Page 88 of Claiming Sarah

“I would have, but I had four conduits on my ass, and I didn’t think that would improve her situation,” Omen said, a pained look in her eyes. “After I finished repelling them, I turned around, and Sarah was gone, so I went back to fighting and hoped for the best.”

Sarah frowned at Omen. “Why is it that I can control the conduits and the jem’hora to some degree?”

“The holy text says the conduit has an affinity with nature, but it doesn’t specify what that means,” Omen explained. “Theconduits are closer to nature than most Ladrians. Some even use it in their magic. Not like magicians do, but still.”

I fought a shiver at the thought of magicians.Unsavory beasts.

Sarah was quiet and thoughtful for a few moments before speaking again. “Well, if the conduits refuse me as their queen, then why do I have that power? What’s the point? What does it all mean?”

“I’m not sure. I suppose it means you can force them to do your bidding, but you’re not the type. Maybethisis what it means,” she said, pointed to the jem’hora in the sky that were still following us. “That you can control the apex predators of Halla. Maybe it means there’s more to come and this is just the beginning.”

We continued down the path, and relief washed over me whenAllegiantwas finally in sight.

I smiled and said, “I will be very glad to leave all this nature behind.”

“Same here,” Omen agreed.

“I don’t know. I kind of like the swamp,” Sarah said sweetly.

“The same swamp where you got stabbed?” I asked, raising a brow.

“That’s not the swamp’s fault,” she countered. “It’s pretty in there. All the plants and everything.”

I grimaced. “The animals, the smell—”

“Okay, I could do without the smell,” she said, and laughed.

Deacon cursed loudly at the front of the line, and uncertain what was about to go down, I ran to him with Sarah in my arms. She held tight around my neck, bouncing against my chest.

When I reachedAllegiant, Deacon was crouched at the base of the cargo bay door. My companion held frayed wires that should have been on the inside of the metal panel.

“What’s that?” Sarah asked as I gently set her back on the ground.

“The connection for the engine driver,” Deacon snapped angrily. “Someone sabotagedAllegiant.”

CHAPTER 27

Deacon

It had been a long night, and after coming upon a damaged ship, I knew it was going to be an even longer day. As the suns came up, my android, Lanai Dea, asked, “Is there anything I can do to speed things along?”

I was on my back on a backskate that I had rolled onto the hard-packed dirt beneathAllegiant, trying to sort out the damage. “Are you in a hurry?” I asked sarcastically.

From my position, all I could see were her shining metal feet, and the impatient feet of everyone else. Lanai groused, “I do not care for the swamp.”

I almost smiled because she rarely registered a complaint. “And why is that?”

“In general, the humidity can aggravate my circuitry, but more specifically, this one seems to have jem’hora circling. It sets my perimeter sensors on edge.”

“I told you, Sarah has them under control,” I said, trying to categorize the various wires.

“It is my programming, Deacon,” Lanai insisted. “I do not like them.”

“You could be under here with me.Helping.”

My android paused for a moment. “I am out here,helping. Ensuring they only circle overhead and do not attack your companions.”

“You do not believe Sarah can keep them at bay?” I asked from where I was positioned beneath the ship.

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