Page 125 of The Cerulean Sister
"Another?" I choose to ignore just how harsh his tone is. I know he is panicking.
"The one dressed as a priestess broke. Once her people hear she has failed, they will attack during the last days of the conjunction just like we thought. I believe they sent her in as a test to see how far she could get. She had a device sending back information."
"Oh." It is clear now why he is so scared and acting coldly protective. The last time I came into contact with their technology, it almost cost me my life and 99 still blames himself.
"There is more," he says firmly. "The second fleet is close."
I rub my brow, the words hitting me hard.
"We knew they would deploy," 99 states.
"Yes, I know!" I jump to my feet, my panic and wit's end colliding.
He does not react, not even the slightest movement of his helmet in response to my anger, and that alone calms me. He steps close, placing a flat palm on my chest above my breast, feeling my heart racing.
Now, he is trying his best to calm it in any way he can without the ease of our tether helping us anytime emotions run too high between us like in the past.
I press my hand over his, hoping it passes as an apology.
"I cannot rely on Thea to help me," I confess. "Someone she cared about was killed during the coup, one of my assigned Estate guards. I won't press her."
"One of your guards?"
"Yes. He was kind. She loved him," I say.
He says nothing, only watches me.
"Was there any fighting between Estate guards and Viathans?" I ask, knowing how hostile interactions between the different guards have been since then.
He thinks for a minute. "When we first arrived, they had a hard time distinguishing us at times, as we did with the ones who’d turned. Do you think a Viathan killed this guard?"
"No . . ."
"Because I don't know who I killed, Priestess."
The statement is sobering. He has no idea who he cut down defending the Estate, getting to me, protecting us all with no thought of himself.
And now it is my turn to stare at him without a word. I remove my robe, feeling overheated and slowly fold it. I attempt to latch onto the flurry of emotions running through me. If I could focus on just one of them, maybe I would have something to say.
"The ledgers from school cannot be reached, but what about the library?" he offers, trying to change the subject, reverting to plans and strategy to hide behind his stoicism.
"It will be difficult if not impossible to get to them. They are kept in a locked chamber." I sigh
"Calliape?"
"We could try. But it could have wards around it too."
"I will tell her to meet you here tomorrow. When?"
"Am I not to go to the safe house tonight?"
"We should not move about if there is no reason to, especially after what happened in the temple."
I nod and step back a little, trying to give myself some room to breathe.
He slants his head like a question.
"I am too exhausted to fight you on it," I answer.
