…Sunset came quickly.
Althea summoned her Giant Owl soul mass in the ribcage courtyard under the gazes of June, Caretakers Lance and Osei, and the Adepts who had paused their drills to watch. The Owl morphed up from her shadow and into full form, its wingspan broad enough to darken a wide stretch of the courtyard floor beneath it, its feathers a deep, abyss black that seemed to swallow the last of the evening light.
"Let me come with you, Commander Althea," June said for what had to be the fifth time since Althea had come down from the command chamber and explained the task that had been handed to her.
