Page 50 of Seer Prophet

“I don’t need another fuckingculthanging around, Adhipan Balidor,” I added coldly. “The last thing we need is to be overrun by a bunch of fanatics. I say no. Alliance, fine. But not on my goddamned ship.”

From behind me, Revik laid a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I felt the warmth there, the quieter reassurance, but I had to bite my lip to keep from snapping at him, too. It didn’t help that I caught our mystery guest staring at Revik again. He gazed at his face, right before his eyes focused on the hand on my shoulder.

Great. He was even shittier at hiding his emotional reactions than Revik was.

I could see him staring at Revik’s face as I thought it, his expression reflecting something like incredulity, like he couldn’t believe Revik stood there, either. And sure, a lot of people stared at Revik and me like that, given who we were, but this felt different.

It felt personal.

Like Revik, Balidor seemed to sense that I was close to my breaking point. He sent me a reassuring pulse of warmth.

It’s all right, Allie. He’s not a threat to us.

Biting my lip, I glared at him, but Balidor was back to staring at the green-eyed seer.

Again, I felt something pass between the two of them.

“Who is this fucking guy?” I burst out.

Behind me, Revik jumped.

Moving out from under Revik’s hand, I looked between him and the green-eyed seer. Then I swiveled my gaze to Balidor.

Clicking softly, Revik avoided my eyes. So did Balidor.

The green-eyed seer met my gaze, but when I saw the apology reflected there, it only incensed me more. Staring at him, I felt my jaw harden until it hurt.

I aimed my words at Balidor and Revik.

“Are you both really going to keep pretending you don’t know him?” I gave Balidor a harder stare when Revik continued to avoid my gaze. “Because you really suck at it. So does he,” I added, motioning at the stranger with an angry flick of my wrist.

“Allie, calm down,” Revik said. “Please.”

Realizing my light was charging up, I fought to control it, realizing only then that my eyes were glowing. I knew I was overreacting to this. I knew that, logically. The problem was, a bigger part of me felt I wasn’t.

Overreacting, that is.

Giving Revik a harder look, I flinched when I saw him avoid my gaze.

Are you really not going to tell me? Really?

He clicked softly.

Not here,he sent, quiet, a bare murmur.I’ll tell you, Allie. I’ll tell you anything you want to know. But not here. Can we talk on the ship?

Biting my lip, I shifted my stare to the green-eyed seer.

“Look, I’m sorry if I’m being rude.” My voice came out short, unambiguously angry. “But our clock’s running down, and it’s been a shitty night. If you want to come on board, we can finish this there. If Balidor will vouch for you, and my husband trusts you… as they both clearly do… I’m not going to fight it.”

I motioned at Revik without looking at him.

“But we have to get him indoors. Now. Do you understand this?” When the green-eyed seer didn’t speak, or change expression, I looked at Balidor. “He understands this, right? Or am I not supposed to explain that a good portion of the civilized world wants us dead?”

Balidor looked about to answer.

Before he could, the green-eyed seer surprised me.

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