Page 277 of Every Almost

Then, the console chirped.

It was a small sound, probably the smallest sound on the entire Bridge. One soft electronic note.

But Reyna knew exactly what that sound was before she looked down at the display.

COMMUNICATIONS INDICATORS

BRECK, T. — CHANNEL OPEN.

LAITH, M. — CHANNEL OPEN.

WICKETT, C. — CHANNEL CLOSED.

"No," Reyna whispered.

Her hands shot to the console. She keyed the channel.

Nothing.

She keyed it again.

"No.No?—"

"Captain," Torvax's voice. "It seems she's cut communic?—"

"NO!"

And for the first time in Reyna Solas's life, her markings broke.

Reyna feltit go through her like a hull letting go, from her sternum raging through her arms, and every constellation she held gold for her entire adult life went blinding white. Every mark on her body, all at once. She stood on the Bridge of the Emberkind and lit the room up.

She couldn't stop it. She didn't know how. There was nothing in her that was capable of reigning it back in.

Kess made a sound.

Reyna heard it, a short, sharp inhale from the medical console. She saw Kess's own markings flicker silver-blue in answer before she caught them and shut them down. Reyna saw her hand close on the edge of the console. She saw her take one step.

And stop.

Because Kess Pheras had been Kaelari for seventy-eight years and knew exactly what was happening.

You do not interact with a Kaelari whose markings have broken, especially when it occurs with others around.

So Kess stayed where she was, holding her position, giving Reyna the only thing she had left to give her.

She did not go to her.

Reyna knew Torvax didn't know what her markings breaking meant. He had absolutely no idea. As a species, Kaelari never talked about it, and in all his years beside Reyna, he had never seen her skin do anything at all.

But somehow, he knew what he was looking at anyway.

He turned around, sat down at his station, and put his eyes on his console. He began talking to the ground team in a level voice.

"Bridge to Ground Team."

"Go for ground team."Maren.

"Are you airborne?"