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

a lengthy pair of curved spikes protruded from her nose. Scarred from battle, she wore a mottled coat of red, and a pair of cannons extended from between her landing skids. Pillars of black smoke rolled up from her aft thrusters.

A side door slid open, and two short, bone-plated ekkinids hopped out. While their exoskeletons were dull white with the slightest hint of purple, their abundant, strand-like tentacles pulsed with coordinated waves of scintillating phosphorescence. Upon braided appendages, they glided swiftly across the hangar bay, each of them bearing three small boxes. One of the ekkinids paused at the heart of the chamber, squatting low to retrieve a device from within a container. Gracefully, the creature placed it upon the deck.

Ky stumbled slightly as spokes of gravity surged from the device.

Lithely, the creature bowed toward him and followed the other ekkinid into the hallways beyond. Pensively, Ky’s gaze darted between Orin and the warthog-shaped shuttle. In time, the ekkinids returned and re-embarked.

A massive gormgloch stomped into view, his skin made entirely of thick, blue stone. He faced Orin and Ky, glaring pointedly at them. With a grunt, he reached into the shuttle’s darkened confines to retrieve an iron stepping stool. Carefully, he set the stool on the deck, butting it up against the edge of the shuttle’s passenger compartment. Reverentially, the gormgloch bowed toward the shuttle’s interior.

From within, a towering figure emerged.

“Blacktusk,” whispered Ky.

“Ky Rego,” said Blacktusk. He was melephundan, with thick brown fur and two pairs of long, curved tusks that jutted from either side of an agile, elephantine trunk. Three of his tusks were ivory, but the fourth was black as onyx and slightly larger than the others. Blacktusk had decorated it with jeweled bands and intricate gold inlays. Speaking with a distinct accent, his deep voice filled the hangar. “Is this the binary?”

“That he is,” said Ky. “As soon as I get the other half of what I’m owed, I’ll use the…” He swallowed to moisten his throat, and he fumbled with the jet injector. “I’ll shoot him full of the imprintin’ agent.”

“Naturally,” said Blacktusk. “It is only fair, after all.” Casting his body in shadow, a heavy cloak hung upon Blacktusk’s head and shoulders. He clicked and whirred as he descended the stool, and each unhurried footfall landed with a resounding thump. Slowly lifting his face into view, he revealed a lattice of ropy scars crisscrossing his trunk. Riveted to the bone, a steel plate protected part of his skull. In place of one eye, a robotic prosthetic regarded Ky and Orin. Paired to the movement of his natural eye, its iris glowed red.

From the warthog’s cargo hold, two-score motley buccaneers exited the shuttle and gathered on either side of their captain. Most were human, but Ky noticed a calico-coated ocelini female and a sudasau couple. Unlike her male companion, the female sudasau stood tall and graceful. Colorful strips of leather bound her lengthy black dreadlocks. Her eyes were green, and aside from the miniscule tusks protruding from her lower jaw, she looked nearly human.

“So, ‘bout the rest of that payment,” said Ky. He holstered his blaster pistol and reached into his breast pocket for an unmarked credit fob. Casually, he lobbed it in the air and caught it.

“Broose, please pay the man,” said Blacktusk, and he nodded toward the gormgloch.

“It’d be my pleasure, Captain,” said Broose, and he stomped close. Reaching into his cargo pants side pocket, he retrieved a ring of assorted, scuffed, and stained credit fobs. One of them bore the Monarch Cruises logo.

“Oh,” said Ky, and he quickly pocketed his devices. With a grin and outstretched hands, he received Blacktusk’s payment. Stowing the ring, he took the jet injector back in hand and pressed it against Orin’s shoulder.

Blacktusk tilted his head. “You aren’t going to count it, first? I have been told it is unwise to trust a pirate.” He chuckled, and his crew chuckled along with him.

“No, sir,” said Ky. “That’d be impolite. We’ll be in touch if I ain’t happy.”

“You will be very happy, I think,” said Blacktusk. “No, I guarantee it!” He laughed raucously, prompting his minions to do the same.

“I have no doubt,” said Ky, and he pointed Orin at Blacktusk. “Since you wanna be the first person he sees after the injection, I reckon you oughtta trade places with your man, Broose, here. See?”

“Yes, I see,” said Blacktusk. Broose rejoined the others as Blacktusk approached Ky and Orin. “You may proceed.”

“Right,” said Ky, and he squeezed the injector’s trigger.

Orin’s pupils dilated, and he swayed woozily. Ky steadied him, and Orin stood up straight. He smiled at Blacktusk and extended his hand. “Hello, sir! I’m sorry I can’t remember much of anything right now, but I have this feeling like we might be friends. Do I look familiar to you, at all?”

Blacktusk laughed joyfully. “Wonderful!” He embraced Orin tightly. “You are Orin Webb, and I am Gobthar the Blacktusk! We are fast friends, and you are a powerful binary.” With a gleaming grin, Blacktusk leaned close. “You are the most powerful binary, which makes me the most powerful person in all of Ixion System. Now, show me what you can do.”

Orin looked surprised and ashamed. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember what I can do.”

Blacktusk squeezed Orin’s shoulder. “It is no trouble at all. Ky Rego, please jog this man’s memory. Show him the video.”

Ky tugged at his collar. “It’s the same video you got. The one I sent you. The one from the t-net.”

“No, no, no,” said Blacktusk. “The t-net video is too blurry. It is possible Mr. Webb won’t be able to recognize himself in it. Show him the police video. The one your agencies would consider legal proof of his abilities. You have this, no?”

“I ain’t got any other videos.”

“Sure, you do! You wouldn’t honestly expect this much money to change hands without proof of this binary’s abilities,” said Blacktusk, and he smiled at Orin. “Don’t worry, my friend, I have another. It is much