Page 44 of Victoria's Discovery

“What about it?” he asked.

No answer. Thorn, when he glanced at him, was gazing at his friend in resigned tolerance as though he knew an explanation was coming at some point but had learned better than to hurry it out of him.

After a second, Thegan nodded to himself and finally answered, “Females favor harks that prove they can provide. We should bring her food.”

“She already ate,” Vi’kail said slowly, wondering if he should be concerned for the male. Surely he hadn’t forgotten. Crik, he’d stolen the seat next to her and watched her eat.

Thegan huffed. “Yes, but if you were watching you would know the small animal ate most of it.”

A guiltybrrrlupfrom his shoulder told him the giant was right.

“Thief,” he muttered. To Thegan, he said, “The rooms’ll have food fabricators in ‘em that can provide most nutritional items.” Narrowing his eyes, he gazed at both giants speculatively. “You seem to be adjustin’ well to the tech of this place. Aren’t you suspicious of a metal box that moves as though by magic?”

* * *

Thorn snortedand answered before Thegan could. “I do not pretend to understand it. Nor do I trust it. But I focus on other things. I have no time to question how a metal box can levitate to the levels above or how a shiny boat can soar across air because doing so does nothing to help or protect Vee. Later, I will discover how these things can be.”

What Thorn did not say was that he found said shiny boat damned unnerving.

He’d sailed through some of the worst storms Jorundfell had ever seen, slayed a giantkrakenhiffrwith nothing but his dagger in the black waters of theDread Sea, and fought in battles so brutal they turned seasoned warriors into weeping kittlings. But that flying ship?

That thing could burn in the third hell for all eternity as far as he was concerned.

He’d never been so sure he was going to expire from fright as he did on that cursed thing. The red bastard that had been navigating that vessel of horror was either a depraved fiend or had balls of steel.

And that was to say nothing of the thing they’d stabbed into his brain so he could understand everyone’s words or the building itself. How could a structure be so tall without collapsing in on itself? Damned if he knew. Likely some kind of dark magic.

So, was he adjusting well to the ‘tech’ of this place? Hardly. But Vee and Vi’kail both seemed familiar with the strange things here, and he was subtly taking cues from them as to whether he should go with it or balk.

So long as nothing truly disturbing happened, like the walls speaking or furniture coming alive, he would hold himself together.

Besides, he’d sooner walk the six hells barefoot than allow Thegan to show him up. Damned ridiculous male seemed to be taking in the strangeness of this place just fine.

Chapter 24

Victoria started to step inside her new room but hesitated. Did she really want to go in there? She knew she’d just lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the silence. Probably throw a pity party. That… okay, that actually held a bit of appeal. She could lick her self-inflicted wounds in solitude.

But, no. This was a new planet and Victoria had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here to be the person she wanted to be.

So, who did she want to be?

Easy. She wanted to be brave and confident and capable and someone people could depend on and turn to for help. She liked being helpful, it’s just that no one ever thought shecouldhelp.

She wanted to be… well, more like Aria. Or Spar.

“So, what would Aria or Spar do in this situation?” She snorted. “They wouldn’t hide in their rooms like a timid little mouse. That’s for damn sure. They’d… uhh,” Victoria paused, squinting her eyes thoughtfully. “They’d take matters into their own hands.”

Drawing in a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders. She was the one who ran away like an overly excitable nutcase, so it was up to her to seek them out and apologize.

Nodding decisively, she tapped the little screen to close the door then started off down the hallway back to the elevator, cheerfully ignoring the butterflies fluttering up a storm in her stomach.

She hadn’t gone more than ten feet when male voices reached her ears. They were hidden from sight by a bend in the hall, and she couldn’t quite tell if they belonged to her guys, but that didn’t stop hope and anticipation from making her heart beat faster.

Smiling, she picked up speed… and almost ran into someone coming around the corner.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry! I didn’t hear you com… whoa!” Victoria cut off mid-word, jaw dropping as she craned her head back to take in the epic rack of horns sprouting from the pale woman’s forehead.

They looked like buck horns, but thinner and spiraling and wicked sharp. Wincing internally when she saw that more than a few of them were broken, she quickly forced her gaze back to the woman’s face, not wanting her to think she was staring.

---