23. Calder

Throop doesn’t show. I wait by the fountains, scanning the tourists gawking at the water displays and the daring mothwings swooping through them. Minutes tick by, but he’s nowhere to be seen. And with each passing minute, my anxiety grows. Why isn’t he here? Where could he be keeping her?

Then a clump of people part, and I see them to the right of the dragon fountain. Throop holds Elodie in front of him like a shield, a crystal knife to her throat.

Fuck glacial. Hot rage smothers me. I stalk over to the man, death in my eyes, Sarai scurrying behind me.

“Stop,” the sniveling coward calls out. “Don’t come any closer, Karven.” He looks at Sarai. “You ran away, baby. After everything I’ve done for you.”

“Everything you’ve done?” The woman next to me explodes. “You asshole. You stole my research, turned it into a weapon, and were about to sell me to the Crill Empire. That’s what you’ve done for me.”

Even in Luxaria, a screaming woman gets attention. People turn to watch. A few smirking teenagers dressed in matching orange shirts pull out their recorders. Sarai ignores them all and continues screaming at Throop. “And you want me to be grateful? You. . .” Words appear to fail her. “You colossal scumbag of a worm.”

I inch closer, Sarai’s rant serving as a distraction. But I can only go so far. The knife at the throat of the woman I love holds me frozen.

But Elodie isn’t frozen. She’s ready to take advantage of the distraction provided by Sarai too. She meets my eyes. Now, her expression seems to say.

And then she bites down on her captor’s forearm.

Throop screams, loud and shrill. Elodie twists away from his grasp, I’m on Throop before he can grab her, and then it’s over.