Dark Matters - Michelle Diener Page 0,58

quite sincerely.”

She turned completely in his arms, so her back was against his chest, and leaned back, staring Krian, and then the others, down. “Or is this just a little distraction because you can't win a fight against Virn, and you're looking for any out you can find?”

Krian reared back at that, outrage and fury on his face.

Dray fought the grin that wanted to break out. They thought she was less than them. And here she was, manipulating them in plain sight and not a single one seemed to realize it.

Krian turned to face Virn. “I'm done,” he said. “Your response to the death of one of my best friends, in one of the most horrible ways I can think of, is to shrug?” He turned to the others. “That's what he thinks of you. That's what you are. Nothing but expendable tools. Maybe you think it's worth it. I don't.”

He strode to his hover.

“You're going to go back?” Clin asked. “Like you and Graven said? Just going back to your unit and act like they never asked you to do this?”

“Yes.” Krian swung his leg over the hover.

“Will you let me know how that works out?” Clin asked.

Virn turned on him, face frightening in its fury. “He so much as thinks about opening comms to anyone on this mission after he leaves, and he had better get ready to stand up against that wall you talked about.”

“Right, because finding out you can go back without consequences would be a really bad thing.” Bly's sarcasm wasn't lost on anyone.

“You're either in for the duration, or you're out. Choose right now.” Virn's fists were clenched. “I'm not fighting you over and over. It's a waste of my time and energy.”

“I'm gone.” Clin turned to his hover.

“You go with Krian, you're not taking a hover.” Virn's shockgun was already out and pointed at Clin.

“Then I'll get my things--”

“No. You don't get to take military supplies when you're deserting. Rua, take whatever is in the storage hold of Krian's hover out.”

Rua hesitated, and Dray felt Lucy go still in his arms, waiting, like him, for the first shot to be fired.

With a sudden huff of breath, Rua moved, opening up the storage box and pulling out whatever was in there and dumping it on the ground.

“Now, don't let me ever see you again.” Virn widened his stance.

“Same goes.” Krian revved the hover's engine as Clin swung up behind him. He pointed at Virn. “When I make general, I hope you're still in the military so I can mess with your career.”

They drove away, in what Dray guessed was the direction of Fa'allen.

Virn gave a snort. “When he's a general? As if that fool will live through the rest of the week.”

Rua sent him a sidelong look. “You think?”

“Yes.”

But Dray wouldn't bet on it. And Virn's body language said he wasn't as confident as he made out, either.

He was three men down, and cut loose from headquarters.

If this was support, it was the poorest excuse for it Dray had ever seen.

Chapter 26

They traveled for another three hours until Lucy started to hear the far-off crash of massive waves against the cliffs.

After the first hour she hunched low and used Virn's body as a shield against the cold wind, ignoring the scenery around her, but when at last she looked up, she had to blink a few times until she understood what she was looking at.

A wall of white cloud lined the edge of the cliffs, four or five stories high, stark against the gray blue of the sky above.

It was like approaching a castle battlement.

One that was as ethereal as it was dangerous.

They stopped just before they disappeared into its swirling depths.

The sound of the waves was so clear, Lucy guessed the cliffs ended only meters away.

She waited for Virn to dismount and then slid down on the opposite side to stretch her legs.

“Where to now?” Rua dismounted and walked forward, disappearing into the fog.

A moment later, he was back, and Lucy could see he was energized, his demeanor going from weary to focused.

The Tecran really did love the cliffs.

“It's right here.” Bly was looking at the handheld. He slid off the hover, and Dray swung off, as well.

She exchanged a look with him, and Lucy thought he was more grim-faced than usual. Their chance for escape hadn't come yet, and they would soon be holed up in a cave.

“Let's go.” Virn gestured to the rear of the hover, and Lucy worked out he