Ka'Cit's Haven (Riv’s Sanctuary #3)

There was a low inconsistent sound, almost too low to hear, and she realized it was the confused chatter of many beings coming from the doors closest to her.

“Apparently,” the stranger continued, “we had the same plan and thwarted each other by accident.” He jerked his head at the doors. “They’re armed.” He cocked his head as if listening. “Charged laser blasters. Third improvement. Twenty of them at that end, give or take two. I’m sure Herza told them to shoot to kill. She’s not one to take chances.” He studied her. “We only have one option, ta’ii.”

She had no idea what ta’ii meant, but knew he was talking to her. Who else would he be talking to?

“What?”

The stranger slid the flat piece of metal to the side, revealing a narrow dark hole beneath the floor.

“We have to hide.”

11

“Ihn deer?”

The human’s little nose wrinkled at the section between her eyes and she gave him a slightly alarmed look.

She took a few steps forward and peeped into the hole.

Her body shook as if she was cold, but the temperature was fine.

“Noh.” She took a step back and began looking around the corridor as if seeking another option.

Ka’Cit looked down into the hole.

It was a below-deck storage space, originally used for storing food rations for the ship’s occupants many moons ago.

Most new ship owners no longer used the space—it wasn’t big enough to hold the modern cargo crates—and some didn’t even know about it.

He was going to bet that Herza was one of those captains that hadn’t cared to go through the manual in detail.

His ears perked, lifting from the sides of his head and pressing against the inside of his mask. He could hear the Niftrills behind the doors on both ends.

They were trying desperately to override the lockdown.

That meant he and the human needed to get going.

He reached a hand in to shake the narrow ladder that led down below.

It wasn’t in the greatest of states, but it would have to do.

“We have to go down.” He glanced back at the human.

She could understand him, but she was still shaking her head and her breath was coming through her nostrils hard.

“Ai cahnt…”

Her gaze darted around the hall once more, but this was the only way they were going to get out of this.

They had to go down.

Either that, or they would have to allow themselves to get caught.

The latter wasn’t an option. Not with her in his care.

His gaze moved back to the hole.

The human seemed terrified of it.