On that particular morning, Henry and Clara had decided to visit some art display that other genteel families would conveniently be attending. It left her with the entire day to herself, and, of course, she was spending it on the ship.
Isobel was currentlyinspecting a wire to ensure it had nothing exposed out of its casing. Ved was outside, attempting to repair his thrusters. She’d been diligently working on the tasks he’d delegated to her for the last handful of hours. Her hands and arms ached from the exertion.
But it feltgood.
Having a purpose that challenged her both physically and mentally was something she’d yearned for. If anyone saw her now, with dirt and grease smudges here and there and her curls rebelliously escaping the ribbons she’d tied them up in, they’d perhaps die of shock.
“Isobel Nott, I need you to listen to my instructions very carefully.”The unfamiliar voice echoed in the space, coming from some unidentifiable location.
“Exxo?” she asked, pausing in her work. Excitement rushed through her. Ved hadn’t let her speak with the neurolink up to this point, giving the excuse that he could be rude.
“The one and only, but we do not have time for introductions. I need you to take ten paces forward.”
The excitement dissipated, and a primal feeling that something was terribly wrong infiltrated her senses. “What’s happening?”
“Ten paces forward,” Exxo repeated, sounding on the verge of exasperation.
She followed his instructions, counting low beneath her breath.
“Kneel down and look to your right. The siding there has a handle on it. Pull it.”
It took her what felt like a small eternity to find the handle, but when she did, the partition hissed as it opened.
“Get inside it. Hurry now.”
She ducked and looked inside. It led to a small compartment that was just big enough for her to crouch in. It took her a bit of maneuvering to fit into the space as she kept stepping on her dress. Huffing, she pulled her skirts up around her.
“Close it,” Exxo commanded.
Taking a deep breath, she obeyed. With the panel closed, it plunged her into a darkness that was only broken by the sparse light between the siding’s edging.
“What’s happening?” she asked again.
“Ved has the situation under control, but you need to be quiet, or they will hear you.”
“They?” she squeaked.
“Kroids.”
She bit her lip to keep herself from asking more questions. Kroids. Were they something different than a Xaal, or another clan? Ved had told her there were countless beings from countless planets in the universe. Whatever it was, Exxo thought it dangerous enough to hide her. Did that mean Ved was in danger? What if something happened to him? Between the steadily rising panic and the enclosed space that forced her to pile her skirts up around her, she quickly became overheated.
A bead of sweat trailed its way down from her forehead when she heard footsteps. Somehow, she knew that it wasn’t Ved. The cadence was wrong. She wanted to whisper to Exxo, be told more information,anything, but he’d explicitly told her to be quiet.
Then she looked down, and her entire body went cold.
A small piece of her gown’s gauzy fabric was caught in the crack between panels. She saw it at the exact moment the Kroid stopped in front of her hiding position. As close as she was to the panel’s slit, she could see the being’s calves and oddly booted feet. It was definitely not a Xaal.
She didn’t dare move even as her eyes darted between the exposed piece of her dress to the Kroid.
It continued forward, out of her sight. She let out as soundless a breath as possible, but the exhale caused her to shift enough that her dress rustled.
Damn it all to hell.
The steps in the near distance stopped, then grew closer. The Kroid had turned around. It was coming back for her. Whatever luck she’d managed thus farhad run out.
She held her breath as it stopped in front of where she hid again. A strange chuffing came from somewhere far above. Dread captured her lungs, squeezing them tight.
It was sniffing her out.
