Page 36 of Seven Oars
Her trick didn’t work on everyone, but it worked on Rix, she knew. She’d boosted Lyle with her energy before.
Now, the knowledge that Ren, Paloma, Lyle, and Cricket were safe aboard another spaceship comforted Rosamma, even if that ship was carrying them farther and farther away from her.
I’m so sorry, Ren.
She sent another small, controlled pulse into Phex.
The problem was, her energy reserves were so low she couldn’t give Phex what she’d given Lyle. Not that it had cured Lyle in the end, but his problem had run deeper than Phex’s battle wounds.
She sent a third burst of energy and withdrew her hand. Her fingers tingled from the transfer and the feel of his bare skin.
Phex’s eyes were still closed, but Rosamma imagined he rested more easily now.
She rejoined the women who were sitting together, hugging each other and crying.
“What are we going to do?” Sassa asked, despondent.
“First, we’re going to rest,” Alyesha said. Her voice had regained a hint of its old decisiveness despite the tears that glistened on her pale cheeks.“We can’t function if we wear ourselves down.”
Sassa cried harder.“How can we sleep here? Not in this terrible place. There’s no door! We aren’t safe.”
“I think we can forget about safety for now,” Fawn said with newfound wisdom.“Concentrate on staying alive.”
The women nodded, drying their eyes. Only Sassa crumbled, weeping into her hands.
Rosamma put her arms around Sassa and held on. She had never been more afraid—not just for herself, but for all of them.
“What’s the point of resting if we have nothing to eat or drink?” Anske mumbled.“It’s a death sentence.”
Sassa cried harder.
Gro, however, grinned.“Don’t be in a hurry to meet your maker.”
She dug into her pocket and pulled out two cans of pasta.
Anske blanched.“You took those from that room?”
“Yep.”
“What if they notice the cans missing?”
“In that mess over there? They won’t,” Gro said flatly.“And if you want to lecture me about stolen goods, go sit in the corner. First of all, the food’s ours. Secondly, you don’t have to eat it if you don’t like me.”
Anske didn’t argue.
After a pause, Eze produced two more cans.
Gro laughed, and they high-fived.
The women divided the food evenly.
Then they lay down together like a pack of exhausted puppies to rest.
Before turning in, Rosamma checked on Phex and listened to him breathe. She wasn’t looking forward to a new day, but if he was there with her, she’d take it.
Chapter 6
Despite their resolve to get some rest, no one really slept.
