by R. D. Brady
“We’ll be fine. We’ll be found, and everything will go back to normal.” She paused. “But tell Arthur … tell him I’m sorry. I didn’t understand. I wish …” She shook her head. “Just tell him I’m sorry.”
“No. You tell him that. And you won’t be fine. How are you going to explain the fact that I’m no longer in my cell? How are you going to explain that I overpowered all of you?”
“You’re a Cursed. It’s not out of the realm of possibility.”
“They won’t believe you. They’ve been trying to get me to hurt you for weeks now. They’re going to know you helped me.”
Anixquold shook her head. “We’ll think of something.”
Miles glared at her. He knew she had accepted that she was staying behind. But Miles knew that was a death sentence for all three of them. “I refuse to accept that. I’ll find a way to help you. I’m coming back.”
From behind Anixquold, Gaxdrill scoffed. “Sure, Miles. Because we’ve been so good to you, you’ll rush right back here to make sure we’re safe before you get yourself off the ship.”
“I. Am. Coming. Back.” He stared into Anixquold’s eyes as if daring her to contradict him. She lowered her gaze.
Miles turned and headed into the darkened ship. He had no idea where he was going. He had no idea how he was going to help them.
But he was sure of one thing.
He was not leaving them behind.
83
The landing bay was massive, about the size of two Gatsbys and just as high. The space was filled with dozens of veerfinahs. Most hadn’t moved with the rough landing of the ship, although three of them were at an odd angle, and one was pushed up against the wall. Compared to the bright sunlight outside, the lights were dimmer. It took Riley’s eyes a moment to adjust. At first he thought it was dimmer just in comparison to the sunlight, but then he realized the overhead lights were off. The only lights that seemed to be working lined the floor.
Even with the poor lighting, he caught sight of Petra quickly making her way down the line of ships, heading toward a door at the back.
Before Petra reached it, the doors slid open. A group of six Unwelcome stormed through. Petra ducked around the side of a veerfinah. Riley did the same.
The six Unwelcome didn’t pause as they passed the spot where he’d seen Petra disappear. Riley let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
But then the Unwelcome came abreast of him. Riley held his breath again. The first five passed by without a glance. But the sixth one turned its head. Riley’s eyes locked onto the Unwelcome’s helmet. The Unwelcome paused for just a second. Then it slipped its bracelet off its wrist, tossing it at Riley before heading for the exit.
Riley slipped out from behind the veerfinah as soon as the last Unwelcome had passed. Petra was already at the door. He sprinted up toward her, reaching her side just as she waved her hand over the scanner. “There’s power, but it won’t open.”
Riley raised the bracelet to the scanner. The light shifted from red to green, and the door slid open.
“Where’d you get that?”
“It was a little welcome-to-the-ship gift.”
The interior of the ship was even darker than the landing bay. Dim lights rimmed the edge of the floor but still, there were no overhead lights that seemed to be working. Even so, it appeared that the ceiling was a good fifteen feet above them. Sparks flared from different panels along the long hallway. Others were dark, completely lacking power. They’d been lucky that the scanner in the landing bay was actually working.
“I think it’s this way,” Petra whispered before taking off down the hall.
Riley had absolutely no idea where in the ship they were, so he simply followed her, hoping that she knew where she was going.
84
Miles stayed along the walls as he made his way through the darkened ship. The ship itself had started to empty out. There were fewer and fewer Unwelcome in the halls as he made his way forward. He wasn’t sure if everyone was escaping or just regrouping somewhere.
He should have asked Anixquold where Landing Bay 12 was. If she thought it was the way off the ship, others would think the same. Which meant that was where he could find help.
He was still annoyed that they thought he would leave them behind. He knew that was how they had been raised, but it still angered him. He had spent weeks not hurting Anixquold. He certainly wasn’t going to leave her to die now. How would he face Arthur if he did? And even without Arthur, he couldn’t leave her. Or Dexender and Gaxdrill. They could have left him, but they hadn’t.
Now he just had to figure out a way to help them. The hallway he found himself in was massive, towering a few dozen feet above his head and a few dozen feet wide. He kept passing darkened alcoves on either side, which made his heart pound harder as he envisioned Unwelcome appearing from within their depths.
By the time he reached a new hallway, he was shaking so hard he wasn’t sure his legs would hold him up. He ducked into the other, smaller hall, leaning against the wall, taking in large gulps of air.
Calm down, Miles. Think.
The large hallway he’d been in was probably more central to the ship, so he probably needed to head down one of the smaller hallways like the one he was in to reach the edge.
Okay. I’ll follow this hall, and if I have to, the next Unwelcome I see, I’ll ask. Maybe they won’t try to kill me.
He straightened up from the wall and felt an immediate presence pressing against his brain. He whirled around as a Naku stepped out from one of the alcoves in the hall he’d just left. Three Unwelcome flanked him, their shadows reaching out for Miles. He backed up. The warmth flowing over him was a welcome feeling, and it told him that these Unwelcome were fully under the control of the Naku.
In a flash, the Unwelcome rushed him. Miles’s arm started to materialize. It was fully formed by the time the first Unwelcome reached for him. Latching on the Unwelcome’s outstretched arm, Miles yanked it forward. Losing its balance, the Unwelcome stumbled forward, landing on its stomach with a cry and sliding into the opposite wall.
Miles spun out of the way as the second one launched its arm at Miles’s head. Miles threw a sidekick at the Unwelcome’s knee. It stumbled to its side, sprawling into the third Unwelcome.
Miles barely registered the moves he was making. They were secondary to his main goal: getting to the Naku.
Miles sprinted forward. The Naku backed up with a squeal. Miles felt the pressure increase on his mind.
But his anger would give it no purchase. He tackled the Naku, his shoulder slamming into the creature’s chest. He felt the bones break as if they were barely holding the thing together. The Naku crashed into the wall. With a puff of air, it stayed upright for a moment before sliding to the floor, its eyes blank and a dark residue staining the wall behind it.
Miles crashed to his knees, breathing hard. The Naku’s empty gaze was focused on Miles. Miles shifted his eyes away and slowly got up. He turned around as the other three Unwelcome also got to their feet, all of them looking a little unsteady. One held its hand to its head. After a glance at each other, they looked from the Naku on the floor to Miles.
Miles held up his hands. “I don’t mean any harm. I’m not going to try to hurt you.” Miles held his breath, waiting for their response. His arm was still there, which meant the threat was not over.
One of the Unwelcome stepped forward. It nodded toward the Naku. “Dead?”
Miles nodded, even though he wondered at the same time if he should lie. “Yes.”
“Good,” the Unwelcome grunted before heading down the hall. After only a brief hesitation, one of the other ones followed. The third stepped toward Miles.
“Thank you.” He started to follow the other two down the hall.
Miles scrambled after them. “Wait! Wait.”
The one who’d thanked him turned back, tilting its head. “What?”
Miles took a breath. “I need your help.”
<
br /> 85
Lyla reached up and grabbed the edge of the ship. The entrance to the landing bay was five feet off the ground. She hauled herself up and rolled over the side, coming to a stop in a crouch. The landing bay was quiet. There was no movement.
But the bay showed evidence of the violence of the crash. Veerfinahs lay tossed about, some on their sides, some lying on their roofs. About six of them were all tangled up together in the corner of the bay. Luckily, the door leading to the interior of the ship wasn’t blocked. In fact, it stood yawning open.
Through the doorway, she could see the interior. She’d seen Unwelcome streaming from the ship already, leaving it in droves. She could vaguely make out some moving shadows inside the ship, but no one appeared in the doorway.
Lyla knew she should be cautious in moving forward, but she also knew Riley and Petra were no doubt already on the ship. And the urge to see Miles, to know that he was okay, burned deep inside her. She hurried to the doorway, stopping on one side and glancing into the hall. Wires hung from the ceiling, sparking every now and then. Those sparks illuminated the hallway enough for her to see that there really was no one around.
Taking a breath, she ducked into the hallway, heading toward the right. Arthur and Thor were only a few minutes behind her. Part of her knew she should wait, but the other part of her knew that a lot could happen in a few minutes.
Lyla waited for another burst of light from the dangling wires and then hurried through the hall. She reached the end of it without running into anyone. She paused at the edge as heavy footfalls headed toward her. She pressed her back into the wall, staying still.
Two Unwelcome hurried past her, not even glancing her way. Once they’d passed, she turned left, heading in the direction from which they’d just come. She hurried down the hall, waiting for another burst of light to glance at the sign on her left. Arthur had explained how the signs worked. She wasn’t fluent in the language, but she knew enough to figure out the numbers and letters that organized the ship. Light sparked. She quickly read the sign.
Damn it. According to this, she was in the wrong area. She needed to head deeper into the ship.
Heavy breathing sounded behind her. Lyla whirled around as two large dark shadows emerged from the hallway behind her. Light flickered again, allowing her to see the two Unwelcome.
Arthur scanned the hallway before his eyes fell on Lyla, his shoulders dropping in relief. He and Thor hurried over to her.
“We’re in the wrong section,” Lyla said.
Thor pointed down the hall in the same direction the Unwelcome had disappeared. “We need to head that way.”
Lyla nodded. “Lead the way.”
86
The lights flickered. Sparks erupted from different panels as Miles hurried through the shadowed halls. The ship was dying. He had a sinking feeling that soon all of the lights would be gone. He needed to get off of it before then. Stumbling around the ship in pitch-black darkness, he would never be able to find an exit.
He hurried down the hall, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that his three new friends were following. Ahead, he saw the slightly open door. He sprinted forward, staring through the crack in the doorway. “Anixquold?”
Anixquold appeared, shaking her head. “Miles, what are you still doing here? You need to leave.”
“Not without you guys. And I brought some help.”
He waved toward the other three Unwelcome. Anixquold nodded at them. “The door’s stuck. Can you three grab hold from your side and help us pull it open?”
Without a word, the three Unwelcome did as she asked. Anixquold and Gaxdrill grabbed the other side. Miles’s arm had returned to half status, so he simply stepped back to give them room.
Dexender sat on the ground behind them. He gave Miles a small wave. Miles waved back, relieved to see that he looked a little better.
Anixquold gripped the doorframe. “On the count of three. One, two, three.”
It was silent as the Unwelcome pulled, the only sound their harsh breathing. For a few tense seconds, nothing happened. The door remained where it was. Miles’s heart sank. If this door didn’t open, he would have to leave them. But how could he do that?
Maybe I could get Lyla and Riley and somehow …
A small screech sounded from the door. Miles’s heart raced as the door moved just a fraction of an inch. And then another inch. Before he knew it, the doorway had a two-foot gap. The three Unwelcome on the outside of the door held it open. “Can you guys get through?”
Anixquold stepped to the doorway and slid through with a grimace. “Dex.”
Gaxdrill helped him to his feet and to the opening. Anixquold reached through and gripped Dexender’s arm. She and Gaxdrill guided him through. Miles stood at the opening, gripping Dexender’s arm and taking his weight as he stepped through with a stumble. Miles led him over to the wall as Gaxdrill squeezed through behind him.
Miles grinned at them, but Anixquold glared back at him. “You should be gone, Miles. The Naku will be looking for you.”
“And they’ll kill you if they know you helped me. So let’s stop talking and get out of here.”
Gaxdrill threw Dexender’s arm over his shoulder, wrapping a hand around his waist. “Agreed.”
“What’s the quickest way off the ship?” Miles asked.
One of the Unwelcome that Miles had brought with him nodded down the hall. “Probably Landing Bay 16.”
“Then Landing Bay 16 it is,” Anixquold said as she took off at a slow jog. The rest of them fell in line behind her, including Miles. And for the first time since he’d been on the ship, he felt safe.
He nearly groaned out loud at the other thought. I totally just jinxed myself.
87
The hallways were dark. Thor led the way with Lyla behind him, Arthur bringing up the rear. They reached the end of the hallway. Thor raised his arm over the scanner. The doors slid open soundlessly. Inside was a small room, only eight feet by eight. Thor stepped in, gesturing for Lyla and Arthur to join him.
Once Arthur was in, the door slid closed. The floor jolted. Lyla grabbed Arthur’s arm in surprise. “What is this?”
“A lift. It will take us to the floor we need to get to.”
She had heard of these from the Before, but she had never been in one. She supposed they were faster than walking upstairs, but they also seemed lazier.
She couldn’t complain, though, because in seconds they had come to a stop, and the doors were once again sliding open. Arthur glanced both ways before gesturing for them to follow him. He hurried down the hall, stopping at the second hallway. Unlike the other hallways, this one had a door that was apparently stuck. Along the side of the wall was a deep gash from a romag blast.
“It looks like someone had to pry open the door.”
Lyla’s blood chilled. She slipped through the doorway, rushing down the hall. She passed cell after empty cell. She made it all the way to the end, but there was no sign of Miles. All the energy drained out of her. She’d been counting on him being here.
She’d needed him to be here.
“Lyla.” Arthur gestured to her from a cell a few doors down.
Pulling her emotions back, she headed for him. “What is it?”
“I think someone’s been staying here.” He pointed to the cot where a pillow and a blanket had been haphazardly thrown about. Lyla picked up the blanket. A small scrap of fabric fell to the ground. She crouched down to examine it. It was the pillowcase, but it had been ripped. Her gaze strayed to the doorway, and she frowned. She moved toward it, staying low.
“What is it?” Arthur asked as he followed.
“There’s a dark substance here. I can’t tell what …” She touched the substance, and some of it came away in her hand. She rubbed it between her fingers. “It’s blood.”
“Why is it down there?”
“I have no idea. Maybe somebody hit their head. Being that there’s nobody here, I’m guessing that same person was
taken.” She imagined Miles fighting and then falling, his head slamming into the side of the doorway.
“Or he could have escaped. Maybe he got a little hurt when the ship crashed.”
“Maybe.” She stood and headed back down the hall, shutting out the images that tried to spring up in her mind.
She stopped next to Thor, who’d stayed at the end of the hall to keep an eye out. “No luck?” he asked.
Lyla shook her head. “No.”
“Do you think he got off the ship?” Thor asked.
“I’m guessing that was his plan. But as to whether or not he succeeded …” She shrugged. “He could have easily been moved.”
Or never been here at all.
“So where do you want to check now?” Thor asked.
Lyla didn’t have a good answer for that. The ship was massive. If he hadn’t gotten off the ship, would he be hiding? She doubted it. He’d be making his way to an exit.
But that was assuming that he’d been able to get out of his cell. That was assuming that he was able to get through the halls and not be recaptured. Miles would stick out like a sore thumb. If the Naku were looking for him, they would be able to find him.
“If he tried to escape, and the Naku caught him, where would they take him?”
Thor shook his head. “I don’t know. With the ship in its current state, there isn’t really any way to know.”
“The Naku are very logical race,” Arthur said quietly.
Lyla looked up at him. “What are you thinking?”
“The Naku won’t react like a human would. There won’t be fear. There won’t be panic. They will just coldly assess what has happened and determine the best way forward.”
“Their ship is unworkable, so what is the best way forward?” Lyla asked
“To fix the ship. But with humans revolting, they’ll know that they will need a treaty. They will extend some sort of olive branch to get us to leave them alone until they can regain their strength.”
