“Thank you,” I murmured. The dish appeared to be noodles and veggies in a dark sauce. I took a bite and flavor exploded on my tongue—sweet and spicy, with just a hint of sourness to balance it out. He’d combined familiar spices in a way that I never had, but the combination worked incredibly well.

I glanced at Torran in surprise, only to find his eyes already on me. “This is delicious. Will you share the recipe for the sauce?”

He inclined his head.

We ate in silence. Luna finished her snack and leapt up to her perch to watch us, just in case we planned to give her more. Unfortunately for her, I was too hungry, and the food was too good. There were no leftovers.

I felt better after eating. I cleaned up while I organized my thoughts into reasonable arguments instead of irrational shouting. Still, Torran beat me to it.

“You are upset about the parts,” he said quietly from his seat.

I turned and met his eyes. “You knew I was going to be upset, or you wouldn’t have gone behind my back.”

His expression didn’t even flicker. “The parts were the payment I promised for allowing me to accompany you. You might not expect me to keep my word, but I will keep it nonetheless.”

I blew out a slow breath. “You had already bought parts. Your promise was fulfilled.”

Torran shook his head. “I heard your conversation with Kee. You agreed only because she persuaded you to get everything you needed at my expense. My promise was not fulfilled.”

“That doesn’t explain why you went behind my back.”

One of his eyebrows rose a millimeter, but he remained silent. His look spoke volumes, though.

I huffed out an unamused laugh. “If you had explained that it was a matter of honor, I would have agreed to let you buy the rest. Unlike Valoffs, I can’t read your mind. You have to communicate using words. If you fail to communicate, then you can’t be surprised when I get upset.”

He stared at me for a long moment before his chin dipped in agreement.

I tried to shake off the uneasiness I felt about the additional parts. Torran didn’t view it as an obligation that I would be forced to repay. In his mind, he had fulfilled his obligation by purchasing them. But knowing didn’t always translate into feeling.

“Do you need anything else before we depart?” I asked.

“No, I am ready to leave when you are. If we are departing soon, I will let Lotkez know.”

I’d almost forgotten the Valovian ship that had tailed us from the previous station. “Do you want to go see your crew before we return to open space?”

Torran shook his head. “I spoke to the officers earlier. They do not require my presence.”