Page 121 of Bound By Stars
“You’ll give us a better chance,” Skye adds.
ILSA matches our hushed volume. “Calculating probability of survival—”
“Not now, ILSA.” Every one of us knows the odds are against us. It’s laced into our voices. Lining our expressions. But we can’t give up. Not yet.
Asha takes my hand. “You could all come with us.”
I shake my head. She’s forgetting that the rest of us were supposed to die in the corridor. That, to her father, I’m a criminal. “You heard them. They’re already at capacity.”
She plants her feet and crosses her arms. “I’m not going to leave you stranded. You’re my best friend, Weslie. That’s not how best friends work.”
“You won’t leave me stranded.” I take both her hands in mine. “When weallmake it to Mars, you’re going to give me a tour of the whole city and force me into more ridiculous dresses and catch me up on all the gossip and tell me when I’m being a stubborn idiot. Now, please, go.”
“But we could—”
“Dad!” I call out in my best Asha impression.
“Who’s there?” more than one voice demands.
Meeting Asha’s terrified stare, I grab her in a hug. “Better move or you’ll give us all away.”
Curran shoves Tar out in the open.
Asha releases me. She reaches out to squeeze Skye’s hand before reluctantly following. Tears trail down her face as she glances back one last time.
“Thank the universe,” Cyra cries. “Get in!”
“Where’s your friend? The Earther girl.” Nazari sounds more concerned than angry, like he’s looking for another child rather than a prisoner.
“Haven’t seen her since class,” Tar says.
“All right.” He releases a heavy breath. “Everyone in. We have to go.”
With a gentle groan and the suction sound of the pod door sealing, the ship goes quiet aside from the far-off chorus of creaking and rumbling.
Next to me, Curran sniffles and shifts in place, his jacket sleeve grazing my arm.
A creeping chill crawls over my skin and twists my stomach. I step away, rubbing the spot like I can brush off the sickness and rage that floods my system.
He meets my glare, averting his eyes and scanning the rest of our stranded group. “What now?”
“We keep looking for a way off the ship. Like we told them.” Skye offers me a forced smile like she’s telling me I did the right thing and hugs her rib cage. Her breath hangs in the air.
The ship is getting colder. Too cold. Most of the heating systems must have shut down. The longer we stand still, the more unbearable it feels. Like ice seeping into my skin. Skye’s right. Our only choice is to keep moving.
We all turn to Reve, standing a few feet away. Separate from the group.
His stare is locked on Curran. The rage in his eyes mirrors mine, almost as though he knows what happened in the bridge. Like he knows he tried to kill me.
Reve shakes it off, raking a hand through his hair. “There are some spares off the portside maintenance bay. If it’s still there. And if they’re operational and no one has taken them. This way.”
The service level is freezing and empty. No more porters hurrying through the halls. The flashing red emergency lights are the only thing to break up the darkness. Without the alarm, the level feels dead. I can hardly feel my feet and fight the shivering building inside me.
At the head of the group, Reve clicks on a flashlight. A white puff of his breath swirls in the glow.
I reach back for Jupiter’s hand in the dark. His fingers are as icy as mine.
Reve waves us into the maintenance bay, sprinting into the dark. He outruns the lights as they switch on in sections down the long gray room until they catch him at the end, illuminated in front of three escape pod docks. He ducks into the first pod, switching on the controls and life support system as we all catch up, but it comes on only long enough to flicker the lights twice and die with a low moan.
