“I don’t know what you are, but I’d be stupid not to ask questions. Money can buy a lot.”
Mae cocks an eyebrow and a hip at the same time. “If he wanted you dead, you’d already be dead.”
A chill runs down my spine at the precise nature of her words. I believe her. Securitas likely offersmanyservices. My expression must tell her all she needs to know because she laughs—the most honest sound from her yet—and gives a soft head shake. “That look of indignation on you is delicious. I could just eat it right off your face.”
Basic human decency aside, neither of us trusts the other. Mae leaves. I watch her go, only relaxing when I’m sure I’m alone.
I find Vee in the arcade with Beau, as planned, and Marlowe back in her cabin, which is a surprise. She ignores my knocks. When I go to open the door out of worry, it doesn’t budge.
The intercom is deactivated but I override it. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I don’t like talking through a door.”
Red Horizon looms, and I’d rather we talk now before all hell kicks loose. My mind is a jumble of thoughts and wants, and plans. Mostly, I just want to see Marlowe’s face.
“I’m tired, Tanisira. I just want to have an early night. Tomorrow’s probably gonna be a long day, and I can’t bear to face Dominik on no sleep.”
I chew my words as I ponder hers. It’s a shitty excuse, and we both know it. But I can’t force Marlowe to face me. It ties my heart, my stomach, and my tongue into knots, but I back away. It takes a few minutes more of staring at the barrier between us before I can leave.
Community
I don’t see Marlowe again until theMidastouches down at Red Horizon. With everything that’s going on, it puts me in a foul mood. The crew avoid me, too. In the meantime, I’d received a message from Liz— one word:Homebound.
It felt incredibly anticlimactic.
Relief was short-lived when I realised I might have the means to get Marlowe and Vee away, but it doesn’t matter much if the woman won’t talk to me.
Eduard and Mae don’t bother to interact with us except to emphasise that theSecuritas IVis right behind us with reinforcements. Whilst the ship joins the docking queue, everyone gathers their belongings and prepares to disembark.My crew are nervous, and the energy that surrounds them is one of uncertainty and apprehension.
Red Horizon is much smaller than Novus Junction, so we have plenty of time to get our affairs in order as theMidascrawls through all the security checks and is assigned a bay. It’s at this point that Vee comes barrelling into me in the cargo bay, nearly knocking me off my feet.
“Navrena,” I say.Gentle. “Hey, what’s wrong?” I tilt his chin up and see that I wasn’t imagining the dampness against my shirt. His eyes are wet, his nose pink.
“I don’t want to go,” he sniffles.
“You’re not rid of us yet. We’ve still got to dock, and the station is big; it takes a while to cross.” I force a smile, but it’s not a very good one.
He shoves his forehead back into my stomach and clutches onto me for dear life. My heart does a painful somersault, and now he’s not the only one holding on tightly. When I look up, I catch Marlowe’s tearful gaze from the other side of the bay. Vee’s suitcase is at her feet, and a bright backpack hangs off one shoulder. I can tell from her appearance that neither one of us slept last night.
Tactfully, the crew have made themselves scarce. I watch Marlowe approach, my pulse jackhammering in my veins. I had hoped we could talk before this, so I could tell her my plan and circumvent tears—avoid the expectation of a goodbye. There was always a chance she would decline my offer, but there was also always a chance that she would accept.
Marlowe looks broken, and I know she won’t.
One hand extended, I reach for her. She looks at it and folds her arms against her chest so tightly it looks like she’s trying to hold herself up.
“I can’t,” she says quietly.
“I have a plan,” I blurt out. My voice is low, but I know she heard because she flinches. “There’s a ship—”
“Stop.”
I falter, letting my gaze roam over her, wishing I could decipher her expression. “Marlowe, I know it might sound farfetched, but I can get us on a ship and off this planet within the hour. You don’t have to see Gryphon.”
“Please stop. We can’t leave with you. I appreciate it, but we have to go.”
At first, I think I’ve misheard her, but the longer I stare at her, at the tears glittering on her cheeks, at her chaotic curls, at her inability to look at me, the more it sinks in. It doesn’t matter that I would throw away everything for her; she doesn’t want it—doesn’t want me.
