Hunter (The Hero Rebellion 0.5) by Belinda Crawford (ebook e reader .txt) 📗

cup the companion's jaw. It was soft, warm and silken, a balm to her nerves, soothing the panic and fear.

The companion closed her eyes, the rumble – a purr, Subria realised – growing louder as she leaned into Subria's touch.

A word shivered through Subria's skin, travelling through the nerves where her hand stroked the 'pard. It was fuzzy, as if seen through a dense fog, shivering on the tip of her tongue, almost forming in her mind and dissipating again as she reached for it.

The 'pard pushed her head closer, almost touching Subria's chin with her nose, allowing Subria to reach up and scratch the soft fur behind the companion's ear.

The word grew, the shape of it becoming clearer. Subria leaned forward, resting her forehead against the 'pard's, and reached up with her other hand, arms encircling her head.

Apani. Forest and mountainsides, the fog clinging to the trunks, scattering in the wake of a silent shadow.

'Apani,' she whispered, opening her eyes.

The 'pard, Apani, purred louder.

The space in Subria's chest suddenly grew, expanding until she thought it might explode, filling with the scent of rain, with Apani and—

A yowl tore the sensation from Subria's chest. And then shadows and fury were between them, driving the 'pard back with wings and fangs, talons flashing in the lights. Air rushed backed into Subria's lungs, a great shuddering mouthful as the space in her chest collapsed, the rain replaced with the musk of fur and the copper tang of blood.

Subria sucked it down, even as she shot to her feet, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

The 'pard was growling, low rippling snarls, trying to dodge Erberos, to catch Subria's gaze again, but the flyer was liquid darkness, always in Apani's way, always—

'Enough.' Instructor Bayard was there, somehow between the 'pard and Erberos, reaching out to snatch the flyer from the air, but he slipped out of her grasp, somersaulting through the air to land on Subria's shoulder.

The 'pard shook her head and took a pace forward, snarling.

Erberos mantled his wings, snarling back.

'Look at her,' Bayard spoke to the 'pard.

The 'pard's gaze switched from Erberos to her, and Subria shrank from it.

The 'pard's snarl died.

'You'll have to wait,' Bayard said again.

The companion chuffed, cocked her head, and, eyes never leaving Subria's, backed out of the lab.

The door slid shut between them.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Silence ruled the shuttle, save for the soft rustle of feathers and the gentle hum of a sternard's breathing.

Subria sat at the front of the main cabin, away from the recruits with their new companions, unable to take her eye from the sternard sprawled across the near aisle, its giant head on Sheera's knee. It looked nothing like Yaara, a chocolate brown monstrosity with darker plating across its chest, and yet she could not shake the fear that slithered through her veins, the memory of Yaara's blood-stained muzzle, her handler torn apart.

A gentle hum and Erebos bumped his head into her jaw, his scales warm against her skin, his body a comforting weight on her shoulder, his talons a reassuring prick through the nano-leather of her jacket.

She'd saved her classmates, stopped Doctor Temple from hacking the gene banks, and yet she'd failed. Only two of the eight recruits who had taken the shuttle to the Farm found companions; the rest of them... At least there wouldn't be much to pack once she returned to the academy, and there'd be no need to comm her mum or her sister to pick her up. Just a taxi, and the silent walk to the front door.

If she was quick, she'd be able to get her application in for Sabre University before the first trimester started.

On her shoulder, Erebos hissed.

Subria looked up as Bayard took the bench next to her.

'Your father would have been proud.'

'You knew him?'

The instructor laughed. 'Everyone knew Kylian Venere, and those that didn't have the chance know your mother.' The humour on her face faded, and for a moment she stared out into the distance, her brow furrowed and her mouth pinched as if in remembered pain. 'The Venere name is a lot to live up to.'

Subria nodded, just once, even as shame curled in her chest. There were other ways to live up to the family name, she told herself. Other careers, and yet the thought did nothing for the bitterness winding through her soul.

'I'm going to push you hard, Venere. There's no room for people who coast on their family name at Morague, only hard work and blood.'

'What?' She sat up, the meaning of Bayard's words slipping past the shame. 'But... ' Her voice trailed off.

'You didn't return to the shuttle with a companion?' Bayard finished for her. She eyed Erebos. 'Or a second one, at least.'

The instructor grunted. 'Never fails to amaze me how many of you believe we'd throw away a promising recruit because they didn't bond with a strider. Even if we did, your actions in stopping Doctor Temple would have earned you a place.'

Bayard leaned back against the bulkhead. 'The test wasn't the striders, girl, it was the forest, the sky.'

'The Pollen,' Subria breathed. 'You wanted to see if we would panic, like Bank.'

'Mm hmm. There's always a few.'

'But why the striders?'

A smile lifted the corner of Bayard's mouth. 'Because if I hadn't, you'd all have been looking for the real test and have had a chance to brace yourselves. Besides, every Rider needs a strider, and this is convenient.'

'Tyvian and Sheera have a head start, but real bonds are formed over time, girl.' Bayard nodded towards the rear of the compartment, where Sheera stared into her sterdane's eyes and Tyvian stroked his pea-dragon's wings as if the huge companion would fly away if he stopped.

'You can put that down to the right combination of pheromones and timing. Love at first sight, if you will, but in the end their bond won't be any stronger than the one you forge.

'Now, if one of them caught the attention of a Woolsey…' Bayard's black