Page 44 of Cage of Starlight
“Don’t we all.” She paces around the group to throw an arm out in front of Vantaras. He skids to a stop before reaching it. Any other time, Tory might take pleasure in seeing Vantaras off balance, but today the frigid wind dries his sweat to him and tugs shivers from his core, his muscles so utterly dead it’s all he can do to keep on his feet.
He hates them both right now.
Helner, after all, is the one who installed his Core. It’s notonlyVantaras’ fault that he’s in this mess.
“Leave, Dr. Helner. The colonel is waiting for my report.”
“Lovely!” She claps her hands. “I’ll tag along! Tory, don’t you think it would be nice if I tagged along?”
“How can you stomach it?” Tory manages, tongue thick. “Betraying every Seed here, making them serve the Grand General? You’re a Seed, too.”
She flinches. “We all have to survive.”
“Maybe not all of us.”
She chokes on a startled laugh. “Get some sleep, asshole. I may be the Grand General’s puppet, but at least I’m not acoward.” She pokes Vantaras’ chest, and he shoves her away. “The fact that I’m not the lowest worm writhing around in this place does help me sleep a little better at night. I’d have no one to trap if this one didn’t bring them to me, now, would I?”
“I asked you toleave us, Dr. Helner,” Vantaras says, voice low and dangerous.
“And I think I’ll have to decline.”
Vantaras lifts a finger, and the guards are ready to jump into action, but Helner raises her own hand. “Ah, but Lieutenant, you forget that I haveeyes.The other day, when you brought this feisty little thing to me for his Core, I was watching you. Do you think your colonel would like to hear what I saw then? Because I think he’d befascinatedto learn how—”
Vantaras starts walking. “What do you want?”
Tory forces his legs to cooperate. It’s so much harder to put them into motion after a moment of pause. Nausea is slick in his belly, his vision growing gray as the sky overhead.
“You know what I want, Sena.”
The soldiers’ boots echo on the floor like gunshots, counting out the moments between Helner’s words and Vantaras’ answer. “I do not.”
“I need you to arrange me some time with the Channeler. There’s something I want to try with him.”
Vantaras sounds disgusted. “There’s always something you want to try.”
“I’ve put a lot of thought into it, and your report about what happened in Hulven corroborates my theories. If the Channeler can handle every energy, he should be able to control captured Legion units. He’s the answer. I know he is.”
“If you’re coming to me, it means you’ve failed to get permission from Colonel Kirlov or the general. It’s not my place to offer what they’ve denied you.”
Tory bites his tongue as they walk. If he had the energy for it, he’d sayI’m right here, or maybeI’m not a token to be bartered,but all his energy goes to keeping his feet underneath him, so he imagines chewing through both their throats at once instead.
Helner says sweetly, “Please recall that I can have adelightfulconversation with Kirlov this evening if you don’t accommodate this simple, reasonable request of mine, Lieutenant.”
Vantaras’ footsteps falter.
“I’m asking for a tiny favor. You’ll arrange it, won’t you?”
His fists clench so hard the bones creak. “. . . I’ll arrange it.”
“Wonderful!” She’s already walking backward, stepping out of sight of the group and fading down the hall. “And make sure—”
Vantaras paces ahead so fast they’re too far away to catch whatever comes next.
He stops the group, at last, in front of an unlabeled room, its door flanked by two soldiers. He knocks.
“Enter,” calls a hollow voice from inside.
The whole group, minus Tory, seems to steel themselves, but Vantaras turns to the soldiers behind him. “You’re dismissed. I’ll be in contact if I have questions.”
