Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3)(28)

Voices carried to her ears, coming from somewhere behind her. Aria locked eyes with Roar, who’d also heard. Someone was approaching. They’d avoided other people so far, but their luck had run out.

Roar whistled softly. Up ahead, Perry spun, reacting instantly. Together they moved toward the voices, so swift and close that Aria felt a rush of air as they passed her; then they turned the corner and disappeared.

Aria forced herself to keep going with Soren—to reach the central corridor—despite the desperate pull to go after them.

She picked up the pace, glancing back once more, and ran right into Soren’s chest. Aria bounced away, stunned.

Soren stood with his arms crossed, a smile on his face. “Intense, isn’t it?”

“Why are you stopping?” she asked, dread knotting inside her. He was enjoying this.

“We’re here.” Soren tipped his head toward a heavy door with a darkened access panel at its side. “This is it.”

The door itself was unmarked and not at all like what she’d expected of the gateway to the most secure areas of the Komodo.

Then it hit her. Behind that door, she’d find Cinder.

And Hess.

And Sable.

Soren knelt in front of the panel. He cracked his knuckles and coaxed it to life with a tap, then expertly moved through screen after screen of security interfaces.

Watching him, she was reminded of Ag 6. Of the night he’d done this months ago. In a flash she remembered Soren’s hand, crushing her throat. Aria shook away the memory and listened for footsteps in the corridor—or for Roar and Perry. She heard only the soft buzz of the overhead lights.

“Hurry, Soren,” she whispered.

“Do I need to explain why that’s not helpful?” he said, without looking up from the panel.

Her eyes went to the grenade launcher at his belt. Quiet plan, she prayed. Break the codes. Please let the quiet plan work.

The security panel flashed green. Relief flooded through her, but it was short-lived. She glanced down the corridor. Where were Perry and Roar?

Soren peered up at her. “Not that I’m trying to rush you,” he said, “but we have sixty seconds before this door closes. What do you want to do?”





[page]UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Publishers

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14


PEREGRINE


Keeping close to walls, Perry rushed toward the sound of approaching voices, Roar half a step ahead of him.

With any luck, whoever was around the corner would turn back or head into one of the chambers that split off the corridor. But as he and Roar hurried down the hall, they didn’t pass any other doors—that meant no other outlet.

Roar glanced back, shaking his head. He must have realized the same thing: they were on a collision course.

Voices came into focus: a male, saying something cutting about Dweller food. A female, laughing in response.

He knew that laugh. It turned his veins to ice.

Roar surged forward, covering ten paces in total silence. He dropped to a knee at the bend in the corridor. Perry took a defensive position a few feet behind him, his gun aimed and ready. A half a second later, the man appeared, still talking as he rounded the corner.

He wore clothes customary to the Horn tribe—a black uniform with red stag horns on the chest. Roar kicked his leg out, sweeping the man’s feet from beneath him. Roar didn’t waste an instant. He pounced and slammed the soldier’s head against the floor.

The girl who followed wore the same uniform, the black cloth setting off hair as red as sunset.

Kirra.

Perry grabbed her before she could react, trapping her against the wall. He clamped one hand over her mouth, the other around her neck. She didn’t fight, but her eyes went wide, her temper jagged and blue with fear.

“Make a sound, and I’ll crush your throat. Understand?”

Perry had never hurt a woman before, ever, but she’d betrayed him. She’d used him, and taken Cinder.

Kirra nodded. Perry released her and tried not to see the red marks his fingers had left on her cheeks. Behind him, Roar dragged the fallen man back by the arms.

Back . . . back where? There was nowhere to hide.

“Hi, Peregrine,” Kirra said, a little out of breath. She licked her lips, struggling to regain her composure.

Two weeks ago, for about half an instant, he’d considered kissing those lips. He’d been insane then, rejected by his tribe and Aria. Missing Liv and Talon. Kirra had kicked him at the lowest point in his life. She’d almost destroyed him.

“You saved us a lot of trouble,” she said. “We were going to come for you.”

Perry didn’t understand. Why did they want him? He pushed away his curiosity. “You’re going to help me find Cinder and Sable.”

“Why Sable?”

“The Still Blue, Kirra. I need a heading.”

“I know the coordinates. I could get you there.” She narrowed her eyes. “But why should I help you?”

“Do you value your life?”

She offered a wry smile. “You won’t hurt me, Perry. It’s not in you.”

“I have no problem with it,” Aria said.

Perry turned to see her jogging toward them, a pistol in her good hand. “Bring her, and hurry,” she said, meeting his eyes. “Soren has the door open.”