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"That sounds ominous," I said.
Zarex smiled and bent to kiss my forehead, above my visor. "I'd give you more, but that will have to wait until your face isn't covered."
"I look forward to it," I said.
J'avet cleared his throat. "Worry about that later." He reached into his bag for a spare visor and handed it to Zarex. "We don't have weapons to spare, so you'll have to stay close."
"I can do that." Zarex took my hand and moved so our bodies were touching.
He was incredibly distracting.
I reminded myself to focus.
By now, Rayax herded everyone else out the door. With any luck, they'd make it into the forest without being seen.
"How do we get into this underground bunker?" J'avet asked.
"Back out the door and to the left," Zarex said.
We followed J'avet with Tarvun close on our heels. Sure enough, at the end of the first room in the building was a doorway. It was so far over, our visors hadn't seen it, showing us shadows instead.
Now I could see it, it gave me a strange chill. It wasn't just the air, it was the impenetrable darkness beyond the doorway. Even the visors made out only vague shapes.
"Just wondering, are you sure this isn't a trap?" Tarvun asked.
"I'm almost certain it is," J'avet said. "It's also the only way to go, unless you see another?"
"Can't say I have," Tarvun said.
"Right. Be on your guard," J'avet said to us all.
From the moment I laid eyes on Zarex, I wanted to ask him… I could hardly even think about it. I wasn't sure I could handle the answer, but I had to know.
"Have you seen Slek and Danec?" I held my breath.
"Not since I arrived," Zarex said softly. "And only Slek. I haven't seen Danec since we were all on Halcyon."
I nodded. I had to believe he was alive. Slek too. Until I knew otherwise, I refused to give up hope.
"Quiet," J'avet snapped.
I froze in place.
Someone was coming, but I couldn't tell from which direction.
J'avet waved us back toward the wall, deeper into the shadows.
I gripped my anti-bot device tight in my hand, ready to use it if I needed to. Honestly, it would be all too easy to aim it in no particular direction and fire. It wouldn't do any harm to anyone friendly, and any Iri I hit would be free.
Of course, there was always the possibility I would hit nothing and end up wasting the device's power. That would leave Zarex and I both more or less defenceless, unless you count our razor sharp wits. I suspected that may not help against Iri who wanted to kill us. I would prefer to die laughing than any other way, but not today.
Heavy footsteps drew closer.
My head swam and I realised I'd held my breath for too long. I let it out and drew in another, trying to make no sound while doing it.
Nothing suggested Iri had superhuman hearing, but fear does strange things to a person's logic. Even mine. Okay, especially mine.
A shout sounded from the room we'd rescued Zarex from and a light turned on in there.
