Page 72 of Sol Survivor

“Is this true?”

He flicked his red and swollen gaze up.Fresh snot and tears leaked out when he blubbered.

“When?”she asked, despite the stamp in the corner flashing yesterday’s date.Dropping him, she cradled the screen again to press her temple to it, pleading for it to be a lie.Ande was fine and would meet her in two years like he promised.“I begged you to come with me,” she wailed, slapping the screen, and splintering the glass.

“I honored my side of the deal, Maz.”Sebastian’s face appeared.“But when you hid Vic from me, you intervened in Carne's business.”He tapped his fingers on the desk.“That violates our agreement.I have revoked the protection order on Ande.As you can see, he didn’t last long.What a pity.”The image flickered to the arena, the scene playing on repeat.

Someone yanked her back, and she flailed, throwing out her hands to claw the screen.Strong arms wrapped around her and crushed her against a warm chest, pressing her face into muscle.The scent of sun-soaked skin relaxed her struggle, and she wept for her friend, her brother, and…her inability to save him.

“It’s not true,” she chanted.“It’s a lie.He has amazing promise.Farg.Devlin killed him.I’ll gut him, I swear I will.”Her ranting fell on a pregnant silence peppered only by Themba’s sobs.He’d lost a son.She pulled out of Drafe’s arms and slumped to the floor beside Themba, curling around him.

Time slowed as she cried, drenching the poor man who was sopping wet and shivering.When no more tears flowed and those on her cheeks had dried, she lifted her head.Drafe waited in the doorway, silent, his brow furrowed at her madness, no doubt.

Warmth brushed across her mind.The fragrance of cinnamon teased her senses.She struggled to hold onto both.

“Please…” Her voice cracked.She wanted to ask for Tiny, but the girl was injured.Nenn couldn’t help either when he had to see to Tiny.

Drafe crouched beside Vic and brushed her damp hair off her flushed and swollen face.“What do you need,gevatia?”

She glanced at her captain and the last connection she had to Ande.“Themba’s shivering.”

Drafe nodded, scooped her off the ground, and set her on her feet.He didn’t release her until she had found her balance.Then, as if Themba wasn’t a big man, Drafe lifted and carried him to his bed.She darted around him, tugging on the blankets to tuck in the devastated father.

“I’m here, Themba.”She patted the man’s shoulder as his breathing deepened.

“We cannot stay, Vic, not with a facility to siege.”

She met Drafe’s gaze.“How long have I been…”

“Hours.”

So much time had made no impact on the solid darkness infesting her lungs.She couldn’t breathe, it was so heavy, weighing her down, her eyelids, and her arms.“And you stayed?Why?”

“You were in distress.”He rubbed his chest.“I feel it, Vic, and cannot bear it.Please… Action is better than being lost in memories and thoughts of vengeance.”

“You just want me to strike the facility with you.”She leaped to her feet to poke his right pec with a forefinger.

He caught her finger, hand, elbow, and pulled her closer.“Never.It pains me to put you in harm’s way.Nor can I abandon you while you mourn.”

She winced at the sincerity on his face.“I’m sorry, Drafe.I didn’t mean to insult you and imply you had hidden motives.Go, fly this ship to the source.I’ll stay here.”

He tightened his arm around her.“And when I return?”

She closed her eyes not to see his sadness, but it didn’t matter.Darkness engulfed her soul, and she wasn’t sure if it was her own or Drafe’s.

“I’ll be in a better frame of mind.”She forced a smile but couldn’t keep it in place.“I promise.”

He hesitated, then cupped her cheek.“Be careful.”

“Me?”She snorted.“I’m not about to take a militarized medical facility.Yoube careful.”

He nodded and let the door shut behind him.

She ignored the tear trickling free and faced Themba.“Right, let’s tidy this cesspit and get some food into you.”As she picked up shards of broken glass, stacked his books on unused shelves, and watered his desperate bonsai, she told herself that she was doing this for Ande.With the quarters clean and Themba sleeping, she lifted her gaze to the looped match.

Ande had fought the same Devlin who had tormented her when she first ‘joined’ Carne.Now she had a target.Argh, there went any chance of freedom.She would have to breach the Ring, and stroll into Sebastian Carne’s domain to kill him and his puppet, Devlin.

To do that, she would need a ride.

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