Rivers of Orion by Dana Kelly (a court of thorns and roses ebook free .TXT) 📕

“I am assessing an anomaly.” Eleski retrieved a handheld flashlight and cautiously shined it around the compartment. Steeling herself against the smell, Eleski retrieved the Dark River duffle bag, straining against its weight. After setting it aside, she lingered at the hatch. “One moment, please.”

“Do you require investigative or physical assistance?” asked Katsinki.

“Neither is immediately necessary,” said Eleski.

Eridani inhaled deeply, and Torsha’s pulse raced. Now hidden only within the shadows cast by the hatch, they dared not move. Torsha extended her claws.

Eleski shined her flashlight inside the compartment. It fell directly upon Eridani’s brow. They met each other’s gazes, but Eleski only smiled demurely and tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. With the subtlest of nods, she put away her flashlight. “There is nothing amiss. Let us proceed.”

“I must admit I experienced no small amount of growing dread on your behalf, Eleski,” said Katsinki.

She closed the hatch, but not completely. “Dearest Katsinki, I apologize for any dread I may have unduly caused. I will endeavor to express myself more effectively during moments of intense personal curiosity.”

Eridani and Torsha listened as Eleski lowered the baggage and slid down to the deck. She and Katsinki bantered cheerfully as they loaded the luggage onto a motorized cart and led it away from the Starwind. They switched off all the lights except the one directly overhead and exited the hangar.

Silence hung in the air.

“What the hell was that?” asked Torsha. “Do you know her?”

Eridani shook her head. “I don’t recognize her at all.”

“She obviously saw us,” said Torsha. “I mean, she nodded right at you.”

“I can’t explain it,” said Eridani. “Maybe we met somewhere?”

“It’s a trap,” said Torsha. “It has to be.”

“Maybe, but why leave the hatch open?” asked Eridani.

Torsha shook her head. “She’s luring us out. I bet she’s running straight to Bloodtusk.”

“You may be right about that,” said Eridani. “We’d better get out of here while we can.” She pushed against the hatch. Nervously, she peered around the hangar.

“See anywhere we can hide?” asked Torsha.

“Lots of places, actually. Can you hear anyone lurking nearby?”

Torsha closed her eyes and listened. “No, but the vents sound awfully familiar.”

Raising the hatch completely, Eridani set it quietly against the hull. “How do you mean?” She pushed herself up and out, swinging her legs over to sit.

Torsha donned Eridani’s backpack and climbed out. Stacked crates and boxes lined the bulkheads, set between crowded shelves. Transverse frames reinforced the hangar. Chutes, vents, and bundles of conduit adorned the bulkheads. Red lane lights glowed between the adjacent launch tube’s magnetic landing rails, and crimson LEDs blinked sequentially along its length. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” muttered Torsha. “I know this place. We literally took this exact same shuttle out of this exact same hangar two months ago. This is Excrucio!”

“Blacktusk’s flagship,” said Eridani. “He’s still in prison, right?”

Torsha shrugged and lowered the hatch back into place. “As far as I know.” She pushed until she heard a click. “But if Bloodtusk busted out, there’s a good chance his brother did too.”

Eridani shivered. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire. What can you tell me about this ship?”

“Not much, unfortunately,” said Torsha, and she described Excrucio’s general layout. “The other teams locked down almost everything else by the time we got there. Then we all met up, took the stairs to the command room and took over.” She stretched, working out the kinks in each of her joints. “There were so many dead pirates.”

“That sounds awful,” said Eridani. “I can see why you never wanted to talk about it. Sorry for being so nosy when you first arrived.”

Torsha glanced her way. “I never felt like you were being nosy.”

Eridani nodded. “That’s good to hear.” She took a deep breath and looked down at the deck. “I guess we just slide off?”

“Sure,” said Torsha, and she leaned back as she slid along the Starwind’s exterior contours. She alighted gracefully upon the deck, repositioned the backpack, and turned to face Eridani. “Your turn!”

“Yeah, sure,” muttered Eridani. Leaning back, she scooted herself forward, but her floral long coat only bunched up at the small of her back. “Hold on,” she said. Grabbing onto the base of her coat, she pulled it straight, but she only slid forward a bit further. “What the hell?” she grumbled, and she set to doffing her long coat completely.

“I wouldn’t do that,” said Torsha.

“Why not?” asked Eridani, and she flung herself free of her sleeves. Off balance and tipping forward, her breath caught in her throat as she suddenly slid face-first down the side of the Starwind.

Torsha caught her, and Eridani’s long coat fluttered down, draped over them both. “That’s why,” said Torsha.

Eridani pushed her coat aside. “Thanks again,” she said, and she stumbled slightly as Torsha helped her stand. She put the long coat back on and glanced at the lift. “Let’s find an empty room to hide in.”

“I think we should hide in the bins, at least until we know for sure no one’s coming back to look for us,” said Torsha. She walked over to a large crate positioned near the lift.

“I don’t know,” said Eridani, and she approached the shelves next to Torsha. “There aren’t any other ships docked in here, and when they don’t find us aboard the shuttle, I think the bins will be the first place they look.”

“You’ve got a point there,” said Torsha.

“Let’s see if there’s something in here that we can use to defend ourselves,” said Eridani. Parts clattered quietly as she set them aside.

Torsha chuckled. “No offense, but I think you’d be much offer off counting on me as your best defense, and I don’t need anything else but my claws.”

Eridani grabbed a crankshaft by the long end and wielded it like a bat. “What? I’ve taken self-defense classes. I can hold my own.”

“I’m not saying you can’t, but I’ve been in a lot more fights than you have,” said Torsha. Her gaze narrowed as she noticed a lanyard