Page 15 of Fated for the Alien Fighter

“And you send me a picture of him as soon as you can,” her grandmother went on, sounding more energetic than she had in weeks. “And I insist on meeting him soon, through holo-vid.”

“Okay.” Tears pricked the corners of Leah’s eyes. “You’re in a good mood.”

“I am.” Her smile grew. “The doctors finally got their hands on my medication, isn’t that great?”

Leah nodded, the words stuck in her throat.

“And I don’t know what they put into it this time around, but I feel more like myself. Got out of bed and went down to the garden, all by myself, can you believe it?AndI finally beat Mrs. Anderson at Bridge,” her grandmother said. Her shouldersshimmied. Before Leah had left Earth, Nana could barely move her head enough to nod. “I hope the next doses will be the same. They said they’ll be coming in gradually in the next month, couldn’t find a big enough shipment all at once.”

Yes, they could have. But Flint was rationing the doses to make sure Leah behaved. She was a hostage, even from another galaxy.

Her heart broke all over again. It was good to have her grandmother back. Since they’d discovered the disease, she’d been a husk, barely clinging to life.

Now she was back to herself.

She was getting her medication.

She would live–if Leah did what she was forced to do.

If she didn’t...her grandmother would die before she got back to Earth.

“I miss you, honey,” Nana said, eyes softening. “I can’t wait to hug you again. I might actually be able to, now.”

Leah’s heart fractured. Whatever happened on Quillon, she didn’t know if she would ever see her grandmother again.

She might be forced to stay on this planet. She might be caught. She might be killed–for treason, by the Quillons, or by Flint, if she failed.

One thing she did know for sure–she couldn’t let her grandmother die.

She would rather give her life first.

A weird tingling sensation coursed down her spine.

Leah ignored it. Nerves, that’s all it was. But nerves had never felt this good.

“I miss you, too,” she said, voice cracking. The tears finally spilled over her cheeks. Nana couldn’t see her like this. “I have to go. I’ll call you as soon as I can, okay?”

“Love you. Love you so, so, so much. I’m so proud of you for doing this. For Earth, but for you, too. I’ve seen how tired you are. That’s no way to live, honey. Take care while you’re there, okay?”

She would. She didn’t have any other choice.

One last I love you passed between them before Leah shut off the call.

She leaned against the cold wall.

The weird lava flowing through the walls pulsed against the surface, right into her chest. A warning or a promise, she didn’t know.

The tingling sensation intensified, as if calling out to her.

But she couldn’t spend the next month on the floor.

She had to save her grandma.

She wiped the tears off, mascara tainting the tips of her fingers. She probably looked a mess.

Five more seconds and five deep breaths, and she’d get up.

She couldn’t do this.

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