Destiny's Blood by Marie Bilodeau (superbooks4u txt) 📕

Romero Aquilone.” His name felt glorious on her lips and she reached out to close the gap that separated them. Her heart tried to beat out of her chest, and the shuttle air suddenly felt cold and foreign on her flesh. The Kilita brought his hands an inch over hers, her heat and his intermingling. She looked up, knowing her eyes held the same fury she saw in his, as she willed herself vulnerable for the first time in her life.

He lowered his hands as she raised hers. Her head lurched back, and her mind and body shuddered as one.

i

“Are you really just going to hand her over?” Josmere demanded as she stared down the dimly lit metallic corridor of the space docks.

“She’s the one who said she’d go.” Avienne shrugged. “We’re not forcing anything on her.”

Josmere ran her fingers through her thick hair, tugging at the ends.  in frustration. She’d been making this argument for the last hour. “Her sister was just killed. She’s not thinking straight!”

“You sure?” Avienne replied. She eyed the Victory’s approaching crew.

“I’m sure! This whole thing is suicide! Those people,” Josmere continued, flailing her arm in Gobran Kipso’s direction, “already killed her sister!”

Avienne turned to face the Berganda. “This is out of our hands. If you’re so worried, why don’t you just speak to Layela about it?”

Josmere’s shoulders dropped as her anger vanished, looking toward the hallway leading to the Destiny as she answered, where Layela still dwelt. “Because she refuses to speak to me. I don’t think she even wants me to come with her. But…she’s the only family I have left. If I don’t follow her, where do I go?” Josmere hated herself for showing such weakness and was surprised to feel Avienne’s hand on her shoulder.

“Believe it or not, I understand you perfectly well,” Avienne gave a grin, too tight and too thin. The hand was gone as quickly as it had come, and she shrugged again. “This will be of little comfort, I realize, but they said they only needed to kill one. Layela should be safe.” Josmere’s eyes shot up and she bit back a harsh reply. Avienne lifted her hands defensively.

“I mean it, little comfort. But, on the bright side,” Avienne continued, grinning more widely this time. “I do believe we can convince the captain to take you in, if you’re interested.”

Josmere’s eyes opened wide. “Me? Stay on the Destiny?”

Avienne grimaced as Kipso stopped near them, and lowered her voice. “It’s not much, I realize, but it’s a good group. And you’d double the female power of the crew!”

Josmere’s pulse quickened and her mouth went dry. She wondered if Layela would stop her from following. That won’t happen, she repeated over and over again, her mind tumbling and forming plans — how she could follow, how she could stow away, how she could make sure she would not be left behind.

Anything to avoid being left behind. Avienne was still looking at her inquiringly and Josmere shrugged. “I don’t think I’d be much for long-term space travel.” Avienne gave her a wry grin, but Layela, Cailan and Ardin were exiting the Destiny to join them, so she didn’t respond.

Layela’s steps were quick and certain, Ardin and Cailan but a step behind. The younger man’s eyes rested often on Layela’s stride or the back of her loose, flowing hair, given a dull blue glow by the fluorescent lights.

Josmere’s breath caught in her throat, her pulse timed with the echo of Layela’s steps. The girl walked towards something Josmere knew she did not want. She imagined her friend’s fear of stopping, lest she never start again.

The Berganda shook her head. She knew she was wrong, and that Yoma had been wrong too. Layela had fallen hard a long time ago, and they had feared she would never be the same again. To this day, Josmere still didn’t know what had scarred her so deeply, though she had more than enough terrible theories to count. Yoma and she had never spoken about it — the one subject too terrifying for her friend to discuss.

She watched Layela stride down the catwalk without hesitation. Layela was still scarred and probably always would be, but she was stronger than before and less afraid. She had bloomed again, even more beautifully, whether she realized it or not.

Josmere took a deep breath of stale air, hoping that she would be there when Layela saw her home for the first time.

And the home of the Berganda, once. Deep in Josmere’s heart, she cradled the hope that she could save both Layela and the dwindling Berganda. Perhaps someday she could hear their song again.

“Lady,” Gobran nodded slowly as Layela stopped before him.

Josmere, lost in the remembered song of the Berganda, took a moment to realize that her skin prickled and her mind had tuned with someone else’s, not just with the Booknots on the planet. Another Berganda was here!

Her feet moved before she could scream a warning. She threw herself full into Layela. Pain tore through her leg, ripping the scream from her lungs.

Around her she could hear havoc breaking loose. She covered Layela, shielding her from bullets. The acrid smell of nearby energy weapons assaulted her senses.

“Solariers! Solariers!” The scream broke for mere seconds, stopping suddenly with a gurgle. Bullets riddled the ground around her, and her leg throbbed in anticipation of more pain. Under her, she could feel Layela’s quick short breaths, and she huddled closer. They would not get her.

The simple act of clutching tighter with all her limbs intensified the pain in her leg and sent waves of nausea through her. They had to get out of the line of fire, but she didn’t think her leg would carry her. Shielding her in place was the best she could do. “You’re not going without me, Layl. I’m not letting you go!” Josmere sputtered through clenched teeth.

The girl shifted and turned under her. She faced Josmere with a gaze that wasn’t the blue of twilight, but the green of the sea.