The entire crew is there?
Everyone except me.
Marne and his team, Davarok, and Kren, they’re all holding Zorin back. His female is guarded by Esrynne, but she doesn’t look scared. The way she leans around Esrynne’s shoulder shows concern.
Zorin slumps when Rorsar injects him, and my heart breaks. The screen displays their bond, when it started, and basic facts about them, including prizes the female,Tessi,has won.
She isn’t just a pretty face.
“Can’t believe she’s stayed with him,” a female Shifter mutters to my other side as she chats with her friend. “Humans are so frail. He totally lost his shit. You ever seen a rut that feral?”
I have.
“Kareena, you know who that is, don’t you?” her friends asks. “That’s Zorin Aegeris.”
“Aegeris?” The female beside me doesn’t seem to know what to think.
I listen intently for her reaction, keeping my head down as I finish my food.
“Terrifying isn’t it?” her friend asks. “I mean, that they still exist.”
The female beside me disagrees. “They protected our world from the Nebs.”
“Not doing so great now.”
The female beside me scoffs. “Yeah, because Lunas keep trying to kill them off. How do you protect a world when there’s only one of you left? It’s no wonder his Shifter is so desperate for a mate.”
“Whatever. They’re gifted. They should just use their magic to keep us safe.”
“It obviously has its limits,” Kareena replies.
“Or he’s choosing not to keep us safe.”
Kareena sips her drink, then mutters. “Can’t imagine why. If everyone was attacking me for what I was, I wouldn’t be eager to defend them from the enemy, either.”
Her friend gets up and storms into the bathroom.
Kareena looks up at the TV, notices me and gapes as she scans the TV again.
I throw back the last of my drink, toss my credits over the counter to the barkeeper, and get up.
“Wait… Aren’t you….”
I throw Kareena a glare and storm out of the bar. Zorin needs me. I don’t know what’s going on in his head, but I’ve not been there for him despite everything he’s done for me since Jezza died. I know he’s felt the loss of her almost as deeply as I have.
From my pocket, I pull out a Denarsoan com I stole off the portal crew, rewire it as I walk across town, and call our lieutenant.
“Who is this?”
“Sir, it’s Azrim.”
“Az… Wow, I did not expect to hear from you.”
“Myndrous have shown in the lowlands.” I tell him what happened. “They were looking for a female and a pup.”
“I… I know, Azrim.”
I stop and look back into town around the side of a tree trunk, just to make sure I’m not being followed by Kareena or anyone else.
