Page 26 of Passions Ignite

“Zoey,” she said. “What if... What if it explodes?”

Zoey glanced back at the wreckage, the fire now consuming the cockpit. She tightened her grip on Lux, her face set in determination.

“We’ll be out of range,” Zoey said. “Just focus on moving forward. We’re going to make it.”

Lux nodded, though her fear didn’t subside. Every step felt like a battle, her injured leg protesting each movement. The forest seemed endless, and the trees closed in around them.

Finally, they broke through to a clearing far enough away from the burning wreck. Lux collapsed onto the ground, her body trembling from pain and exhaustion. Zoey knelt beside her.

“Are you okay?” Zoey asked, her hand resting on Lux’s shoulder as she tried to catch her breath.

Lux nodded, though she wasn’t sure if it was true. Her leg throbbed, and she could feel the blood soaking through her pants. But she was alive. They both were.

“I...I thought I was going to die,” Lux said. “I thought that was it.”

Zoey’s hand tightened on her shoulder. “But you didn’t. You’re safe now.”

Lux looked up at Zoey, her eyes stinging with tears. She could see the worry etched on Zoey’s face, the lines of stress and fear that hadn’t been there before. She reached out, her hand trembling, and gripped Zoey’s arm.

“Thank you. Thank you for coming back for me.”

Zoey shook her head. “I wasn’t going to leave you.”

A tear escaped, slid down her cheek, and mixed with the soot and sweat. She was shaking, her body still in shock from the crash. Zoey pulled her closer and wrapped her arms around her. Lux clung to her, burying her face in Zoey’s shoulder.

“I’m so scared,” Lux whispered.

“I know. But you’re not alone. I’m here. We’re going to be okay.”

Lux closed her eyes, focusing on the warmth of Zoey’s embrace. The fear was still there, gnawing at her, but it was tempered by Zoey’s presence. For the first time since the crash, she allowed herself to believe that they might make it out of this.

10

ZOEY

Zoey kept her arm around Lux’s waist as they moved through the clearing. Lux limped, dragging her injured leg with each step. Zoey could see the strain on her face, the way her lips pressed into a tight line, and the faint tremble in her movements. Lux’s usual confidence was gone, replaced by a vulnerability that surprised Zoey.

“Let’s take a break.” Zoey gently guided Lux to a fallen tree. “You need to rest.”

Lux shook her head. “We need to keep moving. What if the fire spreads?”

“The wind’s blowing the other way.” Zoey crouched in front of her til they were eye to eye. “We have some time.”

Lux hesitated, her gaze shifting toward the distant plume of smoke from the crash site. Zoey could tell she was still fighting the urge to push on despite her obvious pain. But when Lux finally sat on the tree trunk, Zoey could see the relief in her eyes.

Zoey knelt and unlaced Lux’s boot, her fingers moving with care. The leather was stained with dirt and soot, the laces frayed from wear. She eased the boot off slowly, mindful of Lux’s sharpintake of breath. Underneath, Lux’s sock was soaked with blood, the fabric sticking to her skin.

“You should have said something sooner.” Zoey frowned as she inspected the injury. “This looks bad.”

“It’s just a scratch. I’ve had worse.”

Zoey wasn’t convinced. She peeled the sock back, revealing a deep gash running along the side of Lux’s foot that continued up to her leg. The skin was raw and inflamed, the edges of the cut jagged where the metal had bitten into her flesh. Zoey felt a surge of anger at the sight, though she wasn’t sure who it was directed at—herself for not noticing sooner or the universe for putting them in this situation.

“This isn’t just a scratch,” Zoey said, her tone firm. “We need to take care of this.”

Lux leaned back and closed her eyes. “We don’t have much in the way of medical supplies.”

“I’ll make do.”

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