Page 62 of Riv's Sanctuary

There was an indentation in the counter and she assumed that was the sink but as far as she could see, there was nothing to wash the bowl with.

Setting the bowl down, she was about to turn and look for soap of some kind when a robotic hand exited a compartment and grabbed the bowl.

Lauren jerked backward.

Another robotic hand followed the first and both began washing the vessel without her intervention.

She found herself staring at the thing for quite some time. Well, she stared until it completed its task, put the bowl away in what she’d call a cupboard, and slipped back into its compartment as if it didn’t even exist.

Impressed with it, she glanced around the kitchen.

She better not touch anything else. Who knew what else a robot could be lurking in and where.

Backtracking, she exited the room, a yawn causing her to cover her mouth. She guessed she should go to bed then.

Grot lifted his head, looked at her, and stood, padding behind her.

Lauren looked back at him, startled for a moment, before a soft smile touched her lips.

The more time she spent around the dog, the more she was getting used to him and he was really a soft thing.

Turning, Lauren continued down the corridor, her steps slowing as she passed the bedroom she assumed was Riv’s.

At first, there was no sound and she was about to continue walking, thinking her host was sound asleep, when her ears caught something.

Lauren paused.

The sound came again, something like a groan, and Lauren stopped moving completely.

When the sound repeated, Lauren’s brows furrowed in concern, her breath held in her throat.

For a moment, no more sounds came and she thought whatever was happening to her host had stopped. But, as she convinced herself of this, the groaning started again.

It was such a tortured sound that it sent alarm bells ringing. It was the type of sound a person made when they were in great pain.

When the sound came through the door once more, Lauren bit her lip.

He was in pain.

She could feel it.

Her hand lifted to the locking panel by the door and, at another place at another time, she’d have entered the room to check if he was okay.

She contemplated doing that now but logic said she should walk away. It wasn’t her place to do such a thing.

He didn’t want her on his Sanctuary, she was pretty sure entering his personal room would make things worse.

She should walk away.

Walk away, Lauren, do not enter.

Lauren bit her lip, swallowing hard as another groan reached her ears.

WALK AWAY.

15

He was working in the mines. He could smell the thick stench of sweat, sickness, and sex. Beside him, Sohut was digging, too, his little hands going deep into the hole he'd made in the rock to find the rare talik metal the Tasqals wanted so badly.

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