Page 54 of Bound By Stars
I rest my elbows on my knees, holding my chin in my palm so I can cover my lips. “She’s not with you now.”
Wes lowers her head. “Good thing you’ve appointed yourself as my volunteer bodyguard, then.”
“No, I… You…” I sit up straighter. I didn’t consider how obvious I was being.
“You were waiting to walk me to lunch again yesterday and followed me to the gym. Then you stopped by my room three times last night with thoughts on my presentation that couldn’t wait until morning and shocker—you happened to be in my hall when I left for breakfast this morning. Somehow, I caught on.” Weslie raises her eyebrows, keeping her attention on the two crew members answering student questions.
I desperately want to protect you.
I can’t say that. She might never talk to me again.
I need you to be all right.
No, that’s not right, either.
Seeing you lying there on the floor, dying, almost broke something inside of me, and maybe I should have realized it before, but I know now that I…
Nope, no way, I’m not even ready to hear that one.
“I just…don’t want anything to happen to you,” I finally respond.
The rest of the class stands around us.
“Please carefully make your way down and we’ll see you to the exit.” Sofie motions toward the door.
“You’ve been an excellent group. Hopefully this has been an exciting and informative visit.” Captain Nazari approaches, inclining his chin to Calypso.
They respond with a wide grin. “Thank you, Captain. We’re all grateful for the opportunity. Right, class?”
Staggered thanks and half-hearted agreements roll through the group.
I jump off the last step and offer Weslie a hand, fully prepared for her to shove it away, but her fingers wrap around mine. A calm feeling, like warm liquid, floods my veins.
She steps down next to me but doesn’t let go.
“Mr. Dalloway, good to see you,” the captain calls.
My father approaches, returning the captain’s greeting. With a quick scan, he spots me hanging back from the rest of the class with Weslie. His gaze drops to our linked hands. His expression turns sad, mouth scrunched sympathetically when he meets my eyes again.
I let go, taking a half step away from her.
Dad smiles at the captain, engaging in a mutual greeting. “Just came in to say hello. Don’t let me get in the way.”
He won’t say anything. It was nothing anyway. Weslie can barely tolerate me on a good day. Even if it did mean something to me.
The bandage on my right hand tightens around my clenched palm. The still-healing cut is tender and reminds me of the way she took my wrist so gently in her hands. The genuine concern on her face while ILSA patched me up. What if she… No. Even if she did, if we did, it would all be over by the time we stepped off the ship. I’d still be locked into the future my mother has planned for me. Going where she dictates, doing what she tells me to do, and, eventually, marrying the person she’s chosen.
“Who takes over captaining the ship if you can’t for some reason?” Hale stops in front of Captain Nazari.
“That’s an excellent question.” The captain waves him over to survey the amphitheater below and points at a station at the center of the second level. One Orion and Sofie already explained to all of us.
“For the standard day-to-day tasks, we have an advanced system that can automatically control the ship and send direct alerts to the bridge crew in an emergency. But my chief mate”—he waves to a woman in Navigation, who salutes in return—“she takes the helm when I am needed elsewhere or if something were to render me incapable of doing my job.”
I wish there were someone who could take my place like that. Rendered incapable by my own desire to do literally anything else. After two years of my mother’s lectures and hours upon hours of private tutoring sessions, playing the part of the Dalloway heir still feels like putting on an ill-fitting costume. Like wearing someone else’s clothes.
“And if she weren’t able to take my place, responsibility is passed to the second mate, then third mate, then deck cadet, and so on.”
Hale nods like it’s the most interesting bit of information he’s ever heard. He’s so obviously sucking up that it’s painful to watch. I wonder what he’s angling for this time. Is he slipping something out of the man’s pocket or buttering him up to get some kind of information or access code?
