“Yes, but only-” she hated to burst his bubble, and his initial excitement died down in an instant.
“But what?” Lycurgus asked darkly.
“I need the number of the person’s implant.... I’m really, really sorry, but I don’t have Kiri’s,” Saubre apologized, swinging into a deep bow, a sort of deep rooted habit from her original memories.
“Don’t do that,” Lycurgus said, grabbing her shoulders and righting her so he could look into her watery green eyes. “How about you choose the path this time?”
“Uhm.... Right,” Saubre responded.
“Any particular reason for that?” Lycurgus asked, releasing her shoulders, fixing the hat atop his head and looking back over his shoulders at her, after taking a few steps.
“Oh, well, no.... I just thought that since the hallways are all about the same length, and since we’ve made two left turns already, and I don’t want us to go in a circle....”
“Oh,” Lycurgus said simply. “I didn’t realize that....”
“It’s a long hall, it’s a long walk, so it’s easy to forget,” Saubre shrugged. “I was thinking we should find a bigger space,” she said. “There might be somebody there.”
“You think there’s somebody in here?” Lycurgus asked in surprise.
“It’s plenty or room to hide,” Saubre pointed out. “Shall we go?” she asked.
“Yes, let’s find Kiri and get out of here as soon as possible.”
“Agreed,” Saubre nodded.
#
“You two just go ahead,” Mastiff waved the Mai Shashi and Reina away.
“B-B-B-But w-w-we’re s-suh-suppo-posed t-to s-stu-stay t-toge-gether....” Reina stammered uncontrollably. She had been very nervous since they had entered the place, and she hated not knowing where she was. Especially when Mastiff had just suggested they go down into the only unlit hallway.
“Well, the Goose wants me to keep an eye on you two,” the Mai Shashi announced. “So either we all go, or nobody does, and I hope we all do, because he’ll kill us if we don’t get a move on to find Kiri,” the Mai Shashi said, fire in her eyes and her tone as sharp as ever, especially now her knee had fully recovered in the few hours they had been in the strange place, putting her arms on her hips. “Why so eager to get rid of us?”
“I really have to go,” Mastiff hissed.
“Go? Why the hurry? Where to?” the Mai Shashi’s mouth fell open, agape, her baffled expression lingering for a moment before she could pull herself together, glowering at him.
“I have to go!” Mastiff repeated, more urgently.
The Mai Shashi raised a single, thin eyebrow.
YOU ARE READING
Falling Up
Mystery / Thriller*sequel to Ashes* Sharon has remembered her name, but is still no closer than she was to finding out what happened to her friends, Joshua and Markl, who think they finally have a lead on what Alice wanted them to get for her... but Alice has other t...
Chapter Twenty-Two
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