Titan Jailbreak! Escaped Terrorists on the Prowl!
The comm trembled in Kalie’s hand. Zane plucked it from her grip, and as he scanned the report, pressure crushed his lungs.
Fifty-five of Dali’s worst criminals had broken free from the moon’s prison.
That should’ve been impossible—until Iliana, no one had escapedTitan in centuries. But the article showed the faces of fifty-five serial killers, terrorists, and mass murderers, all alleged to have landed on Dali.
Among the escapees was a man with crazy hazel eyes and Mylis’s face:Landon Grant.
Kalie knockedon the door before she could stop herself.
Almost as soon as the thud rang out, she ripped away her fist and pressed it to her lips. This was a mistake. A horrible mistake. She needed to walk away. There were no guarantees he was awake, and there were certainly no guarantees that he was alone. Her stomach threatened to revolt at thethought.Walk away. But her breaths were coming harsh and fast, her heart was racing, her foot wouldn’t stop bouncing against the floor, and every time she closed her eyes, she saw bloody, lifeless faces.
Iliana had summoned legionnaires to recapture the escapees from Titan. And what they’d done…
The nightmare was burned into her memory.
The door swung open. Zane leaned against the edge, frowning. Dark circles rimmed his eyes. He hadn’t changed out of his rumpled clothes, so he hadn’t been sleeping. Kalie peered around him. The room looked empty, thank the gods.
“What’s going on?”
I need someone right now, she nearly said, but admitting that felt like a risk, and she didn’t trust her voice not to break. “I can’t sleep.”
Zane raised his eyebrows. “So you came here? You do know it’s two in the morning, don’t you?”
I’m breaking, and I know you’ll understand.“Do you have anything better to do?”
She’d been trying for offhand snark, but Zane’s frown deepened. Scanning the hallway, he sighed and stepped aside. “Do you want to come in?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Her voice cracked. She dug her nails into her palms, willing herself not to break. It looked like he was trying to catch her eye, but she avoided his gaze as she strode across the threshold.
The door clicked shut. Zane’s presence hovered behind her.
Standing in the midst of dusty armchairs, she hugged her arms to her chest. This wasn’t just a mistake. This could be a disaster. She’d ordered her Praetors to remain at the door to her suite, but the walls on Etov had eyes, and the last thing she needed was for rumors to spread. But she was so, so tired. Let them talk. Let Selene turn her visit into something wicked and sinful.
For one night, she needed a friend.
“What’s going on, Kalie?” Zane asked lowly, as he stepped around her.
“I just feel…” Her throat thickened, and she pressed her hands to her face. “Like the world’s spinning out of control. Like something snapped, and everything went horribly wrong, and all I want is to go back to the way it used to be. I’d give anything.”
“Yeah. I know how that feels.” He dropped onto the couch nearest to the spotless window and motioned for her to sit. Beyond the glass pane, twinkling stars lit the night sky.
Drawing in a hitching breath, Kalie sank onto the cushion beside him. “Did you see the article about the civilians the legionnaires killed?”
Zane’s jaw tightened, and he nodded.
“The little girl in the third photo. She had Lex’s hair. Auburn, like Uncle Jacyn’s.” The world turned glossy as a knot swelled in her throat. “I dreamt of the drone strike. I saw Aunt Calida dead. And I saw…” As she said it, she was seeing it again, living it, and she trembled viciously. “I saw Lex scream as the rubble crushed her, and I saw her body split open, gushing blood—gods above, she was only four. It should’ve been me. Why wasn’t it me?”
Zane’s fingers curled around hers. They were calloused, but warm and comforting. “Asking yourself that question won’t bring her back. It’ll only destroy you.”
Choking on a weak sob, Kalie closed her eyes.
“Describe her to me. Tell me how you remember her.”
She shook her head. She didn’t want to remember, that was the problem. Lexie’s wide, gap-toothed smile was clear as day in her memory, but if she tried to focus on it, blood bubbled from her shattered baby teeth, and her eyes turned dim and lifeless. Thinking of Aunt Calida was no better, and every time she thought of Ariah, she saw blasts leaving smoking holes in her chest.
“Trust me,” Zane said. “Just give it a try.”
