The last thing she remembered was the ship just leveling out as they came through the atmosphere. All her hails to Justyn on the comm had gone unanswered as the sea of thick green below rushed up to meet them, then…nothing.
Justyn. Please be okay.She scrambled down the corridor, gripped the railings and leaped down a small set of stairs.Please be alive, you foolish, brave man.
Just near the engine room, the corridor was blocked by debris. She grabbed at the ruined wall paneling, metal sheeting, and wiring, tossing each bit behind her as she made just enough room to squeeze through.
For the first time in years, she prayed to Asara, the snake goddess her mother had worshiped, whispered pleas tumblingfrom her lips. Beyond the debris, the engine room doors hung crookedly.
“Justyn!” She pushed forward and stumbled to a halt.
Most of the engine room was…gone. Torn away on impact. There were a few meters of metal flooring remaining, and a twisted lump of metal that was all that was left of the engine. Beyond that, a wall of green vegetation and tangled vines.
Her stomach dropped to her knees.Oh, no. Justyn. She shook her head and pressed a fist to her mouth, barely aware that her hands were shaking. He couldn’t be gone. He burned so brightly with life, and there was no way she could imagine that light gone from the galaxy. Gone from her life.
Then she heard a groan.
Racing around the remains of the engine, she found Justyn sitting against the wall, his long legs splayed in front of him and his head falling to the side.
“Oh, Goddess.” Nissa knelt beside him and cupped his face. “Justyn, can you hear me?”
“Don’t…shout.”
His words were slurred and his breathing labored. But he was alive. Her heart gave a glorious leap.
Then she saw the blood.
It was spreading in a rapidly growing pool beneath him.
Frantically, she ran her hands over his body, searching for the source.
“Not sure…I’m up for…getting naked with you right now, Captain Smooth.” He tried for a grin, but it was more of a grimace.
She shook her head. “You’re bleeding out after crashing a starship and you’re still trying to flirt.” She needed to keep him talking and conscious.
“Nothing…would stop me flirting with you.”
She stared into those silver-gray eyes for a long moment. She didn’t know when those beautiful eyes had become such a steady part of her life, but they had. A cherished part. Her fingers touched metal. She’d found the source of the bleeding. A piece of steel was lodged in his side. “Where’s your medscope?”
He sucked in a breath with obvious effort. “Medbay. Back down the corridor. Third door…on right.”
She gripped his hand and squeezed. “I’ll be back in a minute. Wait here.”
“Not planning to go anywhere, sweetheart.” His eyelids drooped.
“No, hey!” She shook him until pain-filled eyes met hers. “You have to stay awake.”
“So tired, Nissa. Come lie with me.” He hummed a few bars of a song with that line in it.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Goddess, he was losing it. “Sing for me, Phoenix. I’ll be back before you finish the song and I’ll get you fixed up.”
“Right.” He blinked slowly and then launched in a bawdy ditty about a barmaid with a big smile and bigger…feminine charms.
Nissa couldn’t help but smile. But once she reached the corridor, his voice was slurring and starting to stutter. She pushed through the debris and fought her way into the medbay. The room was barely bigger than a cupboard and medical items were strewn all around the small space, but thankfully everything was well labeled.
As she hurried back to the engine room, she realized she could no longer hear Justyn singing. Silence.
She ran faster. She exploded into the engine room and cried out.
Justyn’s head had fallen to his chest.
