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“Hey.” I reach out to brush his hair back behind his ear, careful to keep an eye on my flight path. “Fruit basket aside, DJ will take care of us. If there’s one thing I’ve appreciated since being on this colony, it’s that coming out here brings Earth-kind together like never before. Maybe I would’ve worried about trusting him if we were still on Earth, but when it’s us against the universe? Humans stick together in those times. DJ will protect us.”
“You’re not the one who did it.” His voice is barely above a whisper. “I did. And I’m an alien.”
“I told him I did it. From his point of view, a human colonist killed a bounty hunter in self-defense.”
I glance over. Raffa’s eyes are widening. “Why would you do that? You could have a record, and it’s my fault.”
“What I’m telling you is there won’t be a record. You saved my life, Raffa. I’ll never forget that. You were so brave. Now let me take care of the rest, okay?”
He stares at me, dark brows slashed down and jaw twitching. All I can see is a full grown Kar’Kali in that moment, and it breaks my heart.
“You’re not angry with me for not listening?”
I shake my head as I turn my eyes back onto the path ahead. “In situations like that, we’re hardly in control of ourselves. How could I blame you for trying to do what you thought was right?”
We’re rapidly approaching the station. The town looms behind it, cast in golden light. I can see little people moving around, going about their errands like it’s a normal day.
The sheriff’s speeder is flying directly for us, and DJ’s waving us down with only one hand gripping the controls.
I can’t exactly blow him off, so I mutter a curse and wave back. I slow the skimmer. Raffa has the seat cushion in a vise grip as DJ flicks back the visor on his helmet. He rests a hand on the side of our vehicle, leaning on the edge of his own ride.
“Kaye, can we please talk about this? Maybe wait at the station for me while I get the scene under control.”
“You’re not going to stop us from leaving, are you?” I ask.
“No. I wouldn’t, not if you’re afraid for your safety. But I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me what the fuck is going on.”
His eyes are lingering on my wrists, where I’ve got angry red imprints from the tight binds I was in. I should’ve covered them up.
“I can’t do that.”
The sheriff looks at Raffa and then to me. The hand resting on my skimmer balls into a fist. He has good instincts, and he’s a decent detective.
“You’re gonna disappear like Raina, then? How ‘bout that war in Sector 5?” His brown eyes are lit with a need to know more.
“Feels like that war will never end, right?” I say, tapping the dashboard with the tips of my nails.
He blows out an irritated breath and lets go of the vehicle.
“At least find some way to tell me when you’re safe, alright?” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Fucking Wild West out here. We gotta look out for our own.”
“I won’t forget this,” I promise him. “I’ll find a way to make up for it.”
A stilted nod. Then he catches Raffa’s eye.
“Hey, show me that wink you’ve been working on,” he tells the boy with a grin.
The corner of Raffa’s mouth quirks then he winks seamlessly, as charming as an old movie starlet.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
KAYE
The headlineson the Station City transport are flashing in every imaginable language. They had become a part of the background until they suddenly turned to English, causing me to whip my head.
Azza Officials Scurry to Rathe System; Desperate For Support Against Alliance Offensive in Sector 5.
It quickly flashes to some other language, some spiraling symbols that make my head dizzy. My heartbeat races because all I can think of is Kalla.
