Page 91 of Invasive Species
“The dorm plazas,” he replies quietly. “Below this facility. Near the… Euthanization Center.”
A chill spreads through me, despite the warmth of the nutrient gel cradling my body. The thought of him hiding so close to death, so close to danger, makes my stomach twist. “That must’ve been awful.”
“What was truly awful was not knowing if you were getting better. I brought you here to save you, and the waiting...not knowing... it was maddening. And Old Mae... well, she kept me alive.”
“Wait, you brought the murder bird with you?” My head jerks up. “You didn't eat her, did you?”
He snorts. “As if anything would or indeed could eat that bird. She stole food for me from the garbage chutes.”
I can’t help but let out a chuckle. “Of course she did.”
Ezla’s still focused on the screen, but I notice the way his eyes flick between us. He goes still when Gara argues with me, scales paling, and then stares astonished when I don't react to it. Clearly that's a head-chopping offense here, and yet Garadoestalk back to me. Good.
I mouth a silent ‘thank you’ to him, grateful beyond words.
But then Gara’s voice draws me back, his tone shifting. “We need to act fast, Arra-bellah. I'm worried about you.”
“I'll be fine. But what about you?”
He shrugs. “If they find me, they’ll euthanize me. And Ezla, too, for helping us.”
I fight to sit up, the words tumbling from my mouth in a jumbled mess. “No, you have to go. You have to leave, Gara, right now, it's too dangerous.”
Taking my shoulders, he gently presses me back down, making soothing noises. “We're taking every precaution. What's important here is finding what's hurting you and stopping it.”
“What's important is—” Having him hold me. I need him, desperately, but I can't give in to my selfish wants. I thought I'd lost him once; I can't go through that again.
But he wasn't lost. I slide my hand over the center of my chest. Did I really feel what I thought I'd felt?
The mask cocks again. “What is it? What's wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. It's just… right, this is going to sound silly but… do you remember you mentioned the mating bond? I know you said they don't exist, but…”
I trail off because he goes rigid next to me.
Then, “You… you can feel something?”
“Do you?” I whisper.
His shoulders heave as he breathes. “Yes,” he admits.
And it's like a burst of inspiration, my muse coming to party, my brain aligning in flow. We're in lockstep, synchronized, whatever it's called. On the same wavelength, or painting with the same brushes. I like that one most.
“There. Right there,” I say, grinning.
But Gara staggers back a pace, reeling away from me as if fighting a force.
“The bond,” he chokes out.
“But… if it’s anything like the Planet of the Pirate Prince book 4, well, that’s a good thing, right?”
Gara's tension suggests it's anything but.
“That could be what's killing you. We have to stop it,” he says, the hard edge back in his voice. “Whatever it takes.”
THIRTY
GARA
