Page 173 of Light Leech

“End my life please.” I jumped at the sound of David at our feet, having missed him over Boyband’s complaints. I leaned against the wall so I didn’t fall back after almost stepping right onto him.

“See? He needs some love.”

“Like you can offer it!” Akna complained as she walked by. “She touched my arm as she passed down the hall with the other girls into another area of the monastery. “Good to have you back, Pet. Don’t let him talk you into it. I can’t sleep with that thing next to me.”

Boyband eyed her as she passed. When she was out of sight, he waved down the hall and raised his eyes. “See what I mean?”

“Wait, are you two sleeping together? Isn’t she like sixteen?”

“She’s eighteen and no. Zegging. Way.”

“But…”

“Yeah, we’re in the same room.”

“Sleeping… next to…”

“Each other. Yes. Grow up.”

I held in a laugh. “I mean, the monastery isn’t that small.”

”I know. Some of us can sacrifice for others, you plug?”

I raised an eyebrow.

His frustrated visage faded to concern. He sighed. “She’s been having these… nightmares? No, it’s more like… technological horror… visions… but it’s all connected to her gui… we think.”

“The jaguar?”

He nodded.

“Did she talk to Ral?”

“Of course she went to the only other one who, for some reason, has a problem with her Gui.”

My neurocore memories of Zhu’s warnings about Sha came to mind, but I pushed them aside. “And?”

“Nothing. Ral’s a little anxious since she finished your deep neurospace quest.”

“Neurocore.”

“Same thing.”

“Not really, but–whatever. She looked fine?”

“Of course she did. She always looks like she’s doing fine, but you can tell when something’s off. She’s a little scrambled, impulsive, distracted, and blah blah blah. Look, I know she’ll look into Akna’s Gui problem soon, but I need your help with David. You plug?”

“Kiss up to Akna a bit and I’m sure you can convince her.”

He threw up his arms. “What else can I do? I comb her hair, rub her back while she’s falling asleep, rest my arm around her when she finally does.”

I lost it. I spat out and fell back in unrelenting laughter.

“Zeg you, shac.” He shook his head and turned to walk away.

“No, no, stop, du.” I reached out and pulled him towards me before he could get away.

“What?”