Page 112 of Guiding Desire

“It shouldn’t. It would be worrisome if, say, you could just aim that gun of yours at a random bot and squeeze the trigger.”

The bot pressed against the wall, trying its best to get out of Vin’s line of sight.

Orrey pinched the bridge of his nose, realized where he’d picked up that habit, then took a deep breath. “Let’s do it again. Can you please not make them jerk like that after I shoot them?”

Vin shrugged. “Fine.”

A half hour after that, Orrey was steady when he aimed at and shot a Hound, no problem. In his head, over and over, he repeated:they are not real, they are not real.

Through the rifle, with the distance between bullet and illusionary death, it was easier, and Orrey kept his near perfect score at the end of the shooting practice.

“We hope to assist you in training again soon, Conduit Orrey,” the bot said after they’d deposited the guns back at the armory. It turned to Vin at the entrance of the corridor leading to the armory. “We wish you a safe mission beyond the wall, Guardian Vin.” It then resumed its guard position.

They are not realstill echoed in Orrey’s head when they entered the elevator, though he shifted that mental reassurance toIt won’t be like that beyond the walls.

Orrey had no proof of that, but he had hope.

24

SENLAS

SenlasmissedOrrey.TheConduit was only at the practice range with Vin, safe as a sun’s gravity, but Senlas still paced through the rooms of Vin’s apartment, minding the roof where it sliced down, a threat for even people of regular size.

Taros was lounging, his bright green socks a contrast to his black pants and purple tee just a shade richer than his hair. “You’re like something wild kept in a cage.”

“I miss my Conduit. It’s normal.”

“You’re supposed to not hog your Conduit’s attention.”

“Which is why I’m missing him. Have you memorized the maps?”

“I don’t know why you’re forcing me to get into that much detail. In all likelihood, this will be a very boring trip.”

“Is that a yes?”

Taros sighed. “Almost.”

Senlas was just about to open the sliding doors to the balcony and step outside when the front door opened. He reached out with his power, sighed. “It’s not Orrey.”

“Aw, you didn’t miss me?” Karmine said, coming into the living space with several containers of takeout stacked in a box he was carrying.

“It’s not like you’d stay away for long anyway,” Senlas said.

“Senny, don’t be mean to Karmine. He remembered to bring food.”

“Hasterian’s. Going back to the classics.” Karmine put the box on the small round table. “We’re waiting for the other two to come back, yeah?”

“Yes,” Senlas said. He glanced at Col, who was leaning against the wall of a narrow alcove, created by a straight window set into the slanting roof. Col’s thumb rested against his lip, teeth about to dig into the nail. It had been a nervous habit of Col’s he’d mostly shaken years ago, but it came out on rare occasions when he couldn’t quite, or didn’t bother, to hide that dark things occupied his thoughts. “What, Col?”

“Hmm.”

Karmine lifted Taros’s legs off the couch and sat. “You said that woman with Alesa left before he did when you and Orrey overheard them plotting. Col had the idea to check the building logs, reasoning they also came separately. He got a name, female Conduit on Alesa’s team, and the building’s door being opened from the inside about twenty minutes after you entered, so that would’ve been when she left.”

Taros lowered his screen. “That’s good. Who is she? How do we get to her? Should we send Vin?”

Karmine shrugged. “About three minutes after she left that building, she scanned into her apartment building, which happens to be the Iota Three Building.”

“Argh, fuck this,” Taros said.