Page 32 of Sway's Peace
This time, it was Sway who stepped off the platform. Grace’s heart dropped. No.
Sway’s calm smile was gone. His face was blank and empty as his gaze turned quickly around the room, assessing the situation without a word.
Grace.
The marks on her arms.
The ratchi male laid out on the ground.
The pistol still in Covor’s hand.
Covor’s other hand clutching her wrist so hard, she felt the blood being cut off.
Sway cocked his head. The move slow and deliberate. Just looking. Staring.
Grace shivered. Why…
Why was he suddenly so frightening?
Like she was staring into the blank, empty eyes of a shark on the hunt. The lifeless shine of a doll, all black and glossy, devoid of soul and feeling.
“You,” Covor growled, turning the pistol on him next.
He really must be insane. One body wasn’t enough!?
“Sway, run!” Grace screamed, trying to get to him. To block that pistol.
But, of course, she couldn’t fight against Covor’s strength. He tightened his grip on her wrist until she felt the bones crushing together. She whimpered.
Sway’s head lifted back straight. So slow. So eerie.
Calmly, so unnervingly calmly, he tapped his pocket. His combot flew out and shot into the air. It flashed once. The little eye on it turned, like it was examining the entire room. Covor suddenly went stiff, and she was afraid he’d set off the pistol from that alone. Was Sway trying to get evidence?
Speaking easily – how was he notreacting?!– Sway asked, “Captain, this is the situation. May I have permission?”
“No,” replied an equally calm, male voice. “Deal with it as you see fit, but you do not have permission.”
Sway nodded once and caught the combot out of the air. He stuffed it back in his pocket.
Covor, who had been stunned by his nonchalance, snarled through tightly clenched teeth, spit flecking his lips. “You’re the one she was out with, aren’t you? A weak little farasie? You’ll be easy to deal with too.”
“Grace,” Sway spoke to her, ignoring Covor completely. “You don’t have to do anything, of course, but I would be much obliged if you’d close your eyes.”
Chapter 9
Sway
The comm Sway received from an unknown ratchi female had been surprising. He recognized the Uver Prime dock master office at her back, but he didn’t understand whyshewould be comming him and not Grace if it was something about the ship.
Then, she told him-
“If you’re her male, you better get up here. You’d have better legal protection for defending her than I would, and Covor’s lost his mind!”
Sway didn’t know if he could say that he was her male. They’d eaten together once, and he was pretty sure she’d been embarrassed by something she said. He didn’t really understand what, but he knew humans well enough know to recognize the body language.
He’d returned her to her dorm, wanting to give her space since it was clear she needed it. But he’d heard nothing from her since, so he was uncertain if she wanted to see him again. He’d been arguing with himself all morning, trying to figure out what to do. He had even been contemplating comming Garnet to try to get some advice.
No matter what, he desperately wanted to see Grace again. To hear her pretty voice. It was like an itch under his skin he couldn’t scratch. Without her, the bad thoughts plagued him. When he listened to her speak, it was like everything was normal.
