I flutter my hand in an approximation of acknowledging Rei's debt.
While Allevard asks Rei about the Winter's Heart, I look at Nobu. When I've captured his attention, I make a hopefully subtle gesture in the direction of Rieva. My question should…
It takes everything to not cringe when Auntie Bai makes that face out of the corner of my eye. I don't know what's worse, that bow or that condescending expression she makes when she's trying to figure out how to 'understand me.' At least she doesn…
The Duchess is making a show of her House's honor here.
I roll my eyes, flick my fingers at Kali in a clear gesture to get out of the way. This is between the Duchess and myself now.
To Rei, I speak briskly. "You have made your point, Duchess…
I accept the Captain's hand while listening to Auntie Bai's infuriating barrage. It has an effect not unlike Kali's fist to my head.
"The 'young lady' is the captain of a personal guard and should know better than to personally discipline someone …
Hard to really hear much from the blood rushing through my face. I put my own hand gently against my cheek to make sure she hasn't broken my nose. There's a part of me that doesn't believe it actually happened. The rest of me is trying to remind …
The fistful of fear between my heart and my belly unclenches when Gates stops calling for arms. I see Bon's expression and cringe, but feel no regret at asking Vignette to intervene. The Witch has her wiles, and besides that, Gates would never hur…
What a mess.
Oh Rieva. My heart jumps up into my throat. She's holding a gun, for one thing. And she's shaved her head.
I look past her to Nobu and sigh. There are too many people here to keep up this charade for long.
Ignoring Kali, I sp…
I fear losing the Arrows. They gave me freedom and purpose. Sisterhood and friendship. One may not always move forward forever, but if so, where does one fall? What bullseye does one strike? I don't have the answer to these questions yet.
This …
"I think I can contain-- oh, shit. They're on the move, all of them," I say. "I think I need you after all. Let's catch them in the observation bay before they get too far."
In the rush of things, I grab at Allevard's hand for a moment, a habit I…
"I'm not sure," I say with frustration.
"There was a time I would say unequivocally no. But now I'm not so sure." I tap a few commands to pull up the raw data on her identifier and key my wrist unit to Rieva's location. "I'll go ask her," I say de…
I smack away their hands, hissing at then, "Didn't you hear the witch?" My voice isn't without its own hurt. I hadn't thought the two of them were so separated from whatever joy in life makes it worth living, but obviously I was wrong.
"Are you sur…
"That is more than fair, Sai."
I wonder if now is the time to tell Allevard about the stealth unit the Rebels installed onto the ship for me.
I lean over Allevard's shoulder, my upper body briefly brushing against him, to pull up Rieva's coordinat…
"Of course, Captain."
As soon as I join him in his ready room and we can speak privately, I make a moue of apology. "I appreciate your discretion, Allevard."
I pull away from Cordova by instinct but stop myself before scolding them for their presumption. "I'm fine, Sai. A moment of undue alarm." What I want is for them to return my console to me so that I can lock on those coordinates.
I squeeze Bon's hand and then go to Riesling's side -- her appearance alarms me the most -- my hand on her back, above the forest's growth. "We were worried about you," I say, searching her eyes for recognition, thinking, hoping maybe, that this wo…
I hear Gates step on a twig behind me, so I turn to give him a Look, using a brief gesture in warning that encompasses the threat in the trees and on the ground.
Nothing then, just the forest stretching its legs, eh? I shrug. The last time I was here, when I nursed Drumma back to health, I left unscathed, but it would be cocky to assume that I could do so again.
Gates' power over them is different than mi…
This is my seventh venture out of my room in this guise, but the first two were strictly quick hallway walks to test whether the crew was big enough that I could pass unnoticed. It was a shame the uniform I'd found came with no ranking insignia -- …
The forest, as always, feels huge and encompassing. Humbling. Gates can have his church if I can have this cathedral.
When I'm looking for tracks, I get an idea. I hold up a hand for silence to the others and cry back to Drumma, mimicking the …
Inwardly, Gates' words fill me with a stomach-churning unease. Outwardly, my lips twitch into a uncertain smile. "Guess we're gonna have to, huh?"
To Bon and Vignette, louder, "We'll talk them down if we need to. For now, let's keep moving. Eve…
I let my blonde hair fall in front of my eyes. She'll figure it out, maybe, but I won't make it easy for her. I pull up the ship schematics and ping it with a request for the Duchess' location. While I'm at it, I look for Nobu too. If Kohaku were…
I look from Caesar to Perrone. To Gates' family. To Ra-Ra, to Constance. Back to Bon and Vignette.
I shake my head. "They have the right to look for their friends." I reach back, put my hand on Gates' thigh, look over my shoulder again to catc…
I twist to look back at Gates, wondering what he'll say. "We go to claim those of ours that the forest has swallowed," I say, by means of an explanation, mood sobering.
The Captain's right of course. I don't think Nobu would have done that, considering our conversation, but it's not something I want to bring up on the bridge.
Is this a request of my father or Akio? Have they decided to try and bring me in? Or…
My eyebrows furrow. When Allevard finishes message, I check to make sure I've muted my comm. Private Johannesburg is out of line suggesting anything to the Captain, so I ask quietly, "Captain, will I fetch the Mayaran dignitaries to the bridge? S…