The Soul Eaters (The Thin Hex Line Book 1) by Gwyndolyn Russell (100 best novels of all time .txt) 📗

Darkness stretched out like wings, slowly enveloping Reaper in frost. He could feel each breath travel through his chest. He could feel the wolf’s like an aftershock. Each breath brought them closer, sinking into each wave.

He could not pull his eyes away. Shake the incoming shadows. He was stuck in place.

The wolf shook its head, a grumble turned whine. Its eyes shut.

The darkness retracted. A wave of light from the ceiling crashed down over him, washing away the mud of shadow.

“What?” Reaper blinked. Lightheaded, he floated backward.

Fenris pulled its head away, giving an audible huff.

He swore he heard it speak, but the sound was incomprehensible.

The creature gestured its claws towards itself.

He rubbed the side of his face. He should have eaten breakfast. Maybe that was why he was feeling sick. He grabbed a bar angled at the edge of the wall that met the ceiling.

Reaper watched it, that strange feeling of their breathing patterns slowly syncing hung in his chest. He was at a loss for words.

Fenris stared at him with a blank expression, if it could even make facial expressions. Reaper got the sense of confusion from it. It didn't understand why he looked at it so strangely.

"Did you say something?"

No answer.

"Can you write?"

No answer.

The nausea softened, yet Reaper's mind raced with blurry thoughts. He wondered if he should head back to the doctor. Maybe something else was on that ship.

"Fauriei is in her room resting." Reaper said. Maybe the creature wanted to know about her.

It shook its head, pointed at him.

"I know she wants you to stay---"

Fenris brushed passed him, careful not to touch. It pulled itself down the hall a few meters before stopping. It looked back to him.

The wolf wanted to be followed. Reaper entertained the idea, hoping it could take his mind off the sickness. He followed Fenris through the ship to the bridge. How it knew the way Reaper was unsure.

Fenris helped itself inside. Those still sitting at their consoles turned, at first to greet Reaper, but at the sight of Fenris freaked out. One screamed, a few gasped, the others stared wide eyed.

Reaper raised a hand.

"It's all right. He's with us."

"What the fuck is it?!" Willis choked.

Reaper shot a glare at him. "Have you forgotten your manners?"

"Sorry, Captain." He sat back down.

"I think I'm going to be sick." A woman covered her mouth.

Fenris did not show any emotion to their disgusting reactions. It was focused on scanning the room.

"Sit down! All of you!" Reaper snapped.

"There is no excuse to forget your training! You will treat Fenris with the same respect as any other species!"

Everyone quieted down and looked back to their consoles. Reaper watched them all for a good minute, a scowl permanent on his face.

Fenris pushed itself over to Irzazee, who leaned away from its shifting form. He watched the creature, assuring it wouldn't press anything vital.

After a moment, Fenris placed a paw on the console which activated the holographic map in the center of the room. The map shimmered blue, zooming out just enough to show the Syndicate's location in their current solar system.

Four planets of similar size, rotated around a brilliant white star, only slightly bigger.

Fenris pushed from the console to the captain's chair. It looked to Reaper to assure he was still watching. Then it gestured at the hologram, the motions of its hand zooming out further to show the crab nebula. Then it zoomed into a system on the other side of the nebula. A large system with two stars trapped in a dance of death. Twelve planets were visible on the map, spinning around the two stars. They spun at different speeds and different extremes from one another, always narrowly missing one another. One large planet showed it was mostly water with two continents that wrapped like a saddle over the northern axis.

Fenris pointed to that planet.

Reaper took his seat, a foot tucked under a bar.

"That's where you need to go?"

Fenris nodded.

"That entire system could blow up at any moment." Irzazee stated. "I do not recommend venturing there."

"I don't think the ship could handle that kind of force. We have standard stabilizers, those planets will rip the hull apart." Willis added.

"What's so important there?" Reaper figured his question would go unanswered.

Fenris shook its head. It did not want to say. It raised a hand in a short wave.

"How will you get out of there?"

It shook its head again.

"You're going to stay there?"

It nodded.

"Why do you need to be there? It's dangerous. In a system like that, you won't see the end come."

Fenris' head lowered. It shrugged, letting its furry cloak drape over its shoulders. It no longer looked to Reaper. The lines of lights in place of its eyes were concentrated on the floor. It pointed to the planet once more, then to itself. Gave a nod. Pushed itself out of the bridge.

Reaper sighed, pressing his palm to his face.

"So…" Willis chimed in. "What was that?"

"That's where he needs to go." Reaper answered.

"And it?"

"Not the slightest clue. I don't think it can talk. Fauriei can understand it, but I ain't got a clue."

"Great. We have some sort of monster onboard that we know absolutely nothing about! Can't imagine this will go well."

"Fauriei said he is trustworthy. It protected her."

"Say that to Jackal."

"Shut up." Reaper snapped.

"Sorry, sir."

The nausea was fading now that Fenris was not in the room. Where could the creature have gone? To Fauriei maybe?

Reaper sighed, resting his chin in his hand. He hoped it would be worth the risk. He was a man of his word, and though he was tempted to decline the charity, he would take Fenris there and forget all about it.

ELEVEN

I woke up in confusion. It took a good minute for the memories to come back. I barely remembered getting off that ship. My vision had gone black and all I could see were random shapes and colors flashing around. My body ached like I had been in a train wreck.