Page 45 of Ruin

“You don’t have to put yourself in danger, you know,” Ruin murmured. “There’s no shame in stayin’ back.”

She tilted her head to peer up at him, taking in the concern in his bright eyes. “I know. But I want to. I'm tired of being helpless. I want to be useful.”

He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “You're not helpless, love. Far from it. You survived seven years of cruelty without breakin’. That takes tremendous strength.”

Warmth bloomed in her chest at his words, and she had to blink back sudden tears. Before she could respond, Hush's voice cut through the moment.

“If you two are done twirling your tails together, food’s ready!”

Her cheeks heated, but instead of allowing herself to shrink in, she wrinkled her nose at him impishly, making both him and Ruin laugh. Anything she might’ve said, however, was interrupted by her stomach growling.

The aromas wafting from the plates Hush arranged on the table were mouthwatering.

“Oh gods, that smells good. What is it?”

“Si’kavasunstew,” Hush replied proudly, ladling a heaping portion into one of the mismatched dishes and setting it in front of her. “Tastes even better than it smells.”

When they all had their bowls, she took a tentative bite. Flavors exploded across her tongue—rich, savory, with a kick of spice. There was no stopping the moan of relish that slipped free.

Hush grinned, tail twitching and bouncing happily. “Amazin’, isn’t it?”

“Mmhm!”

As they ate, Hush regaled her with tales of past jobs. The time they infiltrated a Nyxian temple disguised as acolytes, and when they accidentally stumbled into the middle of a Voragon mating ritual.

She found herself laughing more than she had… ever, maybe, her sides aching as he described their narrow escape from the Voragons.

“So there we were,” he said, gesticulating wildly with his spoon, “stark naked and covered in ceremonial oil, with a dozen pissed off Vors hot on our tails?—”

“Hush,” Ruin interrupted, but there was a glimmer of amusement in his yellow eyes.

“Oh, c’mon, it's a great story! Anyway, we're runnin’ through this jungle, right? And suddenly we hear this almighty roar behind us. I look back and there's this absolutely massive female Vor barrelin’ after us, faster than anyone that big has a right to move. And she’s eyein’ this one like he’s her favorite snac?—”

“She was lookin’ atyou.”

“Oh ho, nuh-uh! Wasn’tmytree she tried to climb.”

“Wait, tree?” she asked.

Hush nodded eagerly. “For being a subterranean people, you wouldn’t think Lurians can climb well, but he scaled that tree faster than a Tiktikwith its ass on fire.”

She burst out laughing, nearly choking on her bite. As she caught her breath, she noticed Ruin watching her, his expression soft and warm. It made her heart flutter in a way that was becoming dangerously familiar.

“You’d think she’d call it quits then, yeah? Go after easier prey to mate. But no. She wanted Ruin somethin’ fierce. Tried luring him down with, what was it?”

Ruin shook his head, a wry smile on his lips. “Fuckin’ fl?—”

Beep, beep, beep.

The lighthearted mood vanished in an instant. Ruin lifted his arm and rapidly scanned the readout on his interface.

“Enemies on approach. Eight, heavily armed.”

He and Hush both surged to their feet and already had their weapons strapped on by the time her mind finished comprehending what was happening.

“Lira, stay here. Bot, protect her. Hush, on me.”

And then they were gone, leaving her gaping at the door. The sudden silence was deafening after the laughter and banter of seconds before.

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