A fluxweaver. All this time, Kas had been a fluxweaver.
Kaspar’s whispered apology echoed in my ears.I was going to tell you, I swear.But he hadn’t. That was the point. He hadn’t trusted me enough to share this most essential part of himself.
I’d opened my heart completely. Told him about Eric, about my darkest moments, about the betrayal that had cost me everything. I’d laid myself completely bare, something I hadn’t done since… since Eric. And yet Kaspar had kept this fundamental truth hidden.
My fingers traced the edge of the nearest engine-grade fluxstone, still warm from where he’d recharged it. The evidence of his deception was literally at my fingertips.
This was precisely why I’d shut myself off after Eric. I’d sworn never to be vulnerable again, never to trust so completely. And here I was, the fool who hadn’t learned his lesson, betrayed once more by someone I’d allowed myself to care for.
The worst part was that I couldn’t even hate him for it. His power had saved us all. Without his ability, we’d be in the belly of that sand kraken by now.
But that didn’t stop the ache spreading through my chest, sharper than any phantom pain from my missing leg.
“Max…” Kas said softly, behind me.
“Save it,” I practically snarled at him, wincing at myself.
I heard him shift behind me, his breath catching. Good. Let him feel a fraction of what I was feeling.
We’d need to talk properly, and soon, but first, I had to solve our rather pressing problem of two fully charged engine-grade fluxstones where dead ones should be.
Murray now stood awkwardly between us, fingers fidgeting with a wrench. I strode toward him, my prosthetic leg dragging slightly as my anger overwhelmed my usual careful gait.
“Murray,” I snapped, looming over the engineer, “you’re going to pretend that you were suddenly able to tap into some more power from those stones.”
Murray stared at me like I’d sprouted wings. “What?”
“You’ll tell everyone you found a way to extract emergency reserves from the depleted fluxstones.”
Murray’s mouth fell open. “That won’t work—”
“You’re going to try!” I roared, slamming my fist against the wall beside his head. The sound echoed through the engine room like a cannon blast. Murray flinched, shrinking against the wall as I invaded his space. “Because you know what will happen if—”
“Max, calm down.” Kaspar’s voice was soft but steady.
I barely registered his words. All I could see was the danger closing in around us—around him. If Viper discovered what Kaspar was…
A fluxweaver would be the prize of prizes to him.
“Max, you’re scaring him.” Kaspar’s hand tentatively touched my arm. “And me.”
I jerked away from his touch. “I’m trying to save your life!” My throat constricted, voice breaking on the final word, the fear beneath my rage bubbling to the surface.
Murray pushed back from the wall, his initial shock transforming into indignation.
“Listen here,Reaper,” he growled, using my title like a curse. “I’ve been the engineer on this ship for eight years. I can’t risk my reputation—andmylife—on some cockamamie story that anyone with half a brain would see through in seconds.”
The distinct clack of boots on metal froze my blood. I knew those footsteps. We all did.
Murray’s eyes widened in panic. Kaspar stiffened behind me.
A heartbeat later, Captain Viper barged into the engine room, removing his tricorn hat. His dark eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scene—me practically pinning Murray against the wall, Kaspar hovering nervously behind us.
“Reaper! What’s he done?” Viper demanded, gold tooth glinting.
Murray glared at me, the silent threat in his eyes unmistakable. One word from him and Kaspar’s secret would be out.
Viper pushed past us, drawn to the engine housing like a moth to flame. His tattooed fingers reached out, caressing the fluxstones with an almost obscene reverence.
