Page 7 of On A Rift’s Edge (Riftworld #2)

Lyall would be happy to avoid any meeting with that formidable aquatic drakone.

“That leads to my second request. I’d like to take a look at the control object.

I’ve told my clan about the risk it poses, but I’m not here to try and steal it.

I said I didn’t want my pack to have it any more than I wanted yours to take possession of it, and I meant it.

I do need to understand the threat it poses and why portals opened up for both me and Zale, of all people. ”

It was a big ask, and that was why Lyall had given Kaveh what he had learned before requesting the favor. “If you have it in a secret location, I’m willing to abide by any security precautions you want to impose, within reason.”

Kaveh let out a sigh. “That won’t be necessary. You can visit Remi and the control object at the same time. He insists on keeping them in our living room.”

The first thing Lyall saw when he stepped into the apartment Remi and Kaveh had moved into was the fucking control object.

It sat in the corner of a tastefully decorated space, amidst furniture done up in earth tones, with rustic touches of natural wood, and an enormous picture window looking out onto the sunbaked desert and the gleaming wall of light that was the Saguaro Rift.

The elongated oval hovered in midair with no visible support, pulsing with a soft white glow.

Even worse, the damn thing had grown since he had last caught a glimpse of it. It was now one and a half meters tall.

“What the fuck, Remi.” Lyall glared at his half-ratkind friend, who had bounced up from a lounge chair flanked by two live saguaro cacti, his arms outstretched.

Damn, touchy-feely was unlike Remi. He had left his friend with his Matchmaker-chosen spouse, so he hadn’t been worried for his physical safety, but safe didn’t necessarily mean happy.

“It’s great seeing you again too, sweetheart.” Remi dropped his arms and adopted his best cutting-sarcasm tone, which made Lyall feel much better. “What’s got your doggie underwear in a twist now?”

Lyall stomped closer to the control object. It was filled with a shifting substance somewhere between fog and liquid in consistency. “This thing should have been destroyed. It’s too dangerous.”

“Don’t talk to them like that.” Remi hissed out the words and gave Lyall a solid shove that would have moved anyone who wasn’t a hellhound a meter back from the floating egg. “They’re sensitive to negative energy.”

“This thing has gobbled down the life forces of who knows how many phantoms and any other species it could suck in.” Lyall was stressed out enough by the thought of telling anyone else, even Remi, about Kat.

He had no idea why his ratkind friend was acting like an overprotective phoenix with a clutch of fire eggs.

“It’s got plenty of its own negative energy. ”

Lyall jabbed a finger at the control object to emphasize his point, which was a mistake. A bolt of electricity shot into his finger, sending searing pain up his arm and jerking his body back until he slammed into a nearby couch.

“Now you’ve done it.” Remi held his hands close—but not too close—over the now vibrating surface in a soothing gesture. Lyall caught a glimpse of something dark inside the object, which resolved itself into a pair of black eyes, then disappeared into the swirling mist. “Bug, play the music.”

Remi’s cyberbug zoomed over to rest on the couch arm near Lyall, and the pounding beat of vintage rock music filled the room. The insect made a series of clicks and whirring noises in Lyall’s direction.

“Yes, Bug, I realize that was a stupid move.” Lyall rubbed his aching arm and leaned back against the couch pillows. “Kaveh told me the damn thing was secure, but not that you were fussing over it like a newborn.”

“Technically, they’re a fetus.” Remi backed away from the control object, which was now pulsing happily in time with the music.

He made his way over to a mini bar. “Kaveh told me you think my little baby opened the portal to bring you and Zale here. That’s impressive for someone so young, don’t you think? ”

Impressive wasn’t the word Lyall would have used. Fucked up might describe it better. He had wanted to see the control object, and he had both gotten a good look and been electrocuted by the damn thing. Anyway, he had questions for Remi that weren’t about the hybrid phantom.

“How are things with Kaveh?” Lyall didn’t mean to sound as concerned as he did when the words came out.

Remi’s face lit up. Lyall had known him since he was fifteen, and he hadn’t seen a smile that genuine on him ever.

“The sex is great. I know it’s a given with the Matchmaker thing, but the not-sex parts are good too.

I’m still renting a room with José and Jesse, though.

I don’t want to put too much pressure on Kaveh so soon. ”

Lyall was willing to bet a bottle of whiskey that Remi had never spent a full night in that rented room.

He tried not let his amusement show on his face.

The half-ratkind had never been in a sexual relationship Lyall knew of that had lasted more than a weekend.

Now his friend was worried that Kaveh might have commitment phobia.

He switched topics and pointed at the unholy glowing egg again. “It’s a lot bigger than the last time I saw it. I hope you and Kaveh have a plan if the fucking thing hatches.”

Remi bent down behind the bar and popped back with a bottle of scotch and poured it neat into a glass, the way Lyall liked it.

“We have no idea if the control object will stay in this form, or what they might be if they hatch. Maybe a super phantom or another species entirely? Giving them back to the murder jellies isn’t an option, since they would eat any emissary we might send, and we sure as hell aren’t going to let the other drakones take them back.

Kaveh’s calling the whole mess a moral quandary. ”

He walked over to Lyall with the glass of scotch in one hand and a cold beer in the other, instead of the fancy wine or fruity cocktails he was so fond of. Remi seemed to be settling in nicely in the monstertown, as well as into his relationship with his Matchmaker-chosen partner.

“I can’t believe you’re using the word “moral,” much less worrying about it.” Lyall accepted the drink with a grunt of thanks. “I’m glad things are good with you and Kaveh.”

Remi sat in a chair across from him and took a swig of beer.

He was more relaxed than Lyall had seen him in the ten years he had acted as Remi’s bodyguard and verbal sparring partner.

He was handsome enough that he would have sent people around him swooning even if he didn’t have the psychic power to seduce anyone who didn’t have solid mental shields.

Maybe those abilities were why that phantom monstrosity liked him.

“Kaveh’s unfortunately a positive influence on me. Is the control object the only reason you wanted a private visit, or is this a long-delayed marriage proposal? I hate to break it to you, but I’m off the market.”

Lyall laughed. He considered continuing their usual banter, but he couldn’t put off telling his friend the truth any longer. “I’m here for advice.”

Remi sprawled back in his seat. “Consider the life coach’s billing clock officially ticking. I’m assuming this is about Kat?”

Lyall coughed out a little of his scotch in surprise. “How did you know?”

“Your mental shields aren’t that good.” Remi’s powers were limited to lust and romantic attraction, but they were hard to block if those were the emotions Lyall wanted to hide.

And they were exactly those emotions.

“He’s a good kid. I wanted to make sure he was all right when I heard him scream,” Lyall deflected, which was his go-to move when feelings were brought up.

“Please.” Remi waved his beer bottle at him. “This is me you’re talking to. I know you were totally into him during our exciting adventure at Moon Star Ranch. To be honest, I was surprised the two of you didn’t hook up after my near-death experience.”

Lyall had been forced to reveal his true form to Kat when Remi’s father Arimanius had sent enforcers to kidnap the human.

Kat had responded better to that shock than Lyall expected.

But although the Matchmaker could select an Earth person as a riftperson’s spouse, it couldn’t make that individual desire or even tolerate the “monster” they had been matched with.

Kat had been grateful for Lyall saving his life, but they weren’t being attacked by phantoms now.

The young human wouldn’t want to be permanently bound to a hellhound, much less that hellhound’s difficult and dangerous family.

“I traveled around doing research, and then I had to get back to my clan and give them a warning about your unborn horror that can move rifts.” Lyall tilted his head at the control object, which paused their version of head-banging to allow a threatening sizzle of energy to sweep over their surface.

“Before you ask, yes, I’m still exiled, but not exiled enough to avoid having to suffer through a full clan feast with all my relatives. ”

“Was it as bad as Ari’s dinner parties?” Remi asked.

“Worse,” Lyall said. Communal eating was important in hellhound society.

The ratkind weren’t known for that custom, but Arimanius loved to set up fancy dinners based on scenes from vintage mafia movies.

Lyall had been forced to play both bodyguard and butler at the damn things, and even that had been preferable to the meal with his mothers.

“I’m quite happy to let all of the higher clans know that an Azdaha drakone is protecting my baby over there.

” Remi turned to beam at the control object, which shimmered with pink light.

The damn thing was flirting with him. “But let’s talk about sex—I mean, you.

Why are you even asking me for advice? Kat’s gorgeous, you saved his life, and he’s been pining for you since you left. Go say hi to him and get busy.”