Gravity (Dark Anomaly #1) - Marina Simcoe Page 0,53

to him. “I know it’s all my fault. With my escape attempt, I’ve knocked you off balance when nothing else ever did. When you’re better—because you have to get better—I promise I’ll make it up to you. You know I could be useful if you let me. I am a well-educated, highly trained specialist. I scored in the top ten percent of my graduating class. And I could most definitely cook a better meal than Krakhil. You can also trust me to never add these freaking mushrooms to any of your food or drink.”

I didn’t tell him I was feeling scared and insignificant, uncertain if I could prevent his possible death, or what to do about errocks taking over at this very moment. It was just a matter of time before they came for me.

Scooting closer to him, I draped my arm around his middle.

“Just get better, please.” I buried my face in the voluminous fabric of the sleeve over his bicep. “That’s the only thing that matters.”

Chapter 17

VRATEUS

Every part of his body hurt, as if he had been slammed against the hard edge of the Dark Anomaly without the protection of a spaceship around him.

He tried to move, shifting his legs. A groan tore from his sore throat, hurting on its way out.

Something held his arm down. He rolled his head over, finding Svetlana clinging to his side. She was asleep, and he took a minute watching her, momentarily forgetting about the pain.

With her eyes closed, the frown she usually had when she looked at him wasn’t there. She appeared relaxed and peaceful, almost childish in her vulnerability.

A moment later, she stirred, probably sensing that he was awake. Her slim dark eyebrows moved together, the usual worry wrinkle forming between them.

“Vrateus?” Letting go of his arm, she patted his chest while blinking her eyes open. “You’re up? Awake?” Questions rushed out of her mouth as she jerked herself into a sitting position. “How are you?”

“Um...not sure.” He rose on his elbows, and she leaned over him.

“You’re alive,” she breathed out, pushing the curl of fur over his face back and letting her hand linger on the side of his head.

The caress was unexpected, even more so was the warmth in her dark-brown eyes directed at him and the shy smile on her lips.

“Are you really happy about that?” he asked, skeptically.

“Of course I am.” She straightened under his stare, removing her hand from him. He immediately missed the contact. “With you dead, they could’ve made someone with tentacles or pincers, or lobster claws touch me weekly.” Her voices sounded light, cheerful even. “I’d rather it’d be you, with your hands—claws and all.”

“So, you like my hands on you?” A smile tugged up a corner of his mouth.

“That was absolutely not what I just said.” A lovely blush spread on her cheeks in response. He fought the urge to cup her face.

What did she say?

He tried to concentrate, but his thoughts remained cloudy. Pushing off the floor, he hauled himself into a sitting position. His head swam with dizziness, his muscles ached, and his throat hurt with each swallow.

“How are you feeling?” She peered at him intently. “Can I get you anything?”

“Water?”

She jumped to her feet, rushing to the bathroom with a glass, then returned, crouching in front of him.

The cold water soothed his parched throat, settling in his stomach with a fresh cooling sensation.

“What exactly happened?” he asked, wishing he could rinse the fog out of his brain the way he had just gotten rid of the thirst. The only thing that remained clear was Svetlana’s face in front of him.

“You don’t remember?” Her eyes widened with worry.

“I do. Parts. I just need some help organizing them.”

She nodded, drawing in a breath.

“Okay. So. You took a sip of wine, from the canteen of someone who looked like a, um... He is lanky, with six arms and a sectional tail that curves up.” She swung her arm backwards then over her head. “Like this.”

“Tunkrox.” The description jolted his memory.

“Right. The wine had been laced with fuhnid mushroom juice. It made you sick. You also told me there was no antidote and that I should run and hide in the gardens because you were about to die.”

“You didn’t run,” he stated. Some of what she was saying he already knew. The rest was filling in the blanks as his memory cleared.

“No. Well I did, but I came back. I went to the gardens, found Malahki, and convinced it to help me