Page 63 of Cage of Starlight
Randall grins. “It’s long past time for formal introductions! Tory, this is Niela, best girl in the world. Niela, Tory, my sullen training mate and pal. Today was wild—”
Niela shrugs. “Support corps had nothing to do. It was actually a bit boring.”
“—and it’s time todrink.Found this thing of Arlunian wine in one of the tents, and I don’t know about you, but I plan to drain it.”
“Weren’t we supposed to return everything we found to the—”
Niela presses a short finger to Tory’s lips. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” She throws an arm around Randall, who glows with happiness. “Taught you well, huh? I’m about to blow your minds. The illicit stuffalwaystastes a thousand times—”
Vantaras rounds the corner before Niela can finish her sentence.
“Arknett!”
Wide-eyed, Tory finds Niela, who has somehow vanished the entire wine bottle into her shirt. She quirks an eyebrow at Tory when he gapes.
Vantaras sighs. “Thereyou are. I need to report to Colonel Kirlov about the supplies we gathered, but then he’d like to speak with you. Stay here. I’ll be back.”
He stalks off, and Niela grabs Tory’s wrist and runs around the back of the tents until they’re well cloaked in shadow before she tugs the great bottle from under her shirt and works the cork out. Randall pulls the cap from the canteen clipped to his fatigues and fills it, knocking it back in a few quick gulps. He fills it again, and they take turns.
After three capfuls, Tory hears Vantaras calling for him, but he shrugs it off and waves his hand for another cap. By six, theI survived, but I saw that Porter’s chest collapsefeeling stops hounding him.
Of course, that’d be when Vantaras finds him.
Randall yips an apology and scrambles. Niela is already gone, and Vantaras twines a gloved hand in the neck of Tory’s shirt and pulls him up.
“The colonelhatesto be kept waiting,” he hisses, and drags Tory along at a near run.
*
Kirlov stands stiff as a board in a large tent—the same size as the one where twelve of Tory’s fellow Seeds sleep, except it has only a single bed—looking like he’d happily burn them alive to roast tree nuts over their corpses.
“I asked you to returnpromptly,Lieutenant.”
“Sir.” Vantaras snaps to attention and salutes. “Arknett was not where I ordered him to remain. My initial concerns were unfounded. He had merely wandered off to . . .” Vantaras shoots Tory a look that could wither flowers, “. . . speak with some friends.”
“Your neglectfulness of your duties sickens me.” Kirlov’s right hand crosses over his left, fingers closing around the watch at his wrist.
Sena shudders, eyes flickering closed like he’s going to be sick.
“Andyou.” Kirlov’s eyes narrow, shifting toward Tory. “You reek of spirits. Whether or not you intended to run, you engaged in frivolous acts and disobeyed direct orders from your supervisor. Your insubordination disgusts me.”
“I, uh . . . I’m sorry, I guess?”
Sena shudders again.
“Action speaks louder than impotent apologies. This is why I’ve brought you here. I’ve been displeased with reports of your recentconduct. Creating rifts within your unit. Reckless behavior. Destruction of property.” Kirlov’s lips curl, and Tory takes a moment to consider role models. Vantaras can be irritating, but he has nothing on this guy. The stick up his ass must go on for miles.
Kirlov turns to a basin and washes his hands with infuriating slowness, like he needs to scrub off their presence. Tory stalks forward, mouth opening to give the guy a piece of his mind.
“No.”Sena’s hand twists in his sleeve and pulls him back.
It’s not the word that makes him stop. It’s the bone-white knot of Sena’s hand in his sleeve, the pitch of his whisper—not an order but a plea.
Tory crosses his arms and waits for Colonel Germophobe to finish.
After a while, Kirlov dries his hands on a rag folded over the basin and turns back.
“It is my judgment that both of you should be disciplined. Have you heard of a NOVA, Seed?”
