Inversion: Riven Worlds Book Two by G. S. Jennsen

Author:G. S. Jennsen [Jennsen, G. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sci-fi space opera, Sci Fi, Sci-fi, Sci-Fi Romance, Science Fiction - Adventure, Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Science Fiction - High Tech, Science Fiction - Space Opera, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction And Fantasy, science fiction romance, science fiction series, Science Fiction/Fantasy, science-fiction, Scif-fi, scifi, scifi romance, SciFi-Futuristic Romance, space adventure, Space Colonization, Space Exploration, space fleet, space fleets, Space Opera, Space Ships, space travel, Space Warfare, Spaceships
Publisher: Hypernova Publishing
Published: 2020-06-30T06:00:00+00:00

36

* * *

NAMINO

Camp Burrow

Marlee watched on in keen interest as Joaquim and Grant stuffed bundles of cloth with a bunch of archine blades wrapped around an explosive material they’d gotten from the DAF armory, all connected to a small module they called a ‘morph.’

Joaquim hefted one of the bundles up and tossed it in the air a few times. “Thanks for the help. Ava, Dominic and I will head out and set some traps.”

Grant nodded. “Shall I let Selene know?”

“Up to you.” Joaquim arranged the makeshift bombs in a large bag, stood and strode off to enlist his friends.

Marlee took half a step forward, intending to offer to go with them; then she stopped, her gaze drawn to where Caleb sat talking quietly to Selene. It had taken more than an hour for his shakes to subside enough that he was comfortable leaving the supply room. He’d taken a shower, eaten a sandwich and resumed projecting an air of normalcy. But now she’d seen behind the curtain, and she knew it was an act. She wanted so badly to help him, but she didn’t—

“Your uncle loves you very much.”

She turned back to Grant, who was cleaning up the mess he and Joaquim had created, and shrugged weakly. “I suppose he does. He did come all this way for me.”

“You’re not close?”

“We used to be. Not so much for the last several years. But I guess family is family, no matter what.”

Grant didn’t respond, and she studied him more closely for a minute, working it out in her head. “Asterions don’t have families, do they?”

“Not in the way you mean, no. But we do have people with whom our bonds have grown strong over the millennia—stronger than those between any mere family.”

She regarded him curiously. She really enjoyed spending time with him, but she was tired of getting the constant runaround from him. “Can I ask you a question? I realize it’s a sensitive subject since you keep deflecting, but I’m asking anyway: exactly how old are you?”

Grant leaned against the front of the workstation with a sigh. “Old enough that you need to stop looking at me with an intrigued glint in your eye.”

She shrank back, mortified. “Excuse me?”

“Listen, Marlee. You are courageous and bright—you’re running circles around me with languages, combat and possibly even programming, as promised—and very, very pretty. But you’ve scarcely begun to live your life, and I’ve…let’s just say I have houseplants older than you. Or I did. I expect the Rasu have pulverized the plants and the house by now. I’m going to try to make sure you get to live a lot longer than my houseplants, but I can’t…. The point is—”

“Oh, I get the point just fine.” She stoked the anger rising in her chest and quelled the stinging hurt his words inflicted, taking care to ensure her bottom lip did not quiver. “As if I could ever fall for a coward like you.”

“A coward? That’s not fair.”

“You should be raging in fury at what’s happening to your home.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.