Page 99 of Victoria's Discovery

There was no logical reason for it. She’d seen him just that morning and everything had been fine. She hadn’t heard of anything crazy happening, no fights, no problems to give her any reason to worry. He just wasn’t answering his comm. Nothing particularly alarming about that. They’d just gotten them this morning. He could’ve forgotten how to use it.

And, yet…

She couldn’t dismiss the feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Let’s go in there,” she murmured, indicating a room down the hall. “We’ll ask the computer to find him and let him know it’s our turn.”

Theoretically, she could’ve asked the computer from where they were, but it was loud in the hallway with all the people talking as they waited, and the chances she’d actually hear the computer’s response were slim. That’s what she told herself, anyway, as the group weaved their way to the unoccupied room and closed the door behind them.

“Computer, could you locate Theganrikkr, please?” she asked, using his full name since the testy computer didn’t like nicknames.

“One moment, Victoria.” Three seconds that felt a hell of a lot longer passed while she stared at the ceiling for no real reason and chewed her lip. “Unable to locate Theganrikkr.”

Victoria’s jaw dropped, and for a moment she just blinked. “What? That’s… ” She blew out a breath and forced a chuckle. “Oh. He’s got to be in the arena. Computer, task an unoccupied vesp to search the arena grounds for Theganrikkr, please.”

“One moment.”

The wait was longer that time. She tried to tamp down the unease making her feel edgy, still sure it was groundless.

“Unable to locate Theganrikkr.”

She jerked to a stop mid-pace, her heart skipping a beat. “That– that’s impossible. How can you be unable to locate him?”

“Theganrikkr is not within any monitored sectors and was unable to be located by the tasked vesp,” the computer clipped shortly.

For once, Victoria didn’t spare a thought at the unnerving emotion in the computer’s voice, too shocked by what it was saying.

Something’s wrong.

Thorn voiced her thoughts aloud, his deep voice tense. “Something is wrong.”

Vi’kail nodded in agreement, his eyes narrowed. “There’s no reason I can think of for the computer to be unable to locate him.”

Shoulders tight, stomach clenched, Victoria decided clones could wait. She wordlessly led the way out of the room and down the hall to the elevators but hesitated before indicating which floor to go to.

Thorn laid a hand on her shoulder and pressed the button for the lobby. “We will start there.”

Relaxing a little, she gave him a tight smile, thankful they were with her.

Vi’kail reached out and ran his fingers through her curls then bent to press a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’ fret, little flower. We’ll find him. No one can evade Snitch.” To Snitch, Vi’kail murmured, “Time to work.”

He warbled lowly, his scales flashing dark purple before he gave a little shiver. Angling her head to see him on her shoulder, she watched as his big, black eyes narrowed, his expression becoming intent. Sharp looking spikes rose along his spine, his scales seemed to thicken, and his claws doubled in length.

She knew Snitch was trained and Vi’kail had hinted that they’d been on numerous missions together, but she’d never seen him in work mode before. The change was remarkable, not just physically but in his demeanor.

Gone was any trace of the playful mischief-maker she loved. In its place was a focused, grim-faced fírlark. He was still the size of a Chihuahua, but he no longer looked cute and cuddly.

For the first time, he looked dangerous, and Victoria finally understood where his species got its formidable reputation.

Chapter 48

Victoria no longer felt anywhere near relaxed an hour or so later. They’d asked everyone they passed if they’d seen Thegan as they followed Snitch on a winding route over the lobby floor. The answer was the same. No one had seen him in hours.

Eventually, Snitch led them to an elevator down a side hallway. They stopped on every floor, but each time the doors opened, Snitch shook his head, ratcheting her anxiety up until she was past worry and edging into genuine fear.

“Where the hell is he?” she whispered.

No one answered, not even with comforting assurances, telling her she wasn’t the only one thoroughly unnerved by Thegan’s disappearance.

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