Page 137 of Only Cold Depths
My gaze flicked over to the gossipcast, which featured an excited reporter pointing at the sky, along with footage of a ship exploding into an orange fireball.
The news had broken while we’d been in Aldrich’s library. A ship had taken off from a private spaceport at the edge of House Collier territory. Sixty seconds into flight, the ship had exploded in spectacular fashion, although it was unclear whether anyone had been on the transport. According to the gossipcast, the cause had yet to be determined, but I knew it was thanks to the bombs Esmina and Pollux had planted on board.
“Even if Nerezza survived, her scheme still failed,” I replied. “She didn’t get her hands on the Techwave cannon.”
“No one did,” Daichi replied in a dry tone. “Since you blew it up.”
“Sometimes destruction is the best course of action,” I quipped back.
Daichi rolled his eyes, while Tivona laughed.
Kyrion and I promised to check in with our friends again in the morning. We all signed off, although the news about the ship explosion kept playing on the holoscreen.
“Vesper?” Kyrion asked in a soft voice. “Are you okay?”
“No,” I replied, jerking my chin at the footage. “If Nerezza was on that ship, then she’s dead. I should feel relieved, but instead, I just feel . . . empty.”
Kyrion wrapped his arms around me. “It’s all right,” he murmured. “It’s all right.”
I clung to him, resting my head on his shoulder and soaking up all the care and comfort he so freely offered. Behind him, the ship continued to burn on the holoscreen, and a few tears trickled down my cheeks. I wasn’t sure if they were tears of relief that Nerezza might be out of my life for good—or tears of worry that she might come back and hurt me and Kyrion yet again.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
KYRION
Thenextmorning,Vesperand I woke up early. We took a long, hot, pleasurable shower together, then got dressed. Zane and Asterin were having breakfast on the south terrace, studiously ignoring each other.
Vesper filled a plate with food and sat down next to Asterin. Zane swaggered over to me at the breakfast buffet.
“You’re looking well this morning,” I said.
“And I could swear you almost have a smile on your face, despite the fact that you are chronically allergic to happiness.” Zane shuddered. “Love. I hope I never catch such a foul disease.”
The two of us might be connected through Vesper, but Zane was still the same arrogant jackass, and I resisted the urge to punch him in the face and break his perfect nose again.
Ding!Zane’s tablet chimed with a shrill, familiar tone.
“Holloway?” I asked.
“Of course,” he muttered, not even bothering to look at the message. “I never considered you a saint before, Kyrion, but you could apply for such exalted status just for putting up with that demanding bastard all these years.”
“Whatareyou going to tell Holloway?”
Zane shrugged. “That I used my family’s trip to Sygnustern as an excuse to chase down leads on you and Vesper and Nerezza Blackwell. That someone bombed Nerezza’s ship, although it’s unclear if she survived. And that, of course, I kept Nerezza from getting her hands on Vesper and the Techwave cannon.”
“Do you really think that will work?”
He shrugged again. “I might not have captured you and Vesper, but Holloway doesn’t want the Techwave getting to you first. I can spin it as a modest victory.”
“Or Holloway will execute you for yet another defeat.”
Zane smirked. “My dear Kyrion, it almost sounds like you’re worried about me.” He pressed a hand to his heart. “I’m touched. Truly.”
“Concerned about you?Never.” I sighed. “But Vesper would be upset if something happened to you.”
Zane glanced over at Vesper with a gentle expression I would have never thought him capable of. “Agreed. My sister has grown quite fond of me already, but then again, how could she not, given how magnificent I am?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m just thankful arrogance doesn’t run in your family.”
