Page 60 of Seer Prophet

But I did understand. I just didn’t agree with them about what that meant.

I also hadn’t decided what I intended to do about it.

* * *

I watchedthe seer approach me through the dark. The wind whipped my untied hair around my face and shoulders, making it difficult to focus.

I already had a pretty good idea of why she was coming, even before I saw what she held in her hand. Smiling at me in the dark, she stretched that same hand out to me with a bow.

“Comm for you, Esteemed Sister.”

She spoke loudly, but her voice was just audible above the wind.

Nodding, I smiled back. I took the headset from her with a “thank you” in seer sign language. I fitted it into my ear as she turned away

She began walking back across the deck towards the bridge.

Leaning my forearms on the railing, I activated the headset once it was in place.

He didn’t wait for me to speak.

“Where are you?” he demanded.

I heard the emotion in his voice and hesitated. Letting my eyes focus out over the dark water and the white curl of wake, I shrugged, leaning my chin on the cold metal.

“I’m out on the deck.”

Silence.

“You’re on the deck? In that dress?”

I smiled, clicking under my breath in spite of myself.

Looking down at my legs, I kicked my feet out over the water, shrugging. “I have a jacket. I borrowed one of the Navy ones from a tower guard. You know, the down ones. It’s like wearing a sleeping bag.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he said, his voice a touch colder.

I’d known that, even without being able to feel his light, but my jaw hardened a little anyway. I couldn’t really think of what to say to him.

“Are you avoiding me?” he asked. “Seriously?”

Exhaling in some frustration, I shook my head, but not really in a no. “I thought I should chill out a little. Honestly, I figured you’d prefer that. I’m notavoidingyou. I’m taking strategic distance. There’s a difference.”

“I’ve been waiting for you.” His voice rose, holding more heat. “I would have gone in to see Lily for the two hours, if I’d known you weren’t coming down. You could have fuckingtoldme you weren’t coming. Not made me look for you down here, where I’m blind.”

“I didn’t know. Honest. It was sort of a last-minute decision.”

I bit my lip, not sure what else to say.

He didn’t answer.

I couldn’t see him; he hadn’t switched on the avatar, much less the more-sophisticated VR program, probably because both ate up unnecessary bandwidth. I also couldn’t feel him. He was in the tank, so I was completely cut off from his light.

Despite all that, I could tell I’d hurt his feelings.

I sighed again.

I knew he was stuck in there now, and that I’d been taking advantage of that fact. Two hours, minimum, like he said?another security measure, and another way he had to live by the clock, just to keep Shadow from aiming a few satellite-guided missiles our way.

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