“They’ve breached the living quarters,” Gus murmured.
They were moving much faster than expected.
“I take it that was where we needed to go,” Caius mused.
“Yes.”
“From your expression, I’m assuming there isn’t another exit,” Caius guessed.
Gus glanced at him.“Not an orthodox one anyway.”
There was a question on his face as she changed direction.Guided by instinct and memories from when she’d created this place, Gus navigated to one of the greenhouse’s exterior walls.
“Make a hole,” Gus ordered Caius, pointing at a spot between two sets of flowering vines.
One was anasqelwith rose-like blooms dotting its stems.Thedsalion the other side was considered something of a nuisance in most plant circles for how quickly it grew and how hard it was to get rid of, but Gus was partial to the blue veining on its leaves.
She’d also taught it the perils of exceeding the space allotted to it on its second week in the habitat.
“You want me to break down your wall?”Caius asked with enough skepticism to make someone unfamiliar with his capabilities doubt themselves.
“That’s what I said.”
She was pretty sure she hadn’t stuttered either.
Caius studied her out of the corner of his eye.“Why don’t you do it?”
Gus allowed herself a small, humorless smile.“My soul’s breath doesn’t lend itself well to such large scale destruction.”
If it did, she wouldn’t be preparing to flee her sanctuary.
“It might be wiser to stand our ground rather than flee,” Caius tested.
“I counted at least forty humans out there.Can you hold out against that many?”
“Perhaps if I had help.”
Gus’s eyes narrowed impatiently.“The boy would die.”
“The boy?Not you?”
“I would probably die too.”
She hadn’t mentioned it because she thought it wouldn’t carry much weight with him.
“Something tells me you’re being falsely modest, my lady,” Caius purred.
Gus wasn’t, but it was good he thought so.It might mean he was less likely to test her boundaries.
“Will you do it or not?”Gus demanded.
She jumped, her fear shooting into her throat, as the wall exploded outward.
Caius sauntered toward the hole he’d created.“Give yourself credit,jani.No one has ever incapacitated me.”He paused to aim a predator’s smile at her.“You’re the first.”
Caius’s words left Gus cold as she took in the destruction.He’d done this without the aid of akattaor one of the runes the Tuann needed for focus.Just intention and power.
Alerted by the growing commotion from the other side of the greenhouse door, Gus tugged Anandra behind her before pausing to take one last look at her home.
