Page 126 of Seven Oars
Fawn and Eze hovered close, but Rosamma was already slipping under, the world fading before she could say a word to them…
At some point, she woke up, surprised at herself for doing so.
The usual hum of theoarand the irritating flickering of the dim light greeted her. Grimy, padded walls and food containers on the rickety shelf. The Cargo Hold, home sweet home.
“Gro?” she called.
“Here.”
Gro lowered to her knees next to Rosamma’s pad. Tattooed arms, sleeves rolled up, stretched out as she brought a water pouch to Rosamma’s lips.
Rosamma turned her head away, the blanket crinkling.“I’m not thirsty.”
“Drink anyway.”
She didn’t want to drink. Nor eat. A pleasant numbness had claimed her body. There was no pain. There was no fear. No worries.
Nothing.
“Rosamma.” Gro’s voice broke.“Please. Take a sip.”
Rosamma frowned. She didn’t mean to make Gro cry.
When the pouch touched her lips again, she obediently sucked in a little water.
She felt lethargic. But she wanted to stay awake and talk to Gro. She didn’t have much time left.
“You’re such a good person, Gro.”
Gro sniffed.“You know me. An old jailbird.”
“You’ve been a dear friend to me. The dearest.”
Gro shook her head.“Stop. Don’t talk. Eat, drink, cry, but don’t talk. Not like this.”
“Okay, I’ll stop.” Rosamma noticed movement, and then Eze came into view.“Eze!”
“You need to get up already, moonlight girl. Enough of that lazy body lying around stuff.”
The gruff teasing brought joy to Rosamma’s heart. She was surrounded by friends. In this hellhole, she wasn’t alone.
“I’m so tired, Eze. Silly me.”
“What happened to you?” Eze’s sharp eyes assessed Rosamma’s face, looking for damage.“Was it Phex? Did you give him your energy?”
It wasn’t Phex.
It was for a good reason—she’d like to think that. For self-preservation. Without Fincros, their lawless world would descend into complete chaos. He held this place together, and so he would live on.
Even when she wouldn’t.
“I’ve always known how it would end,” Rosamma said to Eze.
Tears glistened in Gro’s eyes, but Rosamma remained calm. She wasn’t ready, but neither was she frightened.
What would happen to Ren after she was gone? And what was happening to him now? Those nagging thoughts wouldn’t leave her alone.
Her eyelids fluttered.
