by Lily Harlem
I listened, hoping to hear the sound of claw on metal or a tapping beak.
Still nothing.
But I didn’t move. I was frozen, not even breathing. My pulse annoyed me. I needed to hear him. I had to find him.
After a few moments, I exhaled noisily. He wasn’t there. But he had to be somewhere. He couldn’t have disappeared into thin air.
I huffed. Thin air. Wasn’t that all around us? In fact, it was no air all around us. He could easily disappear, and I’d never see him again.
“Stop catastrophizing, Uma.” I balled my fists and willed my brain to think logically. “He has to be somewhere. Even if some of the vents are big enough for him to fly along, he still has to be somewhere.”
I pulled the door to his cage open again. With a lot less care than I would usually take, I sprinkled seeds on the floor and in his pot. I paused and stroked my thumb down his little yellow mirror. He loved his mirror; to him a friend lived in there, a friend he adored and talked to constantly.
He’s gone looking for his friend.
A pang of guilt stabbed at my already lurching heart. I should never have brought him onto Equinox. It was my inability to part with him that meant I’d insisted he accompany me into space. It was no place for a parrot. His small lead, one which fastened on his skinny little ankle, was in the drawer so I pocketed it. When I found him, he’d be attached. And I would find him. I had to.
I rushed to the door and stepped into the corridor. The thought of not having Magic was horrific, and that was why I’d brought him. I’d once told Anki it was because he’d pine without me, and it was true, he would. Parrots were devoted pets, the same way I was devoted to him. But I would have pined without him.
And now I was without him.
Looking left and right, I muttered a few more curse words. Which way to go?
I decided on right which would lead me to the bridge eventually. But I didn’t want to get that far without finding him, so every few steps I stopped and listened. It seemed my ears were my only tool for finding Magic. He wasn’t silent. He was a noisy chatterbox; if he was around, I’d hear him. Add in a few echoes, and hopefully I wouldn’t be able to miss him.
I ran like some kind of demented sprint trainee, stopping every fifty meters or so and holding myself rigid, head tipped, straining to hear anything.
Each time I was greeted with silence, I grumbled and carried on. I went past the gym which led to the pool, a maintenance room, and the laundry room. Still nothing.
Eventually I arrived at the bridge. Before I hit the button to open the door, I straightened my top and tucked my hair behind my ears. I didn’t want to appear as frantic as I felt.
Both Mateo and Gavyn were at the long console before the huge front window. Both had on sweats and a t-shirt; Mateo was barefoot.
They didn’t notice my entry, and I took advantage of this to listen overhead. The bridge was a maze of vents, cables, wires, and vacuum chutes. There were also several large hatches I’d be able to open and grab him if I could only hear his pitter-patter.
Gavyn and Mateo appeared to be in deep discussion as they studied a screen. Suddenly their stiff postures and low murmurings caught my attention.
“Hey, guys,” I said. “What’s up?”
Mateo turned. “Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Which means there is something up?” Oh God. Was it Magic? Had he already begun to mess with the innards of Equinox? Had he torn a wire, pecked a vent, tried to eat his way into outer space?
“You okay?” Gavyn asked, frowning at me.
“Yes, of course.” I hesitated. “Well, apart from being worried about what’s worrying you?” I glanced at the ceiling. Had I heard something? A scratch?
“It’s nothing,” Mateo said again.
“Tell me.” I stepped forward. “If it’s nothing.”
Mateo sighed. “We lost some speed when the jet booster valve dislodged. It’s thrown our ETA out.”
“By how long?”
“Only twenty-four hours, but we’d like to make it up.”
“Twenty-four hours is nothing in the grand scheme of things.”
“No, it’s not, but I’ve had word from Madoc. Emperor Elrin himself will be there waiting to speak to our prisoner at the docking station. I’d rather not keep such an important man waiting. It’s not beneficial for universal relations.”
“So we might get to meet him?” I shot a look upward and to my left. I was sure I’d heard something.
“Yes, and I’d like him in a good mood,” Gavyn said, “which is why we’re trying to see if we can make up some time.”
“Oh, okay.” I stepped to the left. “You should do that.” Was there an air vent behind the water pipe?
“Has he done something?” Mateo asked.
“Who?” I said.
“The bastard Trad, that’s who,” he replied. “When you’ve had to walk past him to the livestock pod.”
“No?” I frowned at him. “Why would you think that?”
“You seem a little distracted, that’s all.”
“Do I?” That was a scrape right above me, I was sure of it. Claw? Beak? Then another one. But this time it had faded, as though it had moved to the port side of the ship. Was Magic above the bridge? Had he found his way this far, and if so, where was he going and where could I access him?
“I have to go,” I said.
“Where?” Mateo was still studying me.
“To the goats.”
He looked at his watch. “I thought you would have finished them for today.”
“I have. Well, there’s one who is a bit sick, I’m going to—”
“Sick?” Gavyn snapped his attention to me. “With what?”
“Oh, just a cut ear.” What was I doing? I had to get out of there. I couldn’t let them know Magic was on the loose. I needed a bit longer to fix the situation, and I could. I was sure of it. “Another goat must have bitten her or something.” I jerked my thumb over my left shoulder. “So I’ll be off, to make sure it’s stopped bleeding.”
I didn’t wait for them to respond. Instead, I turned and fled the bridge. I couldn’t care less if the Emperor was kept waiting or it took us another twenty-four hours to reach the docking station in Madoc. I just wanted to find my parrot.
I retraced my steps, repeating my strange running pattern of stopping and listening every so often. Then when I reached a fork in the corridor, I took a left toward the port side. It was only a vague hunch that he’d gone that way, the most minute of sounds I’d heard, but I figured anything was better than nothing.
The games room appeared, the door slightly ajar, which was unusual, as if it was stuck or something. I slowed as I approached, then paused. Maybe Magic had managed to interfere with the electrics.
I squeezed through. The room was in silence. A half-played Monopoly game was spread on the table, the tiny houses and hotels waiting patiently.
“Magic?” I said, stepping in and peering up at the ceiling, willing his little face and pointy gray beak to be visible through a vent. “Come to Uma. Where are you?”
“What are you doing?”
I snapped in a breath.
Hurin.
He was standing by the entertainment console holding a controller, his intense gaze set firmly on me.
“Nothing.”
He frowned. “Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.” I forced myself to look straight ahead and not at the overhead vents.
“Uma.” He set down the controller and folded his arms. “Have you lost your parrot?”
Chapter Eight
My heartbeat stuttered. My mouth had suddenly become a desert.
“You need to tell me if you have.” Hurin took a step closer to me.
He was so big and stern, and his eye contact unwavering. I couldn’t lie. “Yes. I must have forgotten to lock his cage door, or not shut it at all, and he’s been pecking and pestering the vent in my quarters, and I knew I had to fix it, but I—” My words ended on
a gulp. “But I got…” I couldn’t go on. Instead, I rushed to the vent by the music system. “I think he might be up here.”
“Up there?” Hurin joined me, his arm brushing my shoulder, and he tipped his head upward. “Why would you think that?”
“I was at the bridge and I was sure I heard something, a scratch or a tap, a noise you wouldn’t usually hear there. Maybe it was him and he came this way.”
“The ventilation system on Equinox is several kilometres long, Uma. He could be anywhere.” His voice lowered, “including in the sleeper pod.”
“I know.” I pressed my hands on my chest. “That’s why I’m so worried. I just want him back, so he can’t do any harm or be harmed.”
I stalked to the left then the right, feeling like a cat trapped and frustrated. If only I could get into the ventilation system, have a scout around, then I’d find him.
Balling my fists, I jammed them beneath my chin, trying to hold myself together. This was the worst-case scenario in terms of a loose animal on board a spaceship. We couldn’t even see him. We had no idea what he was doing.
“Can you hear anything now?” Hurin asked.
I shook my head.
“Did you out there, in the corridor?”
“No.” A sigh juddered from my chest. “He’s gone.” My lungs seemed to squeeze in on themselves, as if the air was being forced from them and couldn’t get back in. I was fighting nausea, too, the sense of loss a big hole gaping into my life.
I closed my eyes, willing the tears not to come. But, of course, they did. Like a small waterfall, the moisture gathered and overspilled. Worry, fright, and frustration combined.
“Uma, it’s okay?”
“But it’s not, is it.” I swiped at my cheeks, irritated by my emotions. I had things to do. I had to scour the ship. Crying wouldn’t get Magic back. “It’s not…okay.” I hiccupped, and a sob accompanied it. “Damn it.” I buried my face in my hands, unable to bear the concern etched on Hurin’s features. “Damn it.”
“Hey, hey, come here.”
The next thing I knew, Hurin’s big arms were around me, and I was tugged against his broad chest. Surprise held me hostage for a moment, then I sagged onto him. His strength had surrounded me, and I allowed him to hold me up as the tears continued to fall and my spine seemed to turn to dust.
“Uma,” he said, stroking my back. “It’ll be okay, we’ll find him.”
I molded myself to him. Far from it being strange to be in his arms, it was like coming home, safe and secure. His quiet confidence, efficiency, and intelligence made me want him in my life all the more. There was no one better in this moment for me than Hurin, I was sure of that.
Thinking of him this way, and how our friendship had moved on, just ramped up the level of my emotions, and I had no chance at holding in a few noisy, unladylike sobs.
“Shh, shh, you’re worrying me,” he said onto my head, his breath warming my scalp.
I didn’t want to worry him anymore than he already was, so I forced myself to pull it together. I dropped my hands from my face and stared up at him, knowing I was a tear-stained, blotchy mess but unable to do anything about it.
“I don’t mean to worry you,” I said, then sniffed.
He ran his hands up my back, his big palms gentle as they slipped over my shoulders and he cupped my face. “I don’t want you to cry, or to ever be sad, Uma. Not for one minute, or one second. You are a precious woman who should be treasured and experience only joy and happiness.”
I stared into his dark eyes. “Do you really think that?”
“Of course I do, and you know it,” he whispered in his deep, rumbling voice. “I’ve told you before how special you are to me. I would lay down my life for you. Fight to the bitter end to protect you.”
I didn’t reply. He had told me that before, but now…now something had changed.
He lowered his head so his nose was nearly touching mine.
“Hurin,” I managed, curling my fingers into his t-shirt. It was a little damp from my tears. “What are you—?”
“We’ll find the parrot,” he said. “I promise.”
“I don’t think you can promise that no matter how much you want to.”
“I can.” He swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. “And I will.”
I swallowed. “In that case, thank you.”
“And I’ll do it to make you happy.” He dipped his head farther. “I’ll do anything to make you happy.”
He’s going to kiss me.
For a moment I was in shock and I froze, but then his lips breezed over mine, and I realized it was what I wanted, too. Reaching up, I kissed him back, a super-soft connection of our lips. My chest bumped into his, and I eased him closer by pulling his t-shirt, so we were squeezed together.
“Uma,” he murmured. “Is this okay?”
“It feels okay.”
“I wouldn’t want to do anything you didn’t want to.”
“I do want to.” I kissed him again, sampling his flavor this time. He was so unique, and despite his finely honed strength, he was raw when it came to being physical with a woman. This was his first kiss—like Anki, it would also be his first…
Uma. What are you thinking?
Two cocks—that was what I was thinking. And I should be thinking of Magic.
I eased from his embrace. “We have to find him.”
His let his arms fall to his sides. His muscles were taught and bunched beneath his clothing. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, not at all. I liked it. But we have to focus on stopping a parrot from doing any damage to the internal workings of Equinox.”
“As long as you’re sure.” There was a dark flush to his cheeks. “Because if so, I’m sorry…I…”
I reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I’m sure. Do it again sometime, when we’ve sorted out this mess.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You mean that?”
“Yes.” I managed a brief smile. “Now let’s get to work on you keeping that promise. Any ideas where to start?”
“You need to tell the captain.”
I tutted. “Do you really think so?”
“Yes, he’ll be furious if you keep it from him the way he was when I kept the sleeper information from him. You should go now.”
“Okay,” I said on a sigh. Hurin was right. I’d have to face the wrath of Gavyn if I didn’t confess what had occurred. “I’ll go back to the bridge now. What will you do?”
“I’m going to the sleeper pod. The longest vent is also the widest and runs the length of the ship. If he’s flying, that’s where he could be. I’ll go and listen out, see if I can hear anything.”
“Okay. And then meet back here, unless you find him, then meet in my quarters.” I held up the small leather lead with a tiny loop and buckle which I could use to keep Magic on my arm if needed. “Better still, send for me. I’ll come and get him. He’ll come on my command. Hopefully.”
“Of course he will.” Hurin gave one of his brief blink-and-you-miss-it smiles then stalked from the room.
For a moment I stared at the door, then I steeled myself and headed out, too. I turned right, toward the bridge again, going over in my head how best to tell Gavyn and Mateo about the situation.
When I arrived, I’d settled on a few short sentences to deliver and then get off the bridge as fast as possible.
I hit the button and walked in. Unlike before, they were both sitting. Mateo had his legs up on the console, ankles crossed and hands linked behind his head. Gavyn was spinning a pen through his fingers and appeared to be deeply involved in telling a story.
“Hey, hun,” Mateo said. “Did you forget something?”
“No.”
Gavyn went quiet but continued to fiddle with the pen. “What’s up? Is the goat worse?”
“No.”
“So what is it?”
“I’ve lost Magic.”
“You’ve done what?” Mateo jumped up and held his hands out
, palms up. “How did that happen?”
“I…I…” I glanced at Gavyn. The pen was still now and held aloft. “I must have forgotten to close his door, and there was a loose vent in my room and—”
“He’s in the ventilation system.” Gavyn stood, not fast the way Mateo had but slow and precise. His eyebrows pulled low, he tossed the pen onto the desk and shoved his hands on his hips.
I felt struck dumb with stupidity. How had I let this happen?
“Uma?” Mateo said. “Do you know roughly where he is?”
“No, I don’t. The ventilation system is huge, big enough for him to fly down in some sections. He could be anywhere.”
“Doing all kinds of damage.” Gavyn looked at Mateo. “Get all the internal CCTV cameras on. There’s a few in the ducts for maintenance; we might spot him.”
“There are?” I said, grabbing on to any kernel of hope. “That’s great.”
“There’s not many.” Mateo turned to a console and swiped across it. “But I’m on it.”
“And I’ll check the sensors. Even if a feather gets in one, they’ll alarm.” Gavyn gestured to me. “Who else knows?”
“Hurin.”
“You told him first?”
“Yes, but only because I saw him.” I gulped, hoping he wouldn’t realize I’d known when I’d been on the bridge earlier.
“When did he go missing?” Gavyn asked.
“Not long ago, I saw him after we…after we…you know.”
“Fucked. Yes, I know. I guess you’re not entirely to blame, we did distract you.” Gavyn sighed. “I’ll have to let the observation tower know.”
“Leave it for now,” Mateo said, glancing at me. “He might be easy to find, he’s not exactly a little sparrow.”
“And this isn’t exactly a small ship.” Gavyn turned away. “You’ve got an hour, Uma, before I have to report the incident.”
“We’ll find him…I’ll find him.” I ran to the door.
“Uma,” Gavyn called. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
I didn’t reply. Instead, I let myself out and raced down the corridor. My footsteps rattled around the barren walls, and my breaths tore at my lungs. I sprinted past the games room again, kept on going, not totally sure where to, but needing to use up some of the adrenaline surging through my system.