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

“What is it?” asked Eridani.

Torsha retrieved the lanyard. An access card dangled from it, and she held it up high. “It’s clean. No grease stains on it at all, and it smells like Eleski.”

“Can I see it?” asked Eridani.

Torsha nodded and passed her the lanyard. “I don’t like this. There’s easy, and there’s too easy.”

“I don’t know,” said Eridani. “I’m starting to think she’s trying to help us.” She slipped the lanyard over her head and grabbed a flashlight from one of the shelves. “Let’s go find our hideout.”

“All right,” said Torsha. “I’m just saying it feels like a trap.”

“It might be, but I’m not sure what else to do.” Eridani pushed the call button. They soon boarded, and the lift doors closed behind them. Inside, they found four buttons—the one on the bottom appeared grayed out, while the one on the top blinked slowly.

“In case we didn’t know where to go,” said Torsha.

“Right,” said Eridani, and she took a deep breath. She ran her fingers across the access card and reached for the top button. “I bet Eleski’s leaving us breadcrumbs.”

“Wait,” said Torsha, and she blocked Eridani’s hand.

“It’s not a trap,” said Eridani. “I have to believe she’s trying to help us. If she’s not, we’re screwed either way.”

“I guess so,” said Torsha, and she withdrew.

Eridani pushed the button, and the lift ascended.

The doors opened, and they stepped onto the polished deck of a wide passageway. Ribbons of green light adorned the bulkheads on both sides, interrupted at regular intervals by stylishly painted doors. “All this is new,” said Torsha. “Last time I was here, everything was bare steel.” Overhead lights switched on and off in sequence, creating a sense of motion. “I think your friend wants us to follow the blinking lights.”

“Looks like it,” said Eridani.

Watchfully, they traversed the labyrinthine passageways.

Suddenly, all the lights turned on. Immediately to their left, the lamp over a compartment door flashed. Eridani held the access card near its reader, and the lock clicked. Torsha shoved the door open, and they vanished into a darkened chamber. A moment later, a pair of mercenaries exited the compartment across the way and walked past. Their voices gradually faded.

Overhead lights resumed pulsing, now with increased frequency. “We’d better move quickly,” said Eridani, and they returned to the passageway. She and Torsha hurried the rest of the way to the forward lift, and Eridani pushed the call button.

“That’s where I fell apart,” said Torsha, and she pointed down the passageway. “That’s where I saw the dead woman staring back at me.” She hugged her arms. “Right here is where that nice marine helped me calm down.”

“Are you okay?” asked Eridani.

Torsha nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

A dull clank preceded the lift’s arrival, and they stepped inside.

The overhead lights abruptly stopped pulsing. Nothing within the lift blinked or flashed. “No more breadcrumbs,” said Eridani. “I hope she wasn’t discovered. Should we head back to the room?”

“I don’t know,” said Torsha, and she stopped the doors from closing. They heard voices approaching from somewhere in the passageways. “Let’s get out of here.”

Eridani and Torsha bolted around the corner, just as a large group of people stepped into view. Talking and laughing, with coffee and snack pouches in hand, the crewmembers boarded the lift. It hummed as it descended.

Eridani pushed open the door leading to the stairs, and they both rushed inside. They waited in silence and darkness, bathed in the faint green light of the nearest exit sign. “Up or down?” asked Eridani, and she passed Torsha the flashlight.

“Up leads to the command center,” said Torsha. “That’s where Bloodtusk said he was headed. I don’t know what down leads to.”

“We should go up,” said Eridani.

“What about back?” asked Torsha. “I thought you wanted to hide out.”

“I do, but Bloodtusk managed not to kidnap me or my brother. If this Admiral Schurke guy has been trying to reach him, I bet that’s who he answers to, and I bet he’s very angry,” said Eridani. “This is the perfect chance to conduct some espionage!”

Torsha switched on the flashlight and waved it up the stairs. “Okay, let’s do it.” Moving quietly, she led the way.

When they reached the bridge deck’s emergency exit, Eridani used the access card to unlock it. Torsha nudged open the door. Peering through the narrow gap, they spotted the shifting shadows of three figures huddled around a communications console.

A distinguished-sounding voice berated them. “…and stop wasting my time! I can see you’ve returned to Imperium. That can only mean one of two things—either you were somehow defeated, or you have him. Husthar, tell me you have him.”

Bloodtusk cleared his throat. “Yes, we… We’ll have him any moment, now. Our men encountered more resistance than expected, but they’re working it out.”

“You don’t have men, I do.” Leather creaked. “What happened to my Dark River assets?”

“Admiral Schurke, that’s… that is exactly what I meant, sir. The, uh… your Dark River assets are wrapping things up, putting a pretty little bow on everything.” Bloodtusk drummed his fingers on something metallic. “I’ll check in with them right after this call.”

Schurke spoke quietly. “You have three days to complete your mission. Do not fail me.”

“Yes sir. I… I won’t let you down,” said Bloodtusk. “Orin Webb will be delivered to you precisely on time.”

The screen switched off and Bloodtusk swore profusely. “There’s nothing else I can do!” said Bloodtusk. “I’m rallying what’s left of the Buccaneers.”

“Dark River will ruin you,” grumbled a deep voice.

Bloodtusk struck the console. “Grostonk, I appreciate your concern, but what do you think Schurke will do to me?”

“We could always stop by Tiburón Dellasuerte,” said the third. He sounded nearly identical to Grostonk. “Hire a few denshies.”

“I know that guy,” whispered Torsha. “That’s Ostonk, and he’s scary loyal to Bloodtusk. He was being triaged with the rest of the injured pirates after Blacktusk got trounced at Rocksaugh’s.”

“Do you have any rapport with him?” asked Eridani.

“Definitely not,” said Torsha.

Bloodtusk snorted. “Ostonk, you need to think before you