Page 37 of New World

This had just become far more entertaining.

9

The metallic hum of Cryon II’s artificial atmosphere and gravity was almost soothing, if one ignored the fact that it was currently vibrating through the floor at a slightly irregular pitch—a sign of yet another power fluctuation in the lower levels. Dorane noted it absently as he leaned back in his chair, listening to Asta rant.

“Another one. I swear to every damn god in this galaxy, if one more moron tries to kill you, we’re going to be knee-deep in bodies. We don’t have the storage for this, Dorane!” Asta threw her hands up in exasperation, her tail lashing behind her.

“You can’t count Cee. There wasn’t much of her to store,” Dorane replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Very funny. You know that Andri’s jacked up the price on your head again. Unless we ban everyone from Cryon II, this is going to turn into a goddamn charnel house,” she continued.

Dorane pursed his lips and absently rolled the small tracking disk between his fingers—the one his mysterious shadow had left him. “Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you, Asta. Maybe we should start charging an entrance fee for bounty hunters. Call it an ‘assassin’s toll’.”

Asta’s glare could have melted steel. “Or, we could just stop letting every trigger-happy idiot with a vendetta walk in here!”

“Then why don’t you? You are in charge of security,” he pointed out lazily.

Asta bared her fangs. “Don’t tempt me to take a vacation, Dorane.”

The office door slid open before Dorane could deliver his undoubtedly witty response. Jammer stepped inside, his usual relaxed demeanor tempered with something cautious.

“You’ve got visitors,” he announced.

Dorane arched a brow. “Do I?”

Jammer grimaced. “Yeah. A Turbinta assassin.”

Asta let out a string of very colorful curses. “Now they’re showing up and making an appointment to try to kill you! You have really outdone yourself this time, Dorane.”

“But,” Jammer continued, “she’s not alone. She’s with an Ancient Knight of the Gallant.”

Dorane leaned forward, suddenly intrigued. That announcement even shut Asta up. Dorane’s lips curved into a wry smile. So, the rumors were true. There was a Turbinta assassin with an Ancient Knight.

“Now that is interesting.” He flicked his fingers toward the door. “Please, escort them in.”

Jammer nodded and stepped back out. Asta muttered under her breath, folding her arms. “I swear, if we’re hosting a damn assassin convention now, I’m out.”

“You’ll stay, because you love me,” Dorane teased.

Asta growled, “I love paychecks.”

“Same thing,” he mused.

Moments later, Jammer returned, and with him came a pair that made Dorane’s interest sharpen.

The Turbinta woman—tall, sharp-featured, with piercing violet eyes—was assessing the room as if it was a battlefield: exits, structural weaknesses, and probably the fastest way to kill every person here. And yet, despite the danger the assassin presented, it was the man beside her that caught Dorane’s attention and held it.

The man’s entrance was bold, a purposeful stride that filled the room, but it was devoid of the expected swagger, leaving Dorane disarmed by his surprising modesty. Curiosity was etched on his face, but Dorane would bet his most prized starship that the man had much in common with his companion, the subtle shift in his eyes betraying a similar assessment.

His movements were effortless, fluid, confident—like a man used to both fighting wars and laughing at them. His relaxed smile didn’t have a hint of deception in it. And, more notably, his arm was casually resting around the Turbinta’s waist in a slightly possessive way that spoke volumes.

Dorane’s eyes flicked between them, entertained and fascinated. He had seen assassins with lovers before—fleeting, shallow things meant for distraction, leverage, or convenience. But this one looked at this man differently. With … deep emotion.

Well, well, Dorane thought. That’s unexpected.

Ash shot him a pleasant smile and held out his hand. “Ashton Haze, but everyone calls me Ash. You’re Dorane LeGaugh, I presume? Gotta say, you’ve got a pretty impressive setup here.”

Dorane rose, shook Ash’s hand, and waved to the two seats across from him. “Thank you. Now, forgive me for my impatience, but what brings a Turbinta and a Gallant to my doorstep? Normally when a Turbinta comes this close, they are trying to kill me.”

---