Free Grimspace by Ann Aguirre Page A

mourning.
    Dropping to my knees, I take stock with a glance. Of his clan, only the Gunnar chief made the run. They were all big men. Slow. Our crew seems to be present, although the doc’s blood-spattered and collapses against the wall as if he may never move again. We’re in a storage building. I see crates stacked up against the wall, tools. Dina looks angry, which is pretty much on par. Even though I don’t know shit about Lachion, I know it’s not safe to go back out there. There’s no guarantee all the Teras were outside the perimeter when the defense grid came up. We need to hole up and let them fry, trying to return to the caves.
    I hope there’s some food in here. Fragging starving. It seems like forever since I stuffed that square of choclaste into my face, and before that, I hadn’t eaten all day.
    Maybe that’s an irreverent thought, I don’t know. But it’s how I function. The part of me that feels unworthy, wounded, totally shaken by everything that’s happened, I shuffle her to the back because she’s not helping me deal. And the Sirantha who steps up, well, she’s a pragmatist.
    And she’s hungry.

CHAPTER 11
    Also, I need to pee.
    But I can’t see anything like san facilities in this corrugated steel box. Dina has already started to rummage through the crates, looking for anything useful. The main house, with all associated amenities, is probably deeper inside the compound, but I don’t think any of us want to go back out there until the drones have a chance to scout around and see what might be lurking in the dark.
    Loras has settled down beside me, almost as if he’s awaiting my orders, and March still holds Keri, who appears to have collapsed entirely. Rest is probably the best thing for her right now, but her breath still hitches as children’s do when they’ve cried themselves to sleep. Leaning against the wall, I watch Dina rooting around, tossing out items that may be useful. So far, she’s found blankets, torch-tubes, and what looks like emergency rations.
    I snag one, tear the foil open, and yep, it’s the olive green paste that tastes like nothing you’d ever voluntarily eat, and yet simultaneously contains a whole day’s worth of necessary nutrients. Why the hell can’t they manufacture these in choclaste? Making a face, I hand one to Loras, who accepts it and downs his without shuddering. March is watching me, so I pass a pack to him as well. Even if I don’t like him, I’m not going to starve him while he can’t get his own. He’s still got Keri as deadweight.
    Dina grabs a couple more and hands them out to the Gunnar and Doc, who opens his eyes reluctantly. Everyone eats in silence. It’s hard to know what the hell to say after a day like we’ve had. The Gunnar just sits like a small mountain, probably thinking about his brothers.
    But then I remember I had a couple questions that just won’t keep and glance at March again. Seems like he’d know. “How did Mair—”
    He pitches his voice low. “She was a first-rank chi-master, one of the last.”
    I blink at that. “No shit?”
    March gives me a withering look. But I didn’t even know they existed. All I’ve ever heard is stories—Old Terra monks, who could adjust their breathing, stop their hearts. The greatest of them could completely control their chi, resulting in superhuman feats. Like the burst of speed Mair summoned when we needed it most.
    â€œDid she have a student?” I ask. And his gaze goes to the girl sleeping in his arms. Well, of course. Everything comes back to Keri.
    I sigh. What can I possibly offer to counterbalance her loss? Why did she think I’m worth it? Hell, I don’t even think so, and I’m generally the biggest proponent for the survival of Sirantha Jax.
    Nothing I can do about it, though, and so I turn to Loras. He’s been watching me