Chasing Your Shadow (a sequel to Ezra Lost)

Chapter 14

14

GALEN MAREK had that insufferable smirk on his face once more as Hera led him straight to the common room (lekku pointed sharply into her back). Ezra was still there, bent over the Dejarik table as he murmured quietly back and forth with the others. His ebony bangs cascaded over his face, obscuring it from view. His words were spoken in a voice too low to be heard from the entryway.

They were all so deep in thought that they might have never noticed Hera and a strange man standing in it, had that man not opened his mouth.

"Hi there," he said cheerfully, offering a cheeky wave. "My name is Galen, and I'll be helping you guys out while you try to find your Jedi friend. I heard he got captured. Er, again. Yikes, am I right?!" He laughed a little nervously.

Hera almost screamed.

They all looked up, aside from Ezra, who merely went silent. Zeb's ears slid back as he stared back at Galen, immediately taking a severe dislike to the scruffy-looking nerfherder.

"Uhh, Hera," he said, slowly raising a brow very, very high. His expression seemed to say You found a new boyfriend very, very quickly.

"Who's that?" asked Sabine hoarsely, her dark eyes wary.

Tseebo, who, of course, was standing beside Sabine, was slowly getting a very not so happy, incredibly petrified look on his face.

Galen just stood there grinning at them, like if he just kept doing that, it would soon win them all over.

"I know what you're all thinking," Hera said in a tone of extremely fake calm, shooting Zeb a look. "And," she muttered, her voice becoming very resigned, "I certainly don't know what I was."

Zeb lifted his hand, still staring. "Erm, is this scrawny little nerf seriously gonna be joining this crew? 'Cause if so, I'd like to object."

"Tseebo also objects," Tseebo announced, rigid with terror, his voice quavering.

Sabine tried to object too but sneezed into her elbow.

Hera sighed. "I'm sorry.. all of you. I didn't... I never meant to make a decision like this without the consent of the team. But-"

"-I'm stubborn, awesome, and far too incredible to turn down," Galen piped up with a huge grin on his face.

Zeb's was entirely unconvinced.

"Don't worry, guys," Galen continued, leaning against the wall as Hera scowled beside him. "You'll be glad I'm here."

Slowly, Ezra lifted his raven-haired head, turning his brilliant dark blue eyes onto Galen like all the others.

Stiffness crept along Galen's body as he slid his gaze to Ezra's. His eyes widened and his face turned deathly pale, mouth half open but vacant of words.

"We don't need your help," Ezra growled coldly, unblinking. "And we don't want it."

Galen barely seemed to hear him. He shuddered, finally stirring. His nose was crinkled, his eyes struck with horror. "W-w-what..." he stammered, repulsed and deeply disturbed. "Happened to you..."

Ezra's expression grew even harder. He didn't deign to reply to him, however, and merely looked away once more. "Go."

The others stared incredulously. Hera's face was sharp with concern as she looked from Starkiller - to Ezra- what -

Galen steeled himself, straightening. He pulled himself quickly back together to almost glare at Ezra. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not scared of some kid." His eyes softened slightly. "But you should be afraid of what you've done to yourself. I can sense it. It's.. it's wrong."