Page 22 of Shadow's Chosen

Her brows lowered. "What path is that?"

"It's an old tram system. One which traveled underground."

Her brows rose. "You want to walk the abandoned tram tunnels?"

"That's the idea."

She shook her head, and he took that to mean she didn't entirely like the idea. "That could be the very path the gangs are using to get around."

"Maybe," he said. "Maybe not. And even if they are, there's several paths to use. Unless they are squatting in there, which I doubt."

She laughed softly. "And even if they are, you'll pummel them all, right?"

"Exactly."

She rubbed her head again. He wondered if she'd got hit there worse than he thought.

"I guess...it'll have to work for now." She got up slowly, and he watched her pick up her gun, holster it, then go for the bag he'd brought her.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"If we leave now, we can get to the first station by the next gate before it gets dark."

Now it was his turn to laugh. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Woman, you are entertaining at the worst and best of times."

She threw out her arms again. Strange. "Are you...serious? There's still plenty of daylight left. We should make headway now, while we can."

He tried to give her a stern gaze, but he couldn't help smiling, which didn't help. "As much as I feel your urgency to go, you are in no position to do anything, at least today. You'll need your strength if you want to keep up with me”—she murmured something in her language and he could guess what it was—"and I'd rather not have you slow me down. Or do we need another lesson on how you’re not in a weakened state?"

She clenched her jaw then turned from him, dropping her bag to the farther end of the room and hunkering down against a pillar. "Tomorrow then."

"We will see."

She reclined against her bag and closed her eyes then, after a moment, opened them again. "I'm not 'woman,' by the way."

"How's that?" he asked.

"I have a name."

"Oh?"

She wrapped her arms about her and turned her head to look out over the darkened room. "You should probably know since...it's Elise."

"Elise?"

She nodded, and he took that to mean yes. "That is all?" he said.

She looked at him oddly. "Elise Stirling...not that you need to know my last name," she murmured

"Sorry, did you say Starling?" He really wasn't sure he heard her correctly with her human accent.

"Stirling."

Hm. Pity. He liked Starling much better. "Nezka," he said, placing a hand against his chest.

"Is that all?" she said in a strange tone. Sarcasm?

He smiled. "Nezka...Voidstorm."

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