Page 114 of The Sky Pirate's Stowaway
A humorless laugh fell from my lips. “That… that’s the furthest… thing… from the truth.” Another horrible laugh came out. “They hate me. They… they’re gonna have no problem… letting Viper…” I couldn’t even say it. My throat constricted, my heart hammering away.
Max pulled me into his arms, holding me tight to his chest as he rubbed my back and whispered sweet nothings into my ear.
After everything, after how badly I’d hurt him, my Max was here, risking everything to comfort me.
That… that had to mean some part of him still cared about me, right? He still cared… didn’t he?
My heart hurt, and I fell apart.
A sob tore from my chest as I clung to his shirt, wetting it with my tears. My heart steadily slowed to a more normal rhythm—less panicky and more crying-my-eyes-out-pace—even as my sobs continued on.
And Max sat there, strong and immovable. My rock in the middle of a raging storm. He held me and rubbed my back and let me get it all out.
Once I felt like I could breathe again, I said, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Max. I… I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“Shhh. Oh, Kas. Shhh. It’s alright. It’s going to be alright.”
I shook my head, not pulling away from him even an inch. “No, it’s not. I never meant to hurt you. I’m so sorry.”
He hugged me tighter and kissed my hair, pulling me onto his lap. “I’m not angry anymore.”
I snorted, although it sort of sounded like a hiccup. “Yes, you are.”
He sighed. “Okay, so I’m still a little angry, but I understand where you’re coming from, and I… I’ll be fine. I just need a little time, I think.”
I nodded against him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and pressed my forehead against the side of his neck. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing. I’ll be fine.”
I wasn’t sure if that was true, but I hoped to the goddesses it was.
After a few minutes, I said, “They captured me.” He froze, but I kept talking into his skin so I didn’t have to look him in the face. “That’s why I ran from Sunada. Someone—my friend—ratted me out. I came into my power when I was eight, and it’s been a safely guarded secret since. There are people in my neighborhood who know, trusted family and friends, who I’ve been helping out as much as I could without giving myself away.
“The morning I ran away, I was at the forge, and Master Redman’s lights were nearly out of power. I always refill them for him when we’re not busy. He knows about me, so I wasn’t too worried about it. While I was filling them, one of my best friends, someone I’ve known my whole life, came into the forge—the area where the public isn’t allowed. Master Redman didn’t kick him out because he knew we were friends, you know? Anyway, Troy said, ‘I’m sorry, Kas. I didn’t have a choice.’ And a moment later, one of the king’s guard walked inside.
“I… I stopped powering up the light’s fluxstone, but the damage was done. The guard saw me and ordered my arrest. I ran. I made it all the way to my house and started packing a bag. Kayla and Cody were home, so I quickly told them what’d happened, but we’d always planned for something like that, you know? We always knew it was a possibility. I was going to run, and I’d send for them later.”
I sniffled a little and hugged Max tighter.
“You made it to the ship after that?” he asked quietly, his voice soft and raspy.
I shook my head. “No. The guards caught up to me. I wasn’t fast enough. They came to my house, knocked my door down, barged in, and literally dragged me out, kicking and screaming, with Kayla and Cody yelling at them to let me go. It was horrible. My neighbors all came out from the commotion, and I saw… I saw my friend, Troy, the one who gave me away. He was crying, and one of our other friends was comforting him, like he was the one whose life was being ripped apart.
“He… he betrayed me, Max. One of my best friends, someone I grew up with, someone who’d been there for me during my parents’ deaths and so many other times, gave me away. He didn’t even warn me. They were going to take me to the castle and hook me up to a machine for the rest of my life, and he didn’t warn me. He just… he turned me in. I still don’t even know why.”
Max rubbed my back, rocking me slightly. “I’m sorry, Kas.”
I sniffled a few more times. “Thank the goddesses I got away.”
“How did you get away, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I managed to scoop up a few rocks, charge them, and I made them explode in the guards’ faces.”
He froze. “How’d you get ahold of fluxstones?”
My brow furrowed, and after wiping my face a little, I leaned back to meet his gaze. “What do you mean?”
“You said you charged some stones and made them explode. How’d you get fluxstones? And how’d you make them explode? As far as I know, they’re not just lying around on the ground. I thought they only came from the mines these days?”
