Page 81 of Splintered Shadow
He grimaced. “Absolutely not. Do humans do that?”
“What? No! No, that’s just an idiom. It means giving me a hard time. Teasing me.” She bared her teeth in that gesture that she assured him was friendly, despite being a universal signal of aggression.
Humans were odd.
Luca and the other guards kept their eyes forward, ignoring their banter.
He enjoyed the exchanges with Sarah. No one else dared to tease him or give him shit.
They reached a juncture. Luca pointed to the left, down a dark corridor. “The communication hub should be down there.”
“If it has not long since been stripped for parts,” Vekele said.
“We won’t know until we look.” Luca marched into the darkness. Sarah’s void beast trotted after the female. Sarah moved to follow.
Vekele placed a hand on her shoulder, holding her back. “With me. Do not leave my side.”
Their footsteps echoed down the corridor. His wings were out, shielding Sarah. Luca—the impertinent male— gave him a curious look.
Vekele lifted his chin. His instincts to protect Sarah were not to be questioned. She had suffered many injuries, and he would not have her injured again while she was in his care. It was simply a matter of good leadership and had nothing to do with the warm fluttering he felt when she flashed her ridiculous smile.
Like a hatchling practicing how to hunt.
Even with Pitch scouting ahead, Vekele did not relax until they reached the communication hub without incident.
He waited until Luca verified the instrument panel had what he needed, then ordered a pair of guards to search the station for anything useful. Once the crew had enough to keep them occupied and out of mischief, he left with Sarah to practice exerting her will over her bond.
He found a room large enough and clear of debris.
“Was this a greenhouse?”
“Hydroponics, for food and oxygen,” he said. Racks formed orderly lines. Some were empty, the pod dry and barren. Others burst with uncontrolled growth, indicating a water leak. Overhead lighting was uneven, creating bright spots and deep wells of darkness. He said, “This is adequate. Call your beast. Proceed.”
The void beast prowled the room, ignoring both of them.
“Ghost…”
The beast ignored her.
“Ghost, come here?”
“Issue a command. Draw him to you. Do not beg,” he said.
Sarah huffed. “Ghost, come here.”
An ear flicked, but the beast continued its circuit around the room.
“Draw him to you. It is simple. Even fledglings can draw on their shadows.”
She ran a hand through her hair, tugging on her red locks. “Great, you’re telling me kids can do this.”
“You have done this before.” He kept his voice even and controlled.
“Once and you were about to have a bullet in your head.” She squeezed her eyes closed and stretched out her hands, her fingers grasping at some invisible thread. She ground her teeth together, nearly growling in effort.
Nothing. The shadows did not swell out of the dark corners of the room. The lights did not even dim.
She dropped her hand with an exasperated sigh.
