Page 57 of Dark Space

‘What is it?’ I snarled at the door, the sound promising a swift death to whoever stood behind it.

‘Ah. The storm, King.’ I recognised Bryn’s voice.

I dropped my head to press my brow against Anna’s. ‘What about the storm, Bryn?’

‘It’s here.’

Anna squirmed beneath me. ‘Cide?’

I closed my eyes. ‘No. The gods wouldn’t be so cruel.’

‘Cide.’ Anna placed her palms on my cheeks and tilted my head up. ‘Open your eyes.’

I reluctantly did as she ordered.

‘It’s all right,’ she whispered. ‘There will be other times.’

‘Is that a promise?’ I growled.

She laughed; my heart constricted at the sound. ‘Given what’s happened to me recently, no,’ she answered. ‘It’s not a promise. But it is a wish.’

I snarled wordlessly, and brushed my lips over hers one more time, pulling myself from her wet heat and rolling off her to catch up my clothing. I hated every moment that put more distance between us; I was twitching with the need to touch her, to crawl back between her thighs and stay there until she was so wrung out by pleasure that she couldn’t walk away. I cleaned myself up then stuffed my feet angrily back inside my pants, willing my cock to calm down, though it didn’t seem inclined to listen.

‘Will you stay?’ I mumbled.

Anna sat up, hugging her knees. ‘Stay?’

‘Here.’ I almost tore my shirt to pieces as I wrenched it across my chest. ‘You can go wherever you want on the ship now, but this room will be the safest place on board during the storm.’

She studied me for a moment, then reached for her uniform. ‘Vesper doesn’t like being on the ground.’

I stilled in the act of buttoning my jacket. ‘You’d prefer being in the cell with him to staying here?’ I couldn’t keep the hurt from my voice.

‘No, Alcide,’ she said gently. ‘I’d prefer not to leave Vesper alone when he’s already uneasy.’

‘He’s a notorious criminal.’

‘He’s chained to the floor,’ she said, a thread of anger in her tone. ‘Where he’s been formonths, apparently. I don’t doubt that he’s done some bad things, Alcide. But he’s still aperson.’

‘No, he isn’t,’ I countered. ‘He’s a starling. And he’s stolen from countless beings. He has no remorse.’

‘How do you know that?’ she shot back. ‘Have you asked him?’

I met her eyes and held them. ‘He doesn’t deserve your compassion, Anna.’

She straightened her ill-fitting uniform with the poise of a queen. I swallowed.

‘He has it regardless,’ she said softly. She turned away from me. ‘I’ll be in the cell, Majesty.’

The tiny window showedno stars.

I tipped my head back, looking at it upside down. I wasn’t sure whether the different view made it better or worse: all I could see was impenetrable red dust. The wind howled outside the ship, louder than a thousand Lupine wolf warriors coming together to sing; even so, I could hear the dullthunkevery time a rock or piece of earthen debris hit the ship’s shield.

‘This is not ideal,’ I told the window.

It didn’t answer.

‘Fine, be like that,’ I muttered, trying not to shiver. I hated not being able to see the sky; the red veil of dust was making me nervous. I looked at my arms; they were covered in tiny bumps. I poked at them curiously.