Chapter Nine
Vekele“This is inconvenient.” Baris stood at the top of the lawn, arms folded over his chest. His karu hopped from his shoulder into a nearby tree. Both tilted their heads as they watched Sarah with the void beast. She threw a stick. The beast gave chase only to return with a different item, often not even a stick. Once he returned with an old leather shoe. Nonetheless, Sarah lavished praise on her bonded companion.
Vekele smothered the urge to smile.
“You were the one who sent me chasing after anomalies,” he said.
“You do not have to sound so pleased.”
Vekele tensed. He was not pleased. He was annoyed. The task had been a meaningless assignment given out of pity to get him out of his seclusion. It was insulting.
“It would have been less work for you if the assassins had
