the empty seat beside him. It wouldn’t do to embarrass herself further, she thought ruefully.
Once they had taken their places, she noted Joras, Galan, herself and Seth were joined by two others. She looked at Seth.
He shrugged. “I don’t know who they are.”
A pen and pad waited on the table and she gratefully clutched them, cleared her throat and asked, “So, do we take minutes? And do we know everyone at the table? I don’t know these gentlemen.”
They both turned to stare at her. She wanted to shrink under their silent searching and slightly intimidating gazes.
The older man, wearing spectacles and suit, cleared his throat. “I’m here on behalf of the Prime Minister.”
Jessa waited, looking at him.
He stared back.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. What is your name for the record?”
He leant back and made a steeple with his hands. “My name is Dr Lovejoy. And I am still unaware of how you came to be involved in these negotiations, Miss Bankia.” His haughty tone and steely gaze were no doubt, supposed to make her feel inferior, but a burble of laughter rose in her chest.
Jessa coughed to cover the snorting sound that escaped, forming a small fist with her hand. “Because I am. That’s all you need to know right now.” She grinned, satisfied at the shocked look on his face. “And the man next to you?” She settled once more, the fingers of her other hand cramping as she gripped the pen. She ran the nail of her thumb along the smooth surface.
“Rear Admiral Denton.”
Jessa nodded and jotted down the names. “Right, so where do we begin?”
Galan caught her eye and she noticed the furtive wink he sent her way. Seth kicked her foot under the table hard, and Jessa had to stop the ‘oww’ from escaping.
The meeting progressed slowly. The government pressed for the removal of Seth and Jessa from the working party, Galan blocked it effectively, his voice firm each time it was raised. Joras said little as did Seth and Jessa in the first hours. The government wanted access to their medical systems. Galan smiled, making a sound of non-committal agreement
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