Page 22 of Song of the Abyss

But if she was here, she was risking her life. At any point, her father could figure out what they were doing. He could catch her, and then she’d really be in a cage. He’d only let her out to see the fake sunlight when he needed her to parade in front of his people. Other than that, she worried what her life would be like.

“Good for you.” The words danced over the screen. “I was wondering when you were finally going to grow some balls.”

A bright grin spread across her face. “Well, I had a good mentor to teach me how to be brave.”

“You’ll make me blush. Stop.”

“It’s the truth, though. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Another long pause before Ace said, “Enough mushy shit. I figured out how to hack your droid’s translation chip and add that new one. You want to know how to do that or what?”

Even if the undine never came back, she wanted to know. Because Anya wanted to know how to do everything that would make her father angry. Lifting her tiniest pair of needle-nose pliers, she replied, “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

9

Daios

“So that’s going to be a problem,” Maketes muttered as Daios joined his brother again at their rendezvous point.

Daios filled him in on everything that he’d discovered. The lack of their ability to communicate with the General’s daughter. The pipe systems. He showed his brother the map that he’d drawn, and told him of her threat that he would end up stuck in those pipes while hoards of robots descended upon him.

“Which part is going to be a problem?” he muttered, staring down at the map with a trouble expression.

“All of it.”

“Which part the most?”

Maketes shrugged. “I mean, we can get over communication issues. Mira and Arges did in the beginning. We’ll figure that out. The main problem is getting her now. How did you not realize they were watching you?”

“I knew they were.” Daios stared at the stones on the sand, trying to will the solution to appear before his eyes. “I am uncertain what is the best way forward now.”

“Why aren’t you panicking? You should be panicking. You’ve seen her multiple times now and each time you failed to get her. Now there is no way for us to get in, and we’re all screwed.”

“What is that word?” He finally looked up from his project to frown at the yellow-finned pod mate. “Screwed?”

“Ah. It’s something Mira says when there is no winning the situation.” Maketes scrubbed the back of his neck. “I think I used it right.”

The yellow glow from his body turned a sickly pale, as it always did when Maketes felt embarrassed. His brother had never gotten very good at controlling his colors.

Daios sighed. “There is nothing wrong with how you used it. I’m certain.”

And there it went. All the colors turned bright yellow as the sun, just as it always did when his brother was reassured. “That’s kind of you. Anyway, I thought you’d be more angry at me than you are.”

“Why would I be angry at you?”

Then he smelled it. Or rather, them. The scent on the current was not one that should be in the ocean. At least, not this part of the ocean. Baring his teeth in a snarl, he cast his gaze behind them, where the darkness slowly parted around two figures. One he knew as well as he knew himself, the electric blue of his body lighting up the darkness of the ocean. The other was connected to him by a cord, her red hair as dark as blood in the dim light.

Mira and Arges.

He wasn’t comfortable around her yet. He’d tried to kill her multiple times, and he was certain she’d never forgiven him for that. She shouldn’t, anyway. The cruelty of his nature had nearly ended her life, and she had every right to hold that against him.

He preferred it that way. At least if everyone thought he was the villain, he could take the attention away from anyone who messed up as well. His broad shoulders could hold their hatred, and they could forgive others.

It was his place. And he intended to keep it that way.

He waited there, his hair floating and coiling around his shoulders as his clutch brother joined him. With a nod to his brother, and a slight tilt of his head to Mira, he pointed to the rocks. “I know where to go.”

“Maketes already filled us in on that this morning.” Arges narrowed his gaze. “I assume there is yet more information, now that I see you are here again without the woman.”

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