NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34
The assembly hall buzzed with a tense murmur as the pirates sat in tight rows, their faces etched with confusion and wariness, eyes darting to Aster atop the podium.
She stood tall, her blonde hair a wild halo under the stark lights, her broad frame radiating a fierce command that silenced the restless shuffle below. Syn lingered beside her, his presence a quiet anchor as she swept her gaze over the crowd, her jaw set with resolve.
"Everyone—sit still and watch your neighbors," Aster began, her voice booming across the hall, cutting through the nervous hum like a blade. "We've got shapeshifters among us, and I need you all to do something." She paused, drawing a deep breath that swelled her chest beneath her uniform, her eyes glinting with a steely determination.
"Hold hands with the people beside you—tight—and count to a hundred with me." She thrust her hand toward Syn, her fingers splayed expectantly, a playful glint flickering in her gaze despite the gravity of her words.
"Me?" Syn asked, his voice tinged with doubt as he arched a brow, his hand hovering uncertainly. The crowd's eyes flicked to him, a ripple of curiosity threading through their tension.
"What? You could be a shapeshifter too," Aster teased, her tone dipping into a mock seriousness that belied the smirk tugging at her lips. "You've been doing a damn good job mimicking Syn so far." Her words danced on the edge of jest, a spark of their old banter flaring even in this fraught moment—proof she'd cracked the puzzle he'd nudged her toward, though not in the way he expected.
Syn huffed, a faint grin breaking through his unease as he clasped her hand, her grip firm and warm against his chilled fingers. He knew she was half-playing, her trust in him unshaken, but her strategy clicked into place in his mind—a clever trap woven from his hint.
"One… two… three…" Aster counted aloud, her voice steady and rhythmic as she clicked a sequence of buttons on the podium's screen, its holographic interface flaring to life with a soft hum.
The hall's temperature began to drop, a subtle chill seeping into the air, prickling Syn's skin as the count climbed. "Twenty… twenty-one… twenty-two…" Aster's voice rolled on, and without warning, she tugged Syn closer, her arms wrapping around him from behind in a sudden, playful hug. His back pressed against her chest, her warmth a stark contrast to the growing cold, her grip a vice he couldn't easily shake.
"Don't do this here," Syn mumbled, his voice a low growl of embarrassment as he squirmed, his cheeks flushing under the weight of a hundred staring eyes. He twisted, trying to free himself, but Aster's hold was unyielding, her laughter a soft rumble against his spine.
His gaze dropped, avoiding the amused smirks below, and landed on the podium screen—temperature readings plummeting, the air thickening with a frosty bite.
A smirk curled his lips, sharp and knowing. He'd been right—Aster had caught the thread he'd dangled, and now it was unraveling. He tilted his head back, catching her eye, and their smirks mirrored each other, a silent pact forged in the chill.
Despite the embarrassment, Syn stilled, surrendering to her clutch, the warmth of her embrace a fleeting shield as the cold deepened.
"Eighty… eighty-one…" Aster's count thundered on, her voice rising as she scanned the crowd. "You all there!" she barked, her tone snapping with triumph. "Caught you—don't stop counting, keep going!"
Her smile flashed, fierce and proud, as three figures in the middle row twitched, their skin rippling—a sickly green sheen spreading across their faces, white pupils gleaming in the dim light.
Shapeshifters, unmasked by the cold, stumbled to their feet, their movements sluggish, reptilian limbs faltering as they tried to flee. The pirates around them surged up, fists flying, pinning them to the floor with a flurry of grunts and thuds, their rage a raw counterpoint to the icy air.
The count rolled on, relentless, until the last of the impostors—twelve in total—were dragged out, their green forms writhing feebly against the pirates' grip.
"Take a good look around," Aster called, her voice ringing with pride as she released Syn, stepping to the podium's edge. "Anyone else sporting green skin?" Her plan had worked, a masterstroke born from his nudge, and the hall erupted in relieved cheers, the tension shattering like ice under a hammer.
Syn flexed his hands, a soft moan escaping as he shook them out, the blood rushing back into his numb fingers. "Can you let go now?" he muttered, his voice edged with mock irritation as he rubbed his wrists, the cold and Aster's grip leaving them tingling. "I can't feel my hands."
"Oh!" Aster exclaimed, her eyes widening as she realized her excitement had squeezed too tight, her hands springing free with a sheepish grin. "Sorry—got carried away."
"I'm going to check on Vera," Syn said, stepping back as he adjusted his shirt, the damp fabric still clinging to his chest. "You handle things here." He turned, his boots scuffing the platform as he headed for the stairs, the weight of the shapeshifter threat still gnawing at him.
"Hey—wait!" Aster's voice rang out, halting him mid-step as she leaned over the podium, her blonde hair spilling forward. "Where's my reward?"
"What reward?" Syn asked, turning back with a frown, his brow creasing as he met her expectant gaze.
"Didn't you say you'd give me something if I solved a puzzle?" she pressed, her hand stretching out, fingers curling in a demanding gesture. "I cracked it—now pay up."
Syn sighed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he shook his head. "That was ages ago, kid. You're grown now."
"So what?" Aster shot back, her voice firm, her hand still outstretched as she stepped closer, her eyes glinting with stubborn fire. "Give. Me. My. Reward." Each word was a stamp, her tone brooking no refusal, a echo of their childhood games sharpened by years.
He exhaled, long and slow, his shoulders slumping as he relented. "Fine—what do you want?" he asked, his voice tinged with resignation, knowing her answer before it came.
"A promise," Aster said, her tone softening into something earnest, her hand dropping as she straightened, her gaze locking onto his with a quiet intensity.
Syn's eyes narrowed, his smirk fading as he read the unspoken weight behind her words. He knew what she'd ask—a vow to stay, to bind himself to them again—and the thought tightened his chest. "I don't do promises," he said, his voice low and final, cutting her off before she could voice it. He turned away, his boots thudding against the stairs as he descended, leaving her call unanswered.
Aster's face fell, a flicker of sadness shadowing her pride as she watched him go, his figure receding into the noisy throng of the assembly hall. "Just so you know," she shouted after him, her voice rising over the din, "I won't hesitate to break your legs if you try anything funny!"
Her words echoed, sharp and fierce, but the clamor swallowed them, and she doubted they reached him as he slipped through the crowd toward the exit, his silhouette a fading ghost amid the revelry.
Syn moved through the ship, the cold metal corridors a stark contrast to the hall's chaos, his steps quickening as he headed for the medic room. Vera's cuts, her trembling strength, her broken whispers—they tugged at him, a duty he couldn't shake. But as he walked, a chill slithered through his mind, a thought as cold as the air Aster had conjured: What if there's a shapeshifter in the medic room?