Page 17 of Guiding Reason
Taros crossed his arms, and Col noticed the tiny blades spiking up around his eyes. “So you heal fast as well, huh.”
“I suppose.”
Col cleared his throat. “I was just in the process of thanking Hyran for saving my life.”
It took to the count of three, but Vin caved first, handing Hyran a drink. “Thank you for saving Col. We really need him. This team doesn’t work well without its team lead.”
So much for a simple thank you.
Hyran took the offered coffee. “I should thank you for bringing that up, Guardian Vin. We didn’t get a chance to talk about this yet, but, Coldis, I just wanted you to know I don’t intend on making you give up your position. I know you were assigned hospitality agents, two of their top people.” He looked at all three of them. “Have they succeeded?”
“Succeeded in what, dying?” Vin asked, dryly.
Hyran’s jaw dropped. It hit Col similarly. He’d not been following events well, but he did remember Toso going outside just before the attack. And after, he couldn’t recall seeing her again, though Lapatea had been with Orrey and Senlas.
“Explain,” he said to Vin. “And update me.”
Vin did, just like Col had trained him. “Toso died right when the attack started, at least that’s what we figure. We’re still not sure exactly how many are dead because that one pyromancer, the one who burned Karmine, incinerated some of the bodies.
“Yamara is with us now. Your office AI got the forms ready, and Sen signed as your proxy. Lapatea spent the night at the suite. Not sure what that is about, but he’s been keeping Karmine calm.” Taros’s head whipped around, telling Col that Vin had only noticed Karmine’s distress because of his powers.
Vin went on. “Rasev has been sending updates to your screen.”
“My screen?”
Vin pulled it from his pocket. “Basically, our Op-AI is taking over, but the Ferrean Municipal AI is handling some of it as well. I think there’s a good amount of friction there. Auto-drives are a mess, and some of the building AIs have been refusing to let Conduits out without a security bot accompanying them. Most have decided not to let anyone but residents in. It’s a bit of a hassle. Shoda’s been helpful.”
“That pagomancer?” Coldis asked. He only had faint memories of the Guardian, but he could tell his memory of everything after he’d hurt his head wasn’t perfect by any means.
“He could have been an Inter-City Champion by now but refused to leave his team behind,” Hyran said.
Taros clucked his tongue. “You like watching Guardian Games?”
“Not really. One of my moms does, and when I get good tickets, we always go.”
“I know what that’s like,” Taros said. “Also, if that’s what you wanted to know about the hospitality agents’ mission, we’re not moving here.” He looked at Col. “Are we?”
Col shook his head. “No, but I think I have to stay and help the Op-AI, at least for a while until things go back to normal.”
“Then I’ll stay too,” Taros said, crossing his arms.
Vin pulled up a chair, sliding it across the floor with as much noise as he could. “Municipal and our Op-AI better figure this out fast. When I walked in here this morning, there was a Conduit shouting and screaming at an auto-drive. Wouldn’topen for her, and she was on her way home after a long shift channeling Guardians after Starlit Stage. Two minutes later, the Municipal AI sent her an auto-drive from outside the Grounds, and she just stared at the thing as if it was going to eat her. ‘It’s like the protectors my spouses tell me patrol our streets now,’ she said to me.”
Col rubbed his head. The bandage was starting to feel itchy. “Well, neither are going to eat anyone, but I can see why that’s going to become a problem, especially in Ferrea. Vinnie, get me the physician.”
“On it.” Vin stood and left the room, no doubt aiming to harass a nurse bot until a suitable physician was found.
Hyran leaned in, a strand of his red hair falling over his shoulder. “Coldis, there isn’t anything you can do about any of that. What you can do—should do—is rest up and heal.”
“I’d like to see about that instead of assuming, Hyran. And I’ll take it slowly. Does that satisfy your protective urges?”
“This isn’t a joking matter,” Hyran said. “And it’s not protective urges. I just…”
“You just have no sense of humor,” Taros shot back.
They had a small staring contest, only Taros’s face grew sharper and sharper, the panoplian’s display less a threat and more a promise.
“That’s enough, Taros, thank you. I think Hyran understands.”
