The Opelux and Other Monsters || Book One

CHAPTER 37 - ORION

I followed Tritteon through the portal door at a sprint, slamming it shut behind us. And then ran into his solid, unyielding form.

"Tritteon—" I started. But my words were lost in my throat as my eyes fell on the source of his staring.

A small, gold table stood against the wall at the end of the hallway. Daniel sat atop it, an ankle resting on his knee, his fingers, intertwined, resting on his shin.

"You survived," he grinned, his voice sent on a Veehm so he didn't have to yell. "And quite impressively, I might add."

"You killed Vonlinn," Tritteon growled.

Daniel pressed his lips together, nodding. "Technically, you killed Vonlinn. I merely facilitated it."

"Why?"

"He didn't feel my treatment of dear Quin was right." He nodded toward the Infirmary doors. "Like your medic, Neill, he has always been quite resistant to Compulsion. So, like Neill, I couldn't keep him around any longer." He lifted something—a screen—from the table beside him and, despite the distance, I saw the tell-tale air ripple as he Veehmed it toward us. It came so fast it was a blur. But Tritteon plucked it out of the air with ease.

"Anyway, I came to see if you had made a decision yet," Daniel said, glancing at me. "I thought I would accelerate your choice with a bit of motivation." He motioned with his hand. "On switch."

Tritteon's arm tensed against me as I peered around it to see the screen. It flashed as he pressed the symbol. I caught a brief glimpse of the image before he crushed it in his hands, the most horrible growl I had heard from him so far, rolling up his throat.

The image was a bloodied, unconscious Angquin, an arm clearly broken, and a hand torn up from elbow to fingers, similar to what I had done to Rilyin.

Tritteon dropped the pieces, crushing them beneath his boot, and took a step toward Daniel. I grabbed his arm.

"Find the locator and do not dare follow," he hissed at me, shaking me off, and he charged Daniel.

But Daniel didn't show an ounce of surprise. He hopped off the table, his grin only widening, and ran, disappearing down the right corridor.

"Not again," I hissed, cursing under my breath. Daniel had been hoping for Tritteon's reaction.

But ten feet from the corner, Tritteon slid to a halt. He turned around and strode back to me, his eyes shifting back to gold.

"Don't worry. I learned my lesson," he growled. He shook his head. "I feel cheated right now. The bastard truly believed I would chase him. I thought he was above such pathetic taunting."

I didn't try to hide my surprise. "If it makes you feel any better, for a moment there, I thought you were an idiot."

Tritteon looked down at the broken pieces of the screen. "Do you think that image was real?"

I nodded, watching his reaction carefully. "Yes."

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. "So do I." He nodded toward the Infirmary doors. "We should hurry."

"I agree."

But he didn't move, and something inside me stilled as he slid his gaze to mine, a shield rippling out to surround us. "I'm sorry."

I waited, unsure what to say.

"I know it was partial disorientation, going into my Poeir like that to identify Daniel's, but I was back inside myself by the time you caught up to me. I allowed myself to lose control, to think of only revenge, and I nearly got us both killed. Had I stopped to think, to listen perhaps, I might have heard Vonlinn." He looked me over. "And I know you don't want to hear this, but Gonreem is right."