Chapters (48)
- Cover
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Copyright
“I can.” She gave herself a shake. “It was pretty exhausting, and I’d rather not do it too often, but it’s good to know it works. Legion is on the command deck, arguing with Grigori Danshov. I don’t know what about. I only got glimpses.” She gave us a tired smile. “The good news is, they have all the others with them. Everyone looks okay.”
We exchanged unhappy glances. “Well,” I said, “guess that’s where we’re going.”
THIRTY-FOUR
I GAWKED AT THE PILLS Cage shook into my hand. “You’re sure these won’t hurt me?” I demanded. My parents and Omnistellar had drilled me on the dangers of drug use from a very young age. I rarely took so much as a painkiller, and here I was staring at a fistful of illegal uppers.
Sorry. Barely illegal uppers.
In answer, he popped two pills into his own mouth and swallowed them with half a bottle of water. He leaned against the wall as if bracing himself, eyes closed. A moment later his eyes popped open, his pupils dilated slightly, and he grinned, blinking rapidly. “There we go,” he said, and spread his arms. “See? No problem.”
Except for the slight tremor in his fingers. I glanced at Rune and she went through the same routine, offering me a reassuring smile. “Prolonged use can be addictive,” she said, “but it’s not like street drugs, where one dose can kill you. It’ll just wake you up. Promise.”
Well, it wasn’t like I had much choice. The fastest way to the command level was to use my power, and I was too tired to try it again without help. I stared at the pills. They were small and white and completely nonthreatening, and yet somehow the sight of them sent anxiety ramping through my brain.
Cage stepped in front of me, filling my vision, so close he swallowed the oxygen from my lungs. “I promise you’ll be okay,” he said, cupping my face in his hand and letting me examine him closely. “I wouldn’t give you anything that would hurt you.”
I tilted my face into his hand, appreciating the reassurance, knowing I was being ridiculous. I wished I had time to talk with him. I hadn’t been ready to understand, to forgive, before. Now I thought I could, but now we didn’t have the time, or the privacy.
Before I could think any harder, I popped the pills into my mouth, swallowed, and waited.
It didn’t take long. For a few seconds nothing happened, and then a rush of energy shot through me, not unpleasant, exactly, but not fun, either. It was a jolt on the edge of pain. I straightened, alertness flowing through my body as my exhaustion faded, and a smile ghosted over my lips. I felt like I could do anything: run a mile or open a portal or even take on the alien creatures. “Oh,” I gasped.