In one word, Lorne told me everything was about to change. Again. And I wasn’t sure I could take anymore change. I wasn’t sure I had it in me, and once again I didn’t have a choice.

“You need to be out of the mine in the next minute. I can’t waste time coming down there and carrying you up if you can climb. We need to be gone before anyone from SpaceTech realizes I’m there. Abaddon’s base has me outgunned, and my ship won’t last in a fight. I’m taking you and running. So, if you can, get up. Now.”

“Damn it. No.” I slammed my hand on the ground. “I can’t be the cause of a war. I can’t live with that on my shoulders. Can’t you negotiate with SpaceTech to release me?”

“No. I can’t risk what they’d do to you in the interim, and I won’t let them use you as a bargaining chip. But I also won’t sit by and watch you die for Declan’s idiocy. Start climbing. Forty-five seconds.”

“But—”

“Amihanna. War is inevitable. The Aunare know it. SpaceTech knows it. Declan is the only one who thinks it can be stopped. No matter what happens next, the war will never be your fault. I don’t know why you’re on Apollyon or what happened since I talked to you in that warehouse weeks ago, but I know you’re hurt, and I won’t risk your life. Thirty seconds and I’m there. Get up. Now.”

“If we could just—” Declan started, but Lorne cut him off.

“No. We cannot just anymore.” He paused. “Declan lost visual with you when Ahiga blew the coms. So I can’t see you and I don’t know how hurt you are, but I need you to hear what I say and try. Please.” He was much calmer when he spoke to me. “We’re not fighting today, but believe me when I say I’m picking you up. Twenty seconds and I’m there. So do me a favor and get up so that we can leave right away. I want to be gone as soon as physically possible.”

I wanted to believe what Lorne said—that the war wouldn’t be my fault—but it didn’t matter anymore. Lorne was here, and I wanted to live. Maybe that was selfish of me, but I ripped off my wrist unit and slammed my hammer down on it. I was done with SpaceTech and pretending to be something that I wasn’t.

“Fifteen seconds.” He paused. “You won’t be able to see my ship, but you’ll feel the wind. Are you almost there?”

“Not yet, but I’m getting up.” I tucked my tool in the waist of my pants and pushed my body to stand. Even though I was swaying, I started sprinting.