He punches in a few more keys on the screen. “I was asleep in my cabin when I awoke to find you stealing my personal transport.” He turns to Mathias. “You now have access to the full navigation controls, by the way.”
Mathias spins around to the holographic control panel, and ten new screens pop up beside the five he was staring at, each one offering myriad more options. The screens have strange headings, like ’Nox’s Brain Powers, Recovery Requires Review, and Shielding from Shadows.
While an entranced Mathias scrolls through the settings, I start to speak in a whisper so only Hysan can hear me. “This ship seems too advanced for Mathias to have broken through its security as quickly as he did.”
Hysan’s green gaze grows so soft, I can almost feel its touch. “What are you saying, my lady?”
A moment ago, I wanted his attention. But now that he’s right here—so close he takes up most of my view—I wish he’d look anywhere else. “I-I think you knew we were coming aboard, and you gave us permission.”
In the corner of his right iris, I spy a small, star-shaped bloom of gold among the green. I’ve heard about this—it’s the Libran version of a Wave, called a Scan. Librans use it to scan new information into a special storage space in their minds. It’s housed in a small chip that’s implanted in their brains when they turn twelve. They can also use it to send each other messages or review stored information.
“I told you I’d be at your service,” he whispers. “Always.”
“Always is a long time.”
“Wisely observed, my lady.”
I laugh. “I guess you better start calling me Rho.”
“We’re approaching planet Argyr now,” announces Mathias, his voice cold. I feel my cheeks go pink as I meet his disapproving stare.
“Argyr?” asks Hysan. “That morass of debauchery? We can’t take Lady Rho—”
Whatever Hysan says next is drowned by a low, thin wail coming from my Ephemeris. I whip around, and so does Hysan. A fiery, invisible pulse buzzes through my cells—just like the night of our concert on Elara—and the unnatural squeal of the black opal scrapes my eardrums.
Mathias leaps over to catch me as I cover my head and crumple. “Rho, what’s wrong?”
“Don’t you hear it?” I shout. The pain makes my jaw clench, and I can no longer speak. Beside me, Hysan is also clutching his head, wincing on the ground. He hears it, so why doesn’t Mathias?
Suddenly our ship makes a violent turn and starts zigzagging back and forth, flinging us into the walls and each other. The accelerating engines howl, and when the whining dials back, Hysan and I lift our heads. He flies to the control screens. “Equinox, report!”
When the ship’s brain starts blinking data, Mathias joins him at the helm, and I grab the black opal and head for the jettison tube. The Ephemeris flares through my fingers in bright searing rays, the Psynergy trying to break through from the other side. Its heat stings my hand.
Hysan calls out, “What kind of attack is this? I see no missiles!”
I keep pulling myself along the rail toward the jettison tube, but the ship’s veering so erratically, it’s hard to move. Suddenly the hot black opal slips from my hand, and the Ephemeris blossoms outward again to its full ovoid shape.
From its center, Ochus’s inky eyes stare back at me.
14
COLORLESS, TRANSLUCENT, OCHUS SHIFTS FROM one grotesque form to another, billowing tall and thin like a wraith carved from ice, fracturing into particles and just as quickly reforming.
I told you what I would do if you spoke of me.
Phantom fingers whisper over my face. I try to push Ochus away, but my hands pass through his hazy form. How can he touch me when I can’t touch him?
“Rho!” shouts Mathias. “What’s happening?”
On some level, I’m aware Mathias has seized my body. I even hear the anxiety in his voice. And somewhere behind him, Hysan is barking commands to his ship.
But I feel removed from all that. Ochus holds my attention. Murderer! I lash out, trying to punch him, but again my hands pass right through.
His fingers cinch around my neck. Ah, such passion. Delightful. Do you feel my touch? Am I real?
I twist and kick, but he holds me tight. The more I struggle, the more his fingers bruise my throat.
You will not stop me. You’re out of time. He grips me harder, cutting off my air. Black spots start to crowd my vision. Desperately, I sweep my hands around, searching for the black opal.
Hysan seems to guess my thought because I see his hazy form through the monster, and he puts the stone in my hand. As soon as I touch its hidden key, the Ephemeris shuts down, and the ice man vanishes.
I cough and gag, then inhale long raking gulps of air. Mathias is holding me and massaging deeply into my skin, trying to help my circulation. Hysan rushes back to the controls.
The ship is jerking through Space. We’re still under attack. “Mathias, I’m okay, go help him,” I gasp.
“Right.”