Soren stood. The glazed look in his eyes was gone, replaced with fevered anticipation of the challenge. “I’m going to run a basic vulnerability analysis to get a look at the Komodo’s attack surface.”

Aria had no clue what that meant. Judging by the blank faces around her, she wasn’t alone.

Soren rolled his eyes and wiggled his fingers in the air. “You know. Feel the security system up a little to see what I’m dealing with.”

A laugh burst out of Jupiter, but he muffled it when Perry stood.

“Uh, sorry,” Jupiter said.

She’d forgotten how commanding Perry could be. How he could quiet people with a look when he chose to.

“Get to work, Soren,” he said, and then turned to Brooke and Roar. “Let’s start outside. I want a full sweep of the terrain. If we’re going to draw them to us, I want to be in the strongest position possible.”

Brooke looked at Soren and wiggled her fingers in the air, parroting his gesture. “That means we’re going to feel up the surrounding area a little, Dweller. See what we’re dealing with.”

Soren’s eyes never left Brooke as she grabbed her bow and headed outside with Perry and Roar.

“What was her name again?” he asked when she was gone.

Aria stood, trying to hide a smile. “Laurel,” she answered on a whim. Soren irritated everyone else. Let him be on the receiving end for once. Inspired, she added, “I think she likes you, Soren.”

Then she jogged outside.

Perry was buckling a black belt with a Dweller pistol in the holster. He seemed comfortable with carrying the weapon, though he’d held it for the first time only a week ago. His bow and quiver also rested at his feet. Aria smiled to herself. Instead of choosing a weapon from her world or his, he’d decided to take both.

“Do you need me?” she said. She could scout as well as Roar and Brooke, who had already disappeared into the darkness.

Perry looked up. His hair was tied back with a leather strip, but a piece fell forward, a blond wave coming to rest at his eyebrow. “You want the truth?”

Aria braced herself for a comment about her arm. “Always.”

“That’s my answer. But it’s probably better for you to keep an eye on things here.” He grinned, sweeping his bow and quiver over his shoulder. “I’d do it, but I’m worried my fist might find Soren’s face.”

As she watched him walk away, she tried to shake off the feeling that he’d left too quickly. He’d just said he needed her always. Why couldn’t she focus on that?

When he reached the edge of the woods, she called out, “Be careful.”

She knew he would be. It was just a way to stall. To feel close to him a little longer.