Page 15 of Guiding Reason
“Yeah. I didn’t have time to get everything out of him, but for some stupid reason, he helped Alesa with corrupting your screens. He said he planted the trackers on your guns the very day you first came to Ferrea and were all taken to the clinic. Who knows what else he did. That’s something the Judiciary AIs will have to deal with.”
“But you still suspect my team?”
Hyran had been wanting to tell someone about all of this, someone who would listen and help. He had even considered talking to his mothers, but he hadn’t dared, hadn’t wanted to share all the information with them that he knew they weren’t supposed to have. It might have endangered them, and he didn’t want that. Coldis, though, listened.
Trust. Maybe if I trust him first, he will return it.“The people in the town said something about what one of the strangers had said to them. Apparently, she brought some liquor with her—don’t ask me what, but she drank with some of them. I think she wanted to see if they had information?
“Anyway, one of my friends in the town said that woman said something interesting. ‘They have no idea how deep we’re burrowing into those walls of theirs.’ That’s what she told everyone. I figured what better way to burrow than be survivors with sudden access to Ferrea, with everyone’s compassion and love? For all I know, Loquin was a means to that end, the one to bring you here.”
Coldis sighed. “It’s probably because my head hurts, but I can’t quite decide if that is very stupid or very smart. I’ll decide tomorrow. Which it is. So I will decide in a few hours. Maybe after Rasev has given me updates. Is Rasev still in charge?”
“I’m not exactly sure.”
“Guardians. Typical.”
“What? I don’t know what that means.”
Coldis sighed. “Will you hold my hand, Hyran?”
And Hyran took the hand his Conduit offered. He didn’t have it in him to reject, not even when he felt Coldis channel him, the sensation like the pleasant chill of a high-speed run.
“Don’t need channeling, huh? Typical. You are nowhere near leveled, Hyran.”
“Never said I didn’t need it. Just said it wasn’t what you were for, Coldis. There’s a difference.”
Coldis didn’t respond, but he took another candy.Good enough for now,Hyran thought and allowed himself to enjoy the comfort of Coldis’s channeling.
6
COLDIS
Hyran was easy to level, easier than any Guardian Col had ever worked with, and when it was done, the realization settled in.He’s imprinted on me, that’s why it’s so easy. But he’s not family. I don’t know him.
They spent maybe another two hours in that room in the clinic, not talking or doing much of anything, mostly because Col had dozed off for most of that time. Col knew he needed it, could tell how sluggish his thinking still was. However, being able to recognize that about himself, he took it as a sign that he was getting better.
Eventually, the day started with creamy colors seeping into the sky outside. Hyran’s hair shone like polished copper in the morning light that came in through the windows as theyadjusted their level of opacity. Col remembered the battle at Starlit Stage, remembered looking into those eyes after he had fallen, after Hyran had caught him.
“Did I really just hit your shoulder and get a concussion from that?”
Hyran turned, shaken out of his own thoughts. “You mean when I caught you?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah. But I was moving. You hit me when I’m moving, it feels like you’re hitting a wall. I can usually mitigate it, but there wasn’t a lot of room there to catch you. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry that’s the first thing that ever happened between us.”
Col smiled. “The first thing that happened was you took my screen.”
“Ah, right. I did additional schooling in data analysis as well. I wanted to get a look at the AI that was uploaded.”
“Because you thought we just made it up?”
Hyran shrugged and looked at the sunrise. “Hmm.”
Col pulled his legs up under the sheets, which had Hyran shifting slightly to give him room. “I suppose that wasn’t a bad call. And you saved my life. I actually thought I was going to die. I owe you gratitude.”
“You owe me nothing, Coldis,” Hyran said, but he smiled back at Col.
He is good-looking. That I can’t deny. Also brought me sorono hummus. I’ll have to ask Taros to hold off on the murder pact for a little while at least.
