“Yeah, you kind of look like I do whenever I get a new boyfriend.”

Sumi arched her brow at that offhand comment. “How many boyfriends have you had?”

“A ton. I cycle through them faster than socks.”

“Really?”

Thia nodded as she fed Illyse. “Not entirely my fault. First, they get pissy that I don’t sleep with them within fifteen minutes of meeting them. Then when they find out why, i.e., my father, the psycho-killer let’s-gut-people-for-fun, really is an assassin and bigger than most shuttles, and has not one, but five major armies at his command, they hit the door screaming.”

“I can see where that might be unnerving.”

Thia checked the cooking stew. “Did your father ever have issue with your choice of boyfriends?”

“Not really. From the time I turned fifteen, my father assumed I was a slut, so he didn’t care who I dated. Best I ever got out of him was that he better not find us naked in his bed.”

“I’m sorry, Sumi.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. It is what it is.”

To her complete shock, Thia hugged her. “I think you’re great.”

“I think you’re great, too.” Sumi gave the girl a strong squeeze before she released her and finished making their dinner.

That night, she took sentry duty, and it gave her a whole new appreciation for Dancer’s stamina.

Yawning, she stretched then jogged in place, trying to stay alert.

“You look like an adorable little girl when you do that.”

She jerked around with a gasp to find Dancer standing behind her. “Dear gods, man, make a sound when you move!”

“Not a man,” he reminded her simply.

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. I just don’t understand how someone so huge is so silent. It’s not natural.”

He gave her a charming, lopsided grin. “Grow up with two parents who have Andarion hearing and a nasty temper, and you’ll learn to be silent, too.”

“I guess so,” she said with a laugh. “Get caught much?”

“Never. But I was often sacrificed.”

“Meaning?”

“Whenever they got caught, my brothers threw me to the parental units and ran for cover, leaving me behind to face them. Alone. They were both selfish bastards that way.”

She cringed at what had to be less-than-pleasant memories for him. “Sorry.”

Dancer shrugged nonchalantly. “Curse of being the youngest. I never could get away in time. But it gave me a lot of good survival skills. And a really tough ass. For that, I’m eternally grateful.” He took the rifle from her shoulder. “You should go rest.”

“I’m not the one who was poisoned,” she reminded him.

“That wasn’t poisoned. Trust me. I’ve eaten Jayne’s cooking. It’s far deadlier.”