Page 82 of Her Lawless Prince

Roderic disappeared around a corner, and she listened to his steps as he left the ship.

“Goodbye,” she mouthed, knowing he wouldn’t hear her.

The ship began to creak and clang as it prepared for takeoff.

Payton placed her hand over the scanner to open the door. A shirtless Nyle slept inside the medical booth. Laser lights skated over him as the machine worked. She instantly went to him, leaning over to look between the bed and the lid to where he lay inside. She watched his chest rise in steady breaths.

The ship vibrated as engines rumbled to life.

“I wish you were awake.” She reached into the booth to touch his cheek. The healing lasers tried to focus on her hand, and she pulled it away.

“Payton, strap in for takeoff,” Rick ordered over the comms. “He’s safe in the booth.”

The medical booth gave a slight hissing noise as clamps appeared from underneath. They slithered around Nyle, locking him into place.

Payton strapped herself into the console’s chair. The angle let her see the side of Nyle’s arm along the edge of the closed booth.

“Going out quiet,” Rick instructed.

Payton wasn’t sure what that entailed. She looked down to where the seat was bolted to the floor, wishing she could move it closer to Nyle.

An image on the console followed the path of the lasers, outlining his body. They seemed to concentrate on his neck and head.

She felt her seat vibrate, and lights flickered. The console darkened. The vibrations deepened, and she knew they were moving.

“Payton?” Nyle whispered. The lasers shut off. “Did they put you in the stars?”

The vibrations deepened, and they became cast into pitch black.

“I’m here,” she said, narrowing her gaze to watch him through the darkness.

“Payton?” Nyle tried to sit and came up against the restraints. He began thrashing about, trying to break free. “What’s happening? Let me out of here! They’re trying to turn me into a cyborg, but I don’t want metal blood.”

Payton didn’t think as she unlatched her straps and rushed across the room. She stumbled as the ship pitched. She reached for his hand. “Easy, I’m here. No one is going to hurt you.”

“The organs,” he insisted, trying to escape. “Is it in conscious thoughts? In actions? In free will? Some people don’t think for themselves.”

“Nyle, you’re not making sense right now. Just try to relax. We’re on a spaceship. You’re safe.” Payton’s hand slipped out of his grasp as the ship jolted hard. Her feet slid from underneath her, and she caught the edge of the booth to keep from falling. Gravity lessened, and she felt her feet disengage.

“Some don’t act when called upon. Others don’t have the choice of free will. Yet, all of those people didn’t live,” he continued. “I lived. Why did I live?”

“Nyle, stop.” She tried to reach in to pat his chest. “It’s all right, my love, it’s all ri—”

The ship tilted so that the floor became the wall. Momentum pulled her hard toward the console. Her hands ripped away from the booth as her body flung. Gravity reinstated, and she felt a sharp pain in her head as she crashed backward into the darkness.

28

“Concussion.Fractured wrist. Swollen eye. Fifty-seven cuts. Exhaustion. A myriad of other nonsense.” Jackson’s voice broke through Payton’s darkness. “Doesn’t say anything about stupidity.”

“Hey!” Payton groaned, opening her eyes. She knew he was teasing her.

Dev stared at her from the outside of the medical booth. “We’re not a medical ward, little one. We only have the one booth.”

“Next time keep strapped in during takeoff, especially when Rick is flying,” Jackson stated. She couldn’t see him, but she heard him in the direction of the console. “That’s like the second rule we taught you.”

Payton gave a small laugh, coming more awake. “Yeah, but if I remember correctly, the first rule is never to let Rick fly. Or have control of the food simulator. Or lure you into one of his games.”

“Fair enough,” Jackson acknowledged. “I stand by all of those.”

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