Page 145 of Trove’s Purpose

He turned, looking up at her with a frown. “What?”

“Where’s Trove?”

“Getting his claws repaired.”

“I know that, but how long does that take?”

“Ask Goldie.”

“I did! She said it shouldn’t take more than two marks.”

Tanin turned to face her fully, a scowl pulling at his face. And she could see the same thought coming to him as well.

It had been more than two marks, easily.

So, where was Trove?

“Goldie,” Trove called up to her. “Get Alred to check the station.”

The healer blinked before nodding. She paused, and Chee could see her listening to her earpiece, to whatever instructions Alred was giving her. He wouldn’t talk out loud while they were docked like this and there was a chance that someone could hear him.

Chee nervously watched as Goldie went to the wall and opened a panel. From inside, she pulled a cable that she then tossed over the side to the waiting Sorbet. The scaley male didn’t seem to need any further instruction, because he dragged it out, down the ramp, and into the station itself. Chee lost sight of him, but she figured he was plugging Alred in somehow.

Goldie returned to her side, frowning. “Are you okay?”

“I just… I’m fine,” Chee nodded firmly. “I’m sure he’s just taking his time.”

“But…?”

Chee bit her lips. Unable to really explain her unease.

Because she knew Trove. As much as she wanted to see his claws, she knew that he wanted her to see his claws. He would have come here to show her first. To let her touch and feel them before anyone else got a chance.

If he was going somewhere else, he would have told her. And if he wanted it to be a surprise, he would definitely have told Tanin. Their captain didn’t let anyone go anywhere or do anything that he didn’t know about. His iron control kept all of them out of trouble.

So, if Tanin didn’t know where he was, then…

No, Chee was sure it was fine. Maybe the healer was just really slow. Maybe the mediring they were using was old or glitchy or something. Though, even as she had that thought, she knew it wasn’t the answer. No one used ‘glitchy’ medical equipment, especially not medical equipment with the ability to literally rewrite DNA.

The seconds passed by painfully slow. She gripped hard on the railing, waiting with clenched teeth for some kind of news.

It was nothing. She was being paranoid. Everything was fine.

Goldie tilted her head. Listening to whatever Alred was saying in her ear.

Her face pinched.

Chee’s heart sank.

“Where is he?” She asked.

Goldie bit her lip.

“Where is he!?”

The metal rattle of Tanin climbing up the stair ladder to the second floor was like broken glass rubbing into her nerves. Their captain came to stand between the two, looking at Goldie expectantly. The woman shifted her weight before shaking her head.

“Alred says he can’t find him on any of the surveillance monitors of the station. He’s definitely not in the healing center, and he’s not on any of the paths that would take him back here.”