Page 58 of Human Reclaimed
A cold fist squeezed my heart. “You mean he might forget everything? Everything he’s learned, everything he’s felt?” Everything we’ve shared, I didn’t add aloud.
“It’s a possibility we have to consider.”
I couldn’t imagine Rune losing the warmth that filled his eyes when he looked at me or the gentleness he’d discovered in himself when we were alone. The thought of him becoming a cold tactician again, viewing me as just another resource for Planet Alpha’s defense—it was unbearable.
“No,” I said firmly, picking up my pace even as my lungs burned. “He’ll remember. He has to.”
As we approached the edge of the colony—its sleek, curved buildings rising from the jungle like they’d grown there naturally—I offered a silent prayer to whatever powers might be listening in this strange new world.
Please don’t take him from me. Please let him remember me. Remember us.
Aeon soon burst through the medical bay doors, Rune’s limp body slung over his shoulder as I followed closely behind. My heart clenched at the sight of Rune’s ashen face, his powerful frame now utterly helpless.
“Recovery room three,” Aeon ordered as the medical staff rushed forward. I kept following close behind, my legs feeling like they were moving through quicksand.
The irony wasn’t lost on me. A week ago, I’d woken up in that same room, furious and terrified, plotting my escape from alien kidnappers. Now I’d give anything to see Rune open his eyes in that very space I’d once considered my prison.
“Olivia!” Aeon called out as we entered the recovery room. The soft lighting automatically adjusted to our presence, casting a warm glow over the pristine white surfaces.
She rushed in, her brown hair flying behind her, already pulling vials from her medical bag. “Put him down,” she instructed, her voice calm but urgent. “Talia, there’s a chair by the wall.”
I grabbed it and positioned myself beside Rune’s bed, watching as Olivia swiftly inserted an IV line into his arm. His skin—usually warm and vibrant—looked waxy and cold.
“The antidote is experimental,” she warned, connecting a bag of clear fluid to the IV port. “But it’s the best chance we have.”
I reached for Rune’s hand, surprised by how cold it felt. This man who’d carried me through the water at his secret oasis, who’d pinned me against the wall in his quarters with such heat and passion—now lay still as death.
“What if it doesn’t work?” I whispered.
Olivia’s eyes met mine. “It has to.”
Within minutes, color began returning to Rune’s face. His chest rose and fell in a more regular rhythm, and the monitors above his bed showed stabilizing vitals.
“His body is responding,” Aeon confirmed, checking the readings. “The virus is being neutralized.”
“But will he… remember?” I could not bring myself to finish the thought.
Olivia squeezed my shoulder. “We don’t know yet. The amnesia effects have been unpredictable.”
I nodded, swallowing back tears. What if he woke up and looked at me like a stranger? What if everything we’d built together in this whirlwind week—the passion, the trust, the unexpected love—was erased like footprints in sand?
Minutes stretched into a half hour as I sat vigilantly beside his bed, my hand never leaving his. I’d never been religious, but I found myself praying hard to whatever cosmic forces might be listening.
“Don’t take this away from me,” I whispered.
The door slid open, and Sage stepped in, her tall frame silhouetted against the corridor light. Her blonde ponytail was disheveled, and smudges of soot stained her usually pristine uniform.
“Hey,” she said softly, holding my datapad. “Sorry to interrupt.”
I straightened. “How did the offensive go?”
A smile broke across her face. “Your strategy was brilliant. Both capital ships are space dust now.” She hesitated, glancing at the datapad. “I was looking for your battle plans when I found something. A recording from Rune.”
My breath caught. “A recording?”
“It seemed private.” She placed the datapad in my hands. “I thought you’d want to see it.” She squeezed my arm gently before slipping out, leaving me alone with Rune’s unconscious form and whatever message he’d left behind.
With trembling fingers, I activated the screen. Rune’s face appeared, looking tired but resolute, those piercing blue eyes staring straight into mine.
