“Shit,” he says, and lets out a deep breath. “I think that’s enough for tonight. There’s nothing we can do right now, anyway.”
I give him a small smile, grateful to be out of his scrutiny for now.
“I’m just glad you’re back. I’m sure you are exhausted. Do you want to go lay down?”
I nod and slide off the table. He grabs my hand and guides me down until my feet plant onto the floor. Before we make it to the door, I stop, turning back toward him.
“Wait, Dane?”
“Hmm?”
“Did you mean what you said to Mara? That you would bring her home?”
His face hardens.
“I will not let her treat you like that. You are not responsible for what he did to you.”
What he did to me.
Weston did nothing to me but protect me. He frustrated me, and challenged me, and hid things from me, but he also made me love him.
Dane’s right, no one is responsible for that except Weston.
“Thank you,” I say, gazing up at him, hoping my expression looks loving.
“Of course,” he says and leans forward, brushing my lips with a quick kiss.
“Does that mean you figured out how to replenish the dust?” I ask quietly.
His face draws in again. “No. I haven’t. I was too busy looking for you to even think about it.”
My stomach bottoms out, and all the hope I felt that this plan was going to save us all disappears.
“Oh. Looking for an answer is so important. I’m sorry I caused such a distraction.” I don’t even have to pretend. My voice betrays all of my sadness and guilt.
“You aren’t a distraction,” he says, his smile dazzling as his eyes trace over my face. “But now we can look together.”
I nod quickly and then yawn, trying to end this conversation so I can be alone.
We exit the infirmary and Dane leaves me at the ladder to my bunk, promising he will come get me in a few hours when the suns come up. I settle in my same bed and let out a breath, letting some relief wash over me, but also some dread.
I think Dane believes me. I’ve given him no reason not to. My time here is limited, so I only have to keep the facade up for a little while longer. With Dane’s threat to Mara, I don’t think she will be as much of an issue as I thought.
But the dust…
Dane still hasn’t figured it out. I’ve been gone for months, and he’s made no progress. I have only two days to find anything in camp that might give us a clue or direction, and if I don’t, we will only have whatever dust is left.
The rest of us will be stranded.
Weston will try to send me back, and I don’t know if I want to go back to Blackwood without him.
I suck in a deep breath, trying to hold on to the hope I know I need to have.
The island wants me to be here, and that has to mean something.
I must be doing something right.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
