Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
I would have bet the entire Northern Continent of my home word, Korrigon Four, that was exactly what my disobedient little pet had done. Little one was too willful for her own good—I never should have left her alone! If only I could find her safely, I would never let her off the leash again, I swore to myself.
Grabbing my own coat, I jabbed at the lift button. It opened at once and I stepped inside. But when I pressed the button for the lowest floor, nothing happened. Angrily, I pressed it again…and again with the same result. Nothing.
“Sir Bart, forgive me, but if you’re trying to go down to the Central Hub, I’m afraid you won’t be able to get there for at least a solar hour,” Daw’snx said. “This is the hour that the Sweepers come out to clear the entire area of the ice mites that would otherwise eat our buildings. And besides, the lift is inactivated for the night.”
“Inactivated!” I exploded. “Then activate it, gods damn you! I must go down—little one is down there, I’m sure of it!”
My shouting must have drawn the Baron because he suddenly appeared, coming down the hallway with a frown on his face.
“What seems to be the trouble?” he asked.
“My pet—little one—is down in the Central Hub of your building!” I exclaimed. “She must have slipped out to see the other human female we saw on the way up to your living quarters. I must get to her!”
“If she’s down in the Central Hub, you’d better fucking pray to whatever gods you worship that she’s found a place to hide,” the Baron said, looking extremely grave. “The Sweepers are out now—they’re genetically engineered arachnids we use for cleaning away ice mites, but they’ll also tear the flesh off any living thing they encounter. All our native residents know to stay clear during the hour they’re loose in the Hub.”
“What?” I was so angry and worried now I felt very much in danger of losing control. “Listen to me,” I told the Baron, my voice dropping to a threatening growl. “Unlock your lift and have it take me down right now or I swear by the Goddess Eternal I’ll bring this whole damn building down around your ears!”
His eyes widened and I saw that he believed me.
“You’ll be risking your life,” he warned me.
“I don’t care. Let me go down now!”
The thought of little one caught in the jaws of the monstrous beasts he had described made me feel half crazy. And all the while the little voice inside me was shouting danger…danger…DANGER louder and louder! I had to get to little one before it was too late!
“Fine.” The Baron gave a short, sharp nod. “But let me at least get a weapon—otherwise we’re just going down there to get fucking eaten.”
“You’re coming with me?” I frowned at him.
“You’re my guest,” he said grimly. “The laws of Naggian hospitality are very clear—I must protect you with my life. Besides, I wouldn’t let you go down there alone. Oh, thank you, Daw’snx,” he added, because his servant was handing him a long-barreled weapon with a harness which he quickly strapped around his body with the ease of long practice.
“I thought the flame gouter would be best thing to clear the Sweepers,” the servant said, nodding respectfully. “Good luck, my Lord.”
“Watch the lift,” the Baron instructed him. “Keep the doors closed and locked unless Sir Bart and I come back up alone—don’t let any of the Sweepers into the living quarters.”
“Of course not, my Lord.” The servant bowed respectfully.
Baron Vik’tor looked at me.
“Do you need a weapon, too?”
I shook my head.
“Don’t worry about me—I’m well armed. Come, we have to go now.” I clenched my fists at my sides, fighting for control as I tried not to imagine what awful things might be happening to little one. My candalla lashed from side to side, as anxious as I was to reach her.
“Let’s go.” The Baron stepped in beside me and pressed his thumb to a small gray control panel to one side of the row of buttons. After a moment a soft ding was heard and he said, “Down to Central Hub.”
Then, at last, the doors closed and the lift started going down.
THIRTY-THREE
ELLI
I couldn’t go back into the Central Hub area—it was quite literally crawling with Sweepers. There looked to be hundreds—no, more like thousands of them now—skittering over every surface and presumably cleaning it from top to bottom. I wondered if the huge arachnid cleaners were some kind of genetically modified animals or if they were native to O’nagga Nine. Whichever it was, they were awful and I didn’t think it would be safe to go back into a room filled with them, even if I could have overcome my aversion to giant bugs.