Page 66 of Ruin

Lira pulled in a deep, shaky breath. As frightening as the prospect was, as much as part of her quailed at the thought of what terrible truths might be lurking in her stolen memories, she had to know. She needed to uncover who she'd been before Vargot, before being a slave.

She needed to reclaim the identity that’d been ripped away from her.

“I want to remember.”

“Then let’s begin, hmm?”

Still holding Ruin’s hand tightly, she started forward, impatient now.

“Ahem,” Helix voiced pointedly.

Hush, who’d sprawled in what she was pretty sure was Helix’s chair, waved a hand. “Go ahead. I’ll wait for Sugar to finish up in pod one.”

Lira hadn’t known a being could roll their eyes without actually rolling their eyes, but that’s exactly what Helix did.

“As I have assured you, many times, all the stim-pods are the same. I have checked their functionality,repeatedly. They are no different from one another.”

“Soyousay. But I’m tellin’ you, they’re different. I’m always itchy when I come outta the second one, and I swear, that fifth one eats one of my tattoos every time I go in it.” Arms crossed, Hush used his tail to point at the pods in question, then stubbornly slouched farther in the seat. “One never does me wrong. So, I’ma wait for Sugar to finish.”

Helix’s wings gave a sharp flick, and a shimmer rippled over his metallic skin like he was shaking off Hush’s oddness.

Ruin lifted her up and sat her on the edge of the pod. Lying back, she tried to relax. As Helix’s long, clawed fingers flew over the holo display, Ruin leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers.

“I'm right here, bird.” Cupping her cheek, he kissed her softly, then pulled back just far enough to meet her eyes. “No matter what, you have me.”

She nodded a little too quickly and exhaled. Her gaze slid to the bandage she’d wrapped around his gunshot wound.

“You should get in one, too. Your arm has to be hurting you.”

He didn’t even look at his arm. “I’m fine. It’s not even bleedin’ anymore.”

Gods, she loved when he stared at her like she was the only thing that existed, but still. She narrowed her eyes at him in silent insistence.

His lips twitched. “As soon as you’re sealed in, I’ll get in mine, ‘kay?”

“Okay.”

“Speaking of,” Helix broke in. “It’s ready to seal.”

Ruin gave her another quick kiss, then straightened as the lid closed, sealing her in with a pressurized hiss.

Focusing on her breathing, she listened to the faint hum of the pod, felt the tickling tingle as it began repairing her injuries, both new and old.

The twinge in her shoulder that’d been her constant companion since it was broken a couple years back gradually disappeared. Same for the aches in her ribs and knee.

Lira was so focused on the cessation of pain, she didn’t notice the sedative creeping in until it had her.

Ruin paced restlesslyfrom one end of the medbay to the other, impatiently waiting and almost dreading for the pod to finish healing Lira.

Restoring memories was tricky work. It took time. But he’d gotten out of his own pod what felt like hours ago.

He pivoted on his heel and started back in the other direction, baring his fangs in a snarl. He’d climbed out of his pod in time to see hers list every instance of trauma she’d suffered in her life.

Gods, he wanted to fucking kill something at the thought of how much torment she’d endured.

He needed an outlet for some of this seething rage and guilt he felt that he hadn’t been there to prevent her from experiencing a single moment of pain.

Maybe he could. Whisper owed him one. He could ask the second in command to bring him someone who needed to be questioned. Mm, yes,questioningsomeone would make him feel much…

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