Chapter 7 · The 'Pet' Protocol

"Unclaimed parasite, sector three! Purge it!" The boot slammed my cage and I went skidding across the stone floor.

Steel rattled. My whole world rattled. I'm a shadow blob the size of a fist and I'm in a box meant for trash mobs.

"Hold! Hold, check for owner!" Another guard shouted. "If it's claimed we can't purge! Tower law!"

"Then who claimed this thing?" The first guard kicked my cage again. "Huh? Nobody? It's just sitting there leaking!"

I slammed against the bars. Again. My shadow body splatted and reformed. Pathetic. I used to be Kael, top hunter, the guy teams paid millions to bring back alive. Now I'm Jell-O with eyes.

Lyra stood three feet away. Arms crossed. Watching.

She wasn't helping. She was deciding.

"Lyra," I hissed, but it came out as this wet little shadow gurgle. "Lyra, say something!"

She looked down at me. Those cold silver eyes. That mouth that always looked like she was about to argue.

"Not my problem," she said.

"The hell it's not!" I snapped. "You named me! You put me in this cage!"

"I contained you," she said. "Big difference."

"Contained?