Night Song (The Guild Wars Book 9) by Mark Wandrey (best ereader under 100 .txt) 📕

enough resistance for you to hurt after, not with the workouts I’ve seen you do.” He shrugged, and not for the first time, Sonya was grateful she didn’t turn blotchy, embarrassed colors like some Humans did. “But you clench your muscles when you move, expecting it to be heavy, because CASPers are huge. So you hurt afterward because you’re tensing.”

“You an expert in Zuul physiology now?” she blurted, realizing the truth of it and feeling the need to blame him for the discomfort it gave her.

“No, Furface. I remember it from my first go in the CASPer. I knew better this week, and I still feel it.”

She put the rest of her bar down and scrubbed her hands over her face, smoothing her fur and hiding her eyes.

“Just going to be over here being a right idiot,” she muttered, flicking her ears. “Sorry.”

“It’s been a long day for all of us,” he replied, then waved the bar he’d taken from her. “And you already paid up.”

“We’re going out on the Zuul ship.” She took the first way out of the conversation that came to mind, and wondered if he’d already known.

“Huh. Was wondering if one of the Horsemen came back and was giving us a lift somewhere.” His face showed surprise, but it was mild. Maybe he’d already known, or maybe he was as worn out as she was.

“You know what the mission is?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Porter.” He gave the name extra emphasis, and chuckled at her shrug of a reply. “I figure we’re going looking for Starbright. Think the Zuul know where it is?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” She shrugged again and tried to spike up the matted fur on the back of her head. “Glad Dad said it’s a deployment. Otherwise I’d worry he’s just sending us off with the Zuul.”

“You don’t want to go?” The concern in his voice appeared so suddenly, she had to mentally rewind to remember what she’d said.

“Ah, shit, Hewers. Don’t mind me, I’m just worn like a week-old uniform.” Sonya shrugged, trying to make light of it, and shook her head. “I’m glad they’re giving us a ride, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything too serious.”

“Might as well be our new motto. Hope it’s nothing too serious.” He flashed her a grin, and, not for the first time, Sonya was grateful Humans couldn’t smell enough to get even a hint of her emotions.

“Come on, what could beat ‘Get It?’” She broke a piece off her protein bar and fidgeted with it before popping it in her mouth.

“Sunny.” Hewers reached across the table, not touching her, but marking the moment as serious. “You ok?”

“Nervous, I guess. We’re cramming a lot of training into a small window before we launch.” She shrugged again, the ache reminding her she was overusing the gesture. “And seems like we’re committing everything we’ve got left in the company for something we don’t know about yet.”

“You trust your dad though, right? The colonel?”

“Yeah, course.” She took another few bites to buy herself time to sort through her sluggish thoughts. “I know he has good reasons,” she said finally. “I just wish I knew what they were.”

“Welcome to being a merc.” Hewers shrugged this time, still grinning at her. “We got this.”

“Yeah.” She shook her head and shoved the rest of her bar in her mouth.

“It’s got to feel really good, though.”

“What? ‘Getting it?’” She made a face at him, talking with her mouth full.

“No, you heathen. Getting your own CASPer. Zuul all over the galaxy are going to shit themselves in jealousy.”

“I think only Humans are that gross, skin-face.”

“Fair.” Hewers snorted and waved away her point. “Yours are a little bigger, knees reversed. Seems like you got a little more audio padding to protect those big ears of yours.” He winked, and she threw her wrapper at him. “Come on. It’s dardy as hell. CASPers! For you all!”

“Yeah.” She flicked her ears away from him and forced her jaw open to smile. “It’s dardy as hell. A bunch of Humans and us, all armored up to kick ass across the galaxy.”

He missed the hint of discomfort in her voice, which made sense, because even she couldn’t pinpoint what was bothering her. It was an incredible gift, and she loved it, and loved her father for going to the trouble. Still, something didn’t sit right with her. She really was tired if she felt anything but joy in her new CASPer.

 Sonya pushed up to her feet, astonished at how much her healthy body could complain at her. “It’s rack time for me. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah and too early, sounds like.” He stood, and she was gratified to see him moving slowly, too.

“Launch windows wait for no one,” she replied in her best Porter-impression.

“I’ll close up here,” Hewers offered. “Owe you that much.”

“What’re you talking about? I shot you down way more than you shot me.” Her ears pricked forward, alert at the possible insult.

“Exactly my point, fur-girl. Exactly my point.”

She mock-snarled at him but took the win and forced herself to walk straight out of the mess.

Despite her exhaustion and looming wake-up call in a few short hours, she walked the long way home. Breathing in salt and tides and fuel, taking in the shining lights of the city beyond their compound’s walls.

“There you are.” Dana’s voice, as tired as Sonya herself, came from the darkness outside their door.

“Why are you sitting out here so late, Mom?”

“Because my children are shipping out, and when I see you tomorrow, I have to be Captain Porter.” She took a breath to say something more but didn’t, and Sonya forgot the twinges of her body to leap onto the porch and crouch next to her mother’s