Page 25 of Hunter's Moon

I frowned. “I don’t know. The job came through a broker.”

“Convenient,” she muttered.

“You think I’m lying?”

She shrugged. “I think there’s a lot you’re not telling me.”

I stopped, turning to face her. “And what about you? Why are the Obsidian Dawn after you?”

Lina’s eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face before she schooled her expression. “I told you, I don’t know.”

“Right,” I drawled. “And I’m a Krelaxian ballet dancer.”

She snorted, the tension dissipating slightly. “Now that I’d pay to see.”

We continued on, the silence between us more comfortable now. Slowly, a faint humming reached my ears. I reached back to stop Lina.

“What do you hear?” she whispered.

I cocked my head, listening intently. “Machinery. We must be getting close.”

Lina’s face lit up with hope, and an unexpected warmth bloomed in my chest.

I quickly squashed it.

As we approached the source of the sound, the tunnel widened into a vast cavern. The shaft loomed before us, a monolithic structure of metal and composite materials. But between us and our escape route lay a sea of writhing, glowing forms.

“Oh, shit,” Lina breathed.

The bugs swarmed across the cavern floor, their bioluminescent bodies pulsing in hypnotic patterns. There had to be thousands of them, creating a living carpet that separated us from our goal.

“Any bright ideas?” Lina asked, voice tight with fear.

I scanned the area, looking for any alternative route. My eyes landed on a narrow ledge that ran along the cavern wall, bypassing the deadly floor.

“There,” I pointed. “We can use that ledge to circle around to the elevator.”

Lina followed my gaze, her face paling. “That’s barely wide enough for a foothold. We’ll fall!”

“We don’t have a choice,” I growled. “Unless you’d prefer to wade through that.” I gestured to the writhing mass below.

She swallowed hard, then nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

I went first, pressing my back against the rough stone wall as I inched along the ledge. Lina followed close behind, her breath short, panicked gulps.

“Don’t look down,” I advised.

“Gee, thanks for that stellar advice,” she snapped. “I never would have thought of that on my own.”

I smirked, oddly pleased by her spirit even in the face of danger. We were about halfway across when Lina’s foot slipped.

She cried out, her body tipping forward. Without thinking, I spun around, my hand shooting out to grab her wrist. For a heart-stopping moment, she dangled over the sea of bugs.

“Lina!” I couldn’t lose her. Wouldn’t.

With a grunt of effort, I pulled her back against the wall, my body tight against hers to keep her steady. Her heart raced against my chest, her breath warm on my neck.

“I’ve got you,” I murmured, surprised by the gentleness in my voice.