Menace growls. “Sefi... Don’t start talking dirty unless you’re ready for the consequences.”
A memory of one of our earlier battles against Solcrue that boarded our ship comes back to me. The officer’s scaly fingers squeezed around my throat, crushing my windpipe. There was a crazed delight in his eyes, the kind I see in Menace’s red eyes now.
Sefina growls right back at Menace. “We better go. It was nice meeting you, Aera. And it looks like you’ve got a Titan with his eye on you.”
Evo has stopped in the hallway and is watching our conversation.
“No matter what he says or thinks,” Sefina adds, “Evo was an effective member of our team when we rescued Rhee and flewVessnainto the Iridithatium belt. He’s a good Titan despite the past.”
“I appreciate the heads up. See you around.”
Sefina calls after me. “Still want that all-girls squad sometime.”
I grin back at her as I make my way to Evo’s side. “Counting on it.”
Evo waits patiently. “I must get inspected by Ribos. I would like to protect you, but this may take some time.”
“You stayed with me. I will stay with you,” I reply.
It feels like everyone is looking at us. I’m just glad someone seems to care how I feel. Evo seems to understand my desire to help with the supply mission. All of my life has been dedicated to protecting my colony, whether we were on Earth Minor orCenturion. They sacrificed to keep me healthy. I want to return the favor.
As we turn and follow Ribos, Evo’s fingers close around mine. When he draws me close, I finally feel like my purpose and my soul aren’t light years apart. I am here with him. And he’s here with me.
“A lot is changing,” he says as we walk. “How are you…feeling?”
“Ifeellike an object in someone else’s plans.”
Brodin, Steele, and Daken stay close, but their eyes are on all of the Titans working to repair the ship and care for the injured around us.
“Do you not want to find Xiphos?” he asks.
“I do. I just don’t want to hide like a fucking coward because my blood has something in it that I didn’t ask for.”
“You’re basically royalty,” Evo remarks.
“I don’t give two shits.” Frustration simmers to the surface of my skin again. “I am descended from the original resistance… Great. You know what that means?”
He shrugs.
“Thatfightingis also in my blood.”
Chapter 12: Aera
“They’re going to be damned if they try to lock me in a room to keep me safe,” I tell Evo as we enter a Titan repair bay down a hallway from the main hangar. “Hellno. That leads to detraining. I’m not having that. I need to be at the top of my game, and that comes with getting out and pushing my limits.”
Evo laughs gently. “I need to give you more food.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You’re fiery when you’re fed. We need that.” Evo sits on a bed. He watches Ribos collect a device with hoses from a cabinet. “We may be humans made into machines, but we still get battle weary.”
“Very true,” Ribos mutters. “Even if we don’t like to admit it. Before we were freed by Raven Salvoya, we would not have said it no matter how much we were falling apart inside. Core processor integrity could drop below twenty percent before medical intervention became necessary. I’ve seen many Titans take the easy way out simply because they wanted it to end.”
“Suicide?” I ask.
Ribos nods. “It was the only honorable way. Save many, end the torture.” He taps Evo’s armored shoulder. “I need your ports, Brother.”
Evo’s jaw cocks to one side. “You cannot use the back of my neck?”
