Page 51 of Alien Devil's Wrath
Rylos’s jaw tightened, but he couldn’t argue with results.
“She needs quarters. Training. Integration into our protocols.”
“She doesn’t need training,” Zarek said. “She needs equipment.”
“Equipment?”
“Weapons. Gear. Medical supplies.” Zarek’s hand found mine. “While the Regalia’s being decoded.”
“While—” Rylos started.
“The decoding takes weeks,” Zarek interrupted. “We’ll be back before you need us for the next retrieval.”
Rylos’s jaw tightened. “You’re taking leave. During an active operation. For what?”
“To eliminate a threat,” Zarek said.
“What threat?”
I spoke up. “A Lyrikan noble who knows my face. Who could identify me, connect me to you.”
Rylos studied me. “And this noble just happens to need killing?”
“He’s the one who sent me to that prison planet. After I failed to kill him properly the first time. Miscalculated the dosage. Won’t happen again.”
Brevan studied me with new interest. “You tried to assassinate a Lyrikan noble?”
“Successfully poisoned him. He survived due to medical intervention I didn’t account for.” I met his gaze steadily. “Now I’m stronger. More precise.”
“She survived on that planet,” Kallum observed. “Alone.”
“Not alone,” I corrected. “I had the local fauna. Very educational companions.”
Rylos shook his head, resignation clear in his expression.
“Fine. Quarters on deck seven. Brevan can arrange identities for your... excursion.” The word came out pained. “But you’re both back before we move on the next Regalia.”
“Understood,” Zarek said.
“Welcome to the Sovereign’s Hand,” Rylos said to me. Not warm, but not hostile either. “Tamsin can help you adjust.”
Tamsin stepped forward as the men started to disperse. “The transformation gets easier. The new senses, the strength. Give it a few days.”
“How long since yours?”
“Weeks.” She glanced at Talon, who was talking with Zarek. “Best thing that ever happened to me, even if the process was... intense.”
“Intense.” I considered the word. “Yes. That’s one way to describe systematic cellular reconstruction.”
She smiled. “You’re going to fit in perfectly here. Come find me when you’re settled. Deck six.”
Then we were alone in the bay.
“That went better than expected,” I said.
“They didn’t try to kill you.”
“Your standards for success are concerning.” I pulled him down for a kiss, careful of his still-healing ribs. “Though I appreciate Tamsin’s presence. Makes me less of an anomaly.”
