“If only it were that easy.” The pain had been sharp, but it was fading, leaving me weaker than I was before.

I rested my head against Lorne’s chest, unable to keep it up anymore. I’d used the last bit of strength I had to get to him. “My head is pounding.”

He grabbed my chin, tilting my head up, but I couldn’t open my eyes.

“Amihanna?” He pulled one eyelid open, then the next.

“Hmm.” I felt drunk. I’d only been drunk a couple of times, once really wasted, and that was how I felt now. The room was spinning and my head was hurting and I was sure that I would throw up any second, but I was too far gone to care.

He ran a hand over my head. “The blood wasn’t from her ears, you idiot.” Lorne yelled something in Aunare, and the ship started to move. “It’s from her brain. I can’t jump through space with her like this. She’s not stable.” He swung me up into his arms and started running.

“What do you mean it’s from her brain?” Declan’s voice came from somewhere in the ship.

“Is he here?” I asked.

Lorne shook his head. “No. He’s still in his ship.”

“Lorne?” My voice sounded so far away.

“I’ve got you, Ami.”

“Okay.” I took a breath. “Might pass out now.”

“I’m sorry,” Declan said. “Take care of her.”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

I could feel the air against my face as Lorne moved, but I barely felt his footfalls. “Are we floating?”

“Stay with me. You have to promise.” He sounded so lost and scared that I wanted to ease his worry.

I tried to laugh to show him that I was okay, but it came out more of a croak than anything else. “Lotta promises happening. Just no nanos. No more nanos. Rather die.” My words were slurring, and I wasn’t even really sure what I was saying, because everything hurt.

“You’re safe with me.”

He said it and I believed him.

He lowered me into something soft, and I managed to flutter my eyes open. Lorne filled up my sight as he leaned over me, pressing buttons frantically.

I reached up a lazy hand to touch his face. “You’re so pretty.”

He held my hand to his cheek for a second, before pressing it down onto the bed. “You’re going to feel much better in a bit.”

Feeling better sounded good.

“Try to sleep. It will help.”

My eyelids felt like they weighed ten pounds each. “Not hard. Tired.”

His soft lips brushed against my forehead, and I sighed.

Then I remembered. SpaceTech. “Need to run.”

“We’re fine. We’re cloaked again, and they haven’t rebooted coms yet. So we’re hidden. We have a little time now. It’s more important that you heal.”