Fireteam Delta by J. Halpin (ebook reader that looks like a book txt) 📕

the past few days, he’d drank nothing but water and had eaten only bread with the most common fish he could find. Every day, he checked in the mirror for gills, just in case.

And he remembered what Logan had said about a parasite’s life cycle. It ended with reproduction.

If what they’d seen the hamr do was anything to go on, that wasn’t far off the mark. Maybe he’d need to be dead; maybe it would happen while he was still alive. Either way, if he thought for even a second that the thing would take over, like it somehow did with Rhodes, he’d find a nice volcano to throw himself in first. That was option two. But he wasn’t going to say that.

“Cortez, look, we have guns now. And people. If you wanted to stay here—” Summers started.

“No,” Cortez interrupted. “If I can’t convince you we have it good, then I’m not staying behind. I’d end up killing an elf before you were even on the boat.”

That took Summers off guard, but he didn’t complain.

“What I wanted to talk about,” Cortez continued, “was what to do with Asle.”

“What?” Asle just stared back at them.

“Summers can speak Nos pretty well now . . .” Cortez ventured.

“I speak better,” Asle insisted.

“I know that. Christ, all right, we can’t take you into danger, not if we can see it coming. And to be clear, I’m still against going.” Cortez gestured at Asle. “But, if we do decide to walk into this, we can’t take you with us.”

“That’s another good point,” Summers agreed.

Nowak considered that a moment, looking at the girl. “I mean, we can always set you up here. You know that, right?”

“I’m going,” Asle insisted, with a little more conviction than Summers would have suspected.

“Asle, she’s right, we can’t—” Summers stopped as he saw Asle look at him, tears in her eyes. She turned and began to walk. “Asle . . .”

“If you want me to leave, I’ll leave!”

She looked back at them, her face red.

Before Summers could say another word, she was out the door.

“Shit.” Summers looked at Nowak and Cortez. They both looked just as lost as he was.

“We can’t take a kid with us. Not if we can help it this time,” Cortez pressed.

“I know.” Summers sighed. “Look, Logan was the closest thing to family she had. I think we’re all she’s got now.”

“She’s only known us for a couple months . . .” Cortez looked out to the open hall. “She’ll get over it.”

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Asle eventually found a small corner of the castle that was empty. It wasn’t hard; the servants rarely moved around on their own now. What she didn’t expect was the hand on her shoulder that followed soon after.

“You are a very fast walker,” Synel exclaimed.

Asle looked up, having to repress a look of surprise as she saw Synel standing above her.

“I was to deliver news to your friends when I saw you leaving their quarters in a hurry.” Synel glanced down at Asle. “I suspected you were not in the mood for company.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because that is precisely when someone needs company.”

Asle blinked in response.

“Go away.”

“Can you make me?” Synel looked down at her, her eyes smiling even if her face wasn’t.

“No.”

“Suppose I’ll stay, then.”

Asle sat there, wiping at her face. They were silent for a few minutes before Synel spoke again.

“Since we’ve established that I’m not going anywhere, may I ask why you left?”

Asle looked up at the woman before she snorted.

“I don’t know.”

“I see.” Synel looked at her thoughtfully.

Asle glanced around the room, trying to find some excuse to get the other woman to leave. She saw only a small scratch in the wall, probably from a spear.

Or the hamr.

That scratch could be all that was left of someone who’d died because she was so stupid as to think that she could help.

“Were you okay?” Asle looked up to the woman. “When that . . . thing attacked?”

“Yes.” She tilted her head. “And what about you? I understand you lost someone close.”

Asle stayed silent.

“Would you like to talk about that?” Synel prompted.

“Have you ever made a mistake?”

“Of course.”

“I mean, a real mistake.”

Synel regarded her for a moment.

“I have lost friends because of decisions I’ve made. I’ve lost loved ones when my actions could have saved them. So yes, girl, I’ve made mistakes. We all do.”

Synel stood, putting a hand on Asle’s head. “Mistakes are a fact of life. The world is a horrible, beautiful place that will end your life just as it gives you breath. That is, unfortunately, the way things are.” She began to dust herself off. “Now then, if it’s your friends who believe you’ve made a mistake, I may be able to set them right.”

“I’m not sure.” Asle fidgeted. “Maybe. They want to leave without me.”

“Ah, I see. Well, I’m afraid I agree with them.” Synel finished cleaning the hem of her skirt.

Asle just stared up at her, trying to mask the hurt on her face.

“Oh, don’t give me that.” Synel waved a hand dismissively. “The road is no place for someone your age, even if I think an exceptional girl like you would do well. But there’s something about your friends . . . and despite what I said, I can’t imagine that anywhere dangerous for them would be found to be safe for you.” She held out her hand to Asle. “Now, come on. I think you’ll want to hear the news I have.”

“No.” Asle turned away from the woman.

“Now you’re just being a brat. Fine.” Synel began to turn, walking away. “But you should know that the ship I’ve chartered is due to leave in