Page 38 of Ragoru

“I will be honest, Ms. Willocks. I have no idea if this facility is a real place that has simply been lost, but if there is a chance of the Order discovering it and whatever technology our ancestors hid there, I prefer for it to stay lost.”

Evie couldn’t agree more. Although the scientist in her was excited at the prospect of a discovery, having that sort of information floating around with the huntsman sniffing around could only spell trouble if it were conveyed to his superiors. Something like that might be considered worth letting the huntsman off his proverbial leash and abandoning the village to their own devices.

She gave Manchen a cautious look. “If I may ask, what is your vested interest in all of this? You made a good argument against Vale, but I’m still unclear about your motivation for having me here rather than turning him loose. Don’t get me wrong—my entire department is grateful to have this opportunity to accumulate data on whatever is happening here—but I personally don’t understand your decision in this. The village would essentially be unprotected without Vale at his post, but looking into possible dangers is also what the huntsman are employed in places such as this for.”

The overseer leaned back in her chair and smiled once more. “It’s simpler than you think. This is my operation. I worked hard to get where I am, and I don’t need everything being torn up and disrupted by the Order before we even know what we’re dealing with. I’m responsible for all the miners and staff here. Suzanne is one of many miners supporting their mothers and siblings in the habitable zone. If the Order shuts down everything to go after an unknown threat—or to tear up the mountains in search of a powerful source of tech that would give them even more power—I won’t allow that. Besides,” her smile sharpened, “I really don’t like the Order’s fearmongering. Unfortunately, we do suffer frequent issues with local wildlife and so having a huntsman up here is a necessary evil. There’s quite a bit of truth to my reasoning for not wanting him to leave his post.”

Evie weighed her words and nodded before turning her attention back to the schematic in front of her. “Fair enough.”

She chewed at her lip as she looked over it. If the area contained the abandoned village along the coastal access point and a possible hidden facility, what more did it hide? That question worried Evie a lot more, especially if strange creatures were suddenly being seen from access tunnels in the mine. There was so much about Solum that they didn’t know, and even more that had been obscured once more after losing contact with Earth. One thing for sure: it wasn’t any sort of Ragoru that had been seen. She zoomed in on the mine itself and the coastal access village nestled just to the north and set it on the table in between them and highlighted the small dot where she’d set the coordinates that she’d been given.

“This is approximately where Suzanne saw the unknown lifeform.” Evie tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Here we are. Here’s the abandoned village along the coast just north of here. About a day’s walk without the transport system you use in the mines. Now I know the village was established by the first colony. I had assumed that it was a support system for the mines as the village has structures that demonstrate farming, fishing, and millwork for both lumber and grain. But you’re saying that the mines didn’t exist yet?”

Manchen nodded. “It was the village that brought Robert Murphy up here. Before the satellite imaging went down, he had seen images of the village. Noticing that there was no sign of the people who should have been present was what led to him being sent to investigate.”

Evie nodded. She recalled hearing of that in school. His exploration of this small far northern valley and the mystery of the colony population disappearing entirely from the village had fascinated her as a child. Her brow furrowed in puzzlement. “But you’re sure the mines weren’t here?”

“Positive. I have the logs in my office which detail the exact date the mines went into operation. It was roughly a year after he returned with some of the ore that he found up here while exploring a tunnel near the village that led into the enormous cave system that rests beneath these mountains. He found even more samples in the main tunnels here near the port that was later used for the first mineshafts. He fell sick afterward and died if memory serves, but ships were sent up to set up the mining operation.”

She sucked on her inner cheek. “The thing is, when they came to set up the village and the initial structures for the mine, many of these buildings around the port were already here. They simply incorporated them into our village. They had assumed that these buildings were just another abandoned village like the one north of us, but none of them were constructed in a way to be residential. It’s more likely they were storage buildings connected to the port. Whatever the original buildings here and the village to the north of us originally serviced, it wasn’t the mines.”

She reached forward and tapped her finger over the thick crescent of mountains that butted up against the northern mountain range as it circled the mines and abandoned village. “If there is a facility hidden somewhere, it’s going to be around here.”

Evie frowned in bewilderment. “But if that were the case, where is the access road?”

Manchen shrugged and sat back again. “Another one of the mysteries in this area. This place has more secrets than I personally like, but that’s the price for doing what I do.” She cocked her head. “Is there anything else that you need?”

Scrubbing a hand over her mouth, Evie shook her head as she continued to study the schematic, looking for anything that possibly looked like the remnants of an access road.

“I will leave you then. Please eat and have a good night’s sleep. You’re our guest for as long as you require.”

Evie mumbled her thanks, her eyes following the overseer as Manchen got up and left before dropping back down to her pad. There was something there that she just wasn’t seeing. How could it be so easy to hide a facility in the mountains without even a trace showing up?

“You appear deep in thought.” The deep voice made her skin prickle with queasiness, but she forced a polite smile to her lips as she looked up and met Huntsman Vale’s sharp gaze.

“Just planning my route for the morning,” she replied with a feigned nonchalance as she powered off her pad and slipped it back into her bag. “How can I help you, Huntsman Vale?”

A smile curled his lips, and she admitted that it certainly had the potential to be panty-melting on another woman. One oblivious to the fact that the smile didn’t warm the cold calculation of his gaze.Or one who wasn’t already completely smitten, and head over heels in love with a triad of aliens she’d mated.

Evie blinked at that errant thought, and a sense of warmth filled her chest. Despite her resolve to keep perspective and not get too attached until she was free to consider her relationship with the Ragoru triad from all angles, somewhere amid it all she had done exactly that. She’d fallen completely in love with them, and it had just snuck up on her. It was no wonder that she was feeling so heartsick at their separation, more so than she’d expected. Theywereher mates. She bit her lip to keep from laughing, knowing that it would make her look like a lunatic in front of the huntsman.

She loved them and she was claiming and keeping all of them. They were her mates, and she couldn’t wait to tell them.

“Ms. Willocks? Are you all right?” Vale’s brow pulled into a puzzled frown, and she chuckled.

“Sorry. I got lost in my own mind for a moment there. There’s a lot going on, and we scientists can sometimes be an excitable bunch,” she added with another soft laugh as she shot to her feet and began to gather her things.

She would just grab a plate to take to her room. She didn’t think anyone would begrudge her if it were done to get away from him.

“I see,” he drawled. “But of course.” His smile widened as he too stood. “I’m sure that your next steps will be fraught with all manner of excitement… and danger,” he added with a rumbling laugh of his own. “I’m sure that Overseer Manchen has mentioned that this area can be hazardous, but then I’m sure you must have seen quite a few creatures prowling around.”

“I can’t say that I did,” Evie replied as she attempted to scoot around him. “But as you know, I have plenty of experience in the field dealing with predators, so even if I encounter them it isn’t something that overly concerns me.”

He shifted his weight, blocking her in, and his smile widened though she was certain that it was also more brittle. “What I mean to say is that on this new leg of your mission, you would assuredly desire further protection… experienced protection in the way of monsters.” His eyes roved over her. “Perhaps even companionship. I know that you field scientists go long periods holed up at your stations. When is the last time you enjoyed a man between your legs? I could offer you so much more than protection. All you would need to do is ask and I’m sure that Overseer Manchen would cooperate with your request. What do you say?”

The question was practically purred, and Evie fought the battling urges that demanded that she laugh or throw up. Extricating herself from within range of his grasp, she gave him wide berth as she circled around him.

“A very generous offer, but I wouldn’t feel right taking you away from the mining village that so desperately needs you,” she explained in a hurry as she watched his smile fall and his face tighten with anger. “Besides, I really am confident in my ability to study this matter on my own. But thank you so much for thinking of me.”

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