Page 52 of Only Cold Depths
“Do . . . you . . . yield?” I asked again, deliberately drawing out each word.
All around me, the other Hammers crept forward, hefting their practice weapons, and mistrust crackled through the air like psionic lightning about to vaporize us all. I hoped Lady Verona was right about Vesper being able to survive the truebond even if I died. Because one wrong move, and my death would become a fact instead of an eventuality—
Kyrion! Thieves are breaking into the House Collier mineral exchange! I’m going to try to stop them!Vesper’s voice rang through my mind as clear and loud as an alarm blaring in my ears, and the velvety ribbon of her vibrated with determination.
Vesper? Vesper, wait for me!
I tried to send a thought back to her, but I couldn’t tell if she had heard me. Worry shot through me, morphing into cold claws of fear that stabbed deep into my heart.
I lifted the hammer from Siya’s throat and stepped back. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed her weapon to continue our fight, but I stabbed my hammer at her.
“Where is the House Collier shipping yard?”
Siya blinked at the abrupt change in topic. “What?”
“Where is it?” I growled. “Vesper is there, and she says thieves are breaking into the shipping yard.”
Siya’s eyes widened, and she looked over at Rigel, who pushed away from the wall and yanked his tablet out of his pocket.
“Not the shipping yard,” he muttered, swiping through screens. “The mineral exchange.”
Concern surged off both Siya and Rigel, the emotion strong enough to break through my own cold worry and tickle my telempathy like hot, needling fingers. All around the training ring, the other Hammers snapped to attention.
Siya’s gaze flicked back over to me. “The shipping yard is in the city. Close to the antiques emporium.”
“Take me there,” I growled again.
She glanced over at Rigel, and the two of them shared a look I couldn’t decipher.
“Take me there rightnow, or I will find it myself.” I stabbed my hammer at her again. “But if I get there too late, and Vesper is dead, then I will holdyouaccountable. Understand?”
Siya flinched at my cold, deadly tone. Wariness flickered across Rigel’s face, and all the other Hammers tensed.
After a few seconds, Siya jerked her head in agreement. “We’ll take a transport. Rigel, contact security at the shipping yard and mineral exchange, and see if you can find out what’s going on.”
Rigel nodded and started typing on his tablet. I strode over to the hoverpallet, dropped the wooden war hammer onto the surface, and scooped up my stormsword and blaster. Siya and the other warriors also hustled over to the hoverpallet and exchanged their practice weapons for the real things.
As soon as we were all armed, Siya raised her hand in the air and made a circular motion with her index finger. “Let’s go. Move! Move! Move!”
The other Hammers rushed out of the training ring and sprinted into the topiary garden.
“There’s a transport garage on the other side of the garden,” Siya said. “You’d better be right about this, Arrow.”
“And Vesper better not be dead, Hammer,” I growled right back at her.
Siya’s eyes narrowed at my icy tone, but she plunged into the garden. I followed her, worry thrumming through my body with every quick step.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
VESPER
Isprintedthroughtheshipping yard, heading toward the crane I’d spotted earlier.
Pew! Pew! Pew!
More blaster fire zinged through the air. I ducked my head, but no bolts came close to me. The mercenaries must still be fighting the House Collier guards inside the mineral exchange.
I skidded to a stop beside the crane. Up close, the machine was much, much larger than I’d realized, and the metal crawler tracks alone were more than twenty feet tall. My gaze roamed over the crane for several seconds before I spotted a ladder that stretched up to the operator’s cab.
