AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I... who is this?”
“You know who it is. Second floor. Glyden wing.” I hand the device to the podlet behind the desk. “You’ll want to block that contact.”
The nurse’s eyes widen as he puts the device in his pocket. His nod is exaggerated, and the screen on his desk is suddenly extremely interesting.
Back outside Alder’s room, there are even more people milling about. There’s a loud murmur from inside, so loud I almost miss the elevator down the hall opening. I take long strides.
“Eros,” I growl.
“Nico Portsmouth.”
“I’m going to forgive you for following me, but only because I know you like my father and wouldn’t let anything else happen to him.”
“What?”
“He’s awake, and until I can get some guards, I trust no one in his room. I want you to stay with him.”
“Guards? Why would he need guards?” I can see him working out that the shark attack wasn’t an accident. “Fuck. Alder Callis? Who would hurt him? It’s like punting a father seahorse.”
I glare at him, and again he figures it out on his own.
“To get to you? Right. Yeah, I’ve got some time to spare until I need to do what I need to do.”
“Which is?”
“Things and stuff. You know, once a thief, always a thief.”
“You’re no fucking thief.”
His eyebrows raise. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. He’s in the room with the consortium gathered?”
I glance down the hall where another nurse is pushing a cart into Alder’s room. “Exactly.”
“Will do.” I’m a few steps down the hall when he calls after me. “Nico.”
I stop and turn and wait. I don’t have time to wait. I fucking hate waiting. But Eros was a friend a lifetime ago, back before the military, before the nightmares and partial memories kicked in. Before the Viking battle, and long before Annabelle. I blink.
“Right, I’ve forgotten what a prick you are.” He turns, but before I can go again, he thumps his foot. “No, I’m going to say it. Thank you.”
“Thank you for what?” So help me, if he goes off about the battle, I’m going to strangle him here. His mother sent me dozens of crab cakes for weeks on end. Her son was in the masses.
“For what? For changing history. For Annabelle. You being exiled is fucking shit. You’re going to be in the social texts future generations study. Well, I guess you would be anyway. You would save the whole damn army. But I don’t think that’s what you’re going to be remembered for. No, it’s for shaking us up. Giving us at least a shard of hope thatviroandgeminaecan have families. Hell, that we can all beviro, or not. But that we can all have love.”
Now I remember why he wasn’t in the military. He’s not a thief but a Poseidon damn philosopher. I grunt. Because what the hell am I supposed to say? “Wait for Gallo and Pappas.” They’re two of my crew from the Centauri. Loyal and Glyden.
“Pappas. Yeah, he told me how you didn’t kill him.”
I grunt again and push the button for the elevator. Out on the air dock, I strip my clothes off and stand in the airlock. There’s a small one next to the one meant forsolos. It’s a long swim back to Glyden, but it will be faster than waiting for Holter to come back and get me.
31
Castor
As the elevator sinks, my fingers begin to tingle. I’m excited. Every time I see her, it’s the same way. My anxiety slips away. I haven’t been down here as much as I would like.
Somehow, I’m now eating most of my meals in the family apartment in the penthouse. And those meals, instead of in the restaurants on the strip, take the whole evening, with each of my fathers coming up with plans to save Nico. Or suggestions for mates for Annabelle. My time isn’t my own anymore. I’m squeezing in work when I can, but I need to get back to business on land. Leaving now isn’t an option. Not when Nico’s fate could still be changed. I’m going to try every last thing I can to get him free and staying free. If any family in the Veiled City could get Nico free, it’s mine.
I shake out my hands, my gift for Annabelle tucked under my arm. It’s an ice cream maker. I’m not a fool. It’s not going to soften the blow of the news I have. The news that Nole has said Nico’s reprieve will be brief. That there’s no one who has enough clout to keep him free. That they’ll be voting on whether they are going to overturn his sentence in the next week. Nole is convinced they don’t have the votes to overrule the judges, and then Nico’s sentence will happen swiftly, with him being whisked out of the city immediately.
