Page 55 of Ravaged By the Reaper
“She’s… coordinated,” he murmurs to me.
“She’s a damn storm in human skin.”
His eyes cut sideways. “You going to let her lead?”
I don’t answer. I just stare at her, the way she stands firm even when the Coalition ambassador tries to bait her with legal jargon. She meets it with a smirk and a counter-stroke that leaves him stammering.
“You’re wrong about jurisdiction. And if you test that theory,” she says smoothly, “I’ll make sure the entire Holonet knows the Coalition is now targeting human diplomatic entities. I don’t think your bosses want that headline.”
Silence.
She turns away before he can answer. She already knows she’s won.
She walks past me and doesn’t stop. Just lifts a brow like,You coming, or what?
I follow her through the corridor, my boots thunderous next to her whisper-soft steps. Every inch of this station buzzes like it’s waiting for a throat to rip open. But she moves like she belongs here. Like she’s orchestrating the chaos.
I grab her elbow gently when we turn a corner, pulling her to a stop.
“You’re… scary good at this.”
She tilts her head, eyes glinting. “I was built for this.”
“Doesn’t make it any less impressive.”
She studies me for a beat. “You thought I was just a Companion.”
“I thought you were soft.”
She laughs, not cruel but sharp. “And now?”
“Now I think you might be sharper than I am.”
That pulls her up short. “You’re admitting that?”
“I’m not proud. Or rather, Iam—just not about always being the best.”
She leans in, resting a palm on my chest. Her skin’s cool. Calming.
“You were made for war,” she murmurs. “I was made for peace.”
“Then what the hell are we doing?”
She smirks. “Surviving both.”
I grin, slow and crooked. “Not bad for a squishy.”
“Not bad for a walking weapon.”
We move again. She’s already dialing into another call by the time we hit the command deck. She doesn’t stop to breathe. Doesn’t slow down.
And I realize—she’s not just fighting beside me. She’s carving her own front.
I’m not the sharpest blade in this room anymore.
And I don’t hate it.
CHAPTER 17
