Page 20 of Sy

Raalt nodded. “Excellent. Continue as you have been. Keep me informed of any changes.”

The holo-link flickered out, leaving the room in relative darkness until the overhead lights compensated. Chairs scraped against the floor as warriors rose to leave. Sy watched as they filed out. Vraal shot him one last venomous look before disappearing through the doorway. Kraath was the last to rise, gathering his datapads with deliberate slowness. Sy’s Rage stirred uneasily as the garrison commander passed him without a word.

When the room was empty, Sy finally pushed away from the wall. His boots made no sound on the stone floor as he moved toward the door. The corridor beyond was dimly lit, the ancient lighting casting everything in a dull amber glow.

He was halfway through the doorway when he saw Zeke leaning against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets.

“Something I can do for you, Zeke?”

Zeke’s usual calm manner was gone, replaced by an unusual tension in his shoulders. The yellow-eyed warrior glanced up and down the corridor before speaking in a low voice.

“Someone snuck out of the garrison last night,” Zeke said in a low voice, one pitched not to carry. “ Without authorization.”

Sy shrugged. “So? If they want to be stupid and go out there when we’ve told them how dangerous it can be without one of us, why should we care?”

It was probably that idiot, Thompson. And after the tense meeting, one human being an idiot was a minor concern. His Rage had settled back into its usual quiet hum at the base of his skull, no longer setting off warning signals. It really only seemed to do that when Kraath was around. What he hadn’t figured out was if the male was dangerous or if the Rage just didn’t like him.

“No, you don’t get it.” Zeke pushed away from the wall, frustration twisting his expression. “I can only monitor communications that originate from the garrison. If they’re out there and using a different system…”

Sy’s blood ran cold as he finished Zeke’s sentence, “Then we have a security leak on our hands.”

8

Ashley wiped the sweat from her brow as she supervised the final adjustments to the generators. It had been a long day already, and it was only early afternoon. The sun was at its highest with dust particles dancing in the rays and a hot breeze carrying the smell of heated metal and machinery oil.

Movement at the edge of the site caught her attention, and she looked up to see Sy emerge from between two storage containers.

Finally shows up, she thought, oddly relieved to see him. Something about his rigid posture and the way his gaze swept the area suggested he was on edge.

She reached into her work bag, pulling out the carefully wrapped package she’d been carrying since lunch. The mess hall’s protein bars weren’t exactly gourmet, but she’d noticed Sy hadn’t made it to lunch. So she’d saved hers, along with an extra portion of the dried fruit that came with it.

“Hey,” she called out, walking over to meet him and holding out the wrapped package. “You missed lunch.”

His expression softened as he accepted the offering. The wrapping crinkled as he carefully opened it, the sweet scent of preserved fruit mixing with the industrial smells around them.

He looked up at her sharply, his jaw tightening. “This is your ration.”

“I had extra,” she lied, keeping her voice casual. “The kitchen staff were generous today.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he growled, pinning her with a hard gaze. “I know exactly what the portions look like. This is yours.”

Heat burned her cheeks, and she shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I had a large breakfast.”

“You shouldn’t give up your food for me.” He thrust the package back toward her. “Take it back.”

She stiffened and shook her head. “I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions about my food rations.”

He stepped closer, using his height to loom over her. The movement brought him near enough that she caught his scent, wild and electric, like ozone before a storm. Her breath caught as awareness arced between them, the busy construction site fading into the background.

“Your well-being is part of my responsibility,” he growled, his voice dropping lower.

She tilted her head back to meet his gaze. Those strange, compelling eyes held hers with an intensity that made her mouth go dry. Her heart thundered against her ribs as she realized how close he was.

“I’m not your responsibility,” she managed, but the words came out breathlessly. She should step back, should maintain a professional distance, but her feet were rooted to the spot. The warmth radiating from his body enveloped her, and she swayed forward instead of away.

His nostrils flared, and something flickered across his expression, something hungry and barely contained. Leaningdown, he brought his face closer to hers. His breath fanned warm against her cheek, sending shivers down her spine.

Is he going to kiss me?Her pulse raced, and she couldn’t catch her breath… couldn’t tear her gaze from his mouth. His lips…

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