Fear gripped my heart and twisted. I hadn’t known we’d be so close. I wasn’t sure if it would change my plan if he’d told me, but I…

“If we uncloak, I’m not sure we can make it across the galaxy without getting caught before your dad meets us. They’ll anticipate our jumps. They know we have to go through some heavily populated systems and they’ll have ships waiting. I’m not sure…” He stood up and ran his hands through his dark hair. “Gods above. I can’t believe I’m actually thinking about doing this. I honestly can’t think of an alternative.”

We were getting closer to the moon. I could see Spider and the SpaceTech IAF officers inspecting it.

I stepped toward him. I was scared and angry and worried that this was more dangerous than I’d thought, but we couldn’t stop now. Not with Declan fighting for his life on Abaddon. And he was forgetting something big.

I was going down there to activate crystals. If Lorne could barely jump with how I was now, how were we going to get away after I hit the crystals?

“If you’re going to do something, do it now! I—I need help. Now! Shit!” Declan’s voice came through the com before it cut off abruptly.

I couldn’t think about anything but helping him. I didn’t care if I was hurt by the end of it. “Do it. We’ll make it.” We didn’t have another choice.

“My father will have my head for this.”

My mouth dropped open for a second. Lorne’s father was the King. “You mean literally?”

Lorne gave me a wicked grin that sent shivers down my spine. “No. Not literally. But he’ll be mad.”

I let out a breath and laughed. “Blame me. That’s fine.” I’d survive. Somehow. But I wasn’t sure how much of me would be left after this.

“Never.” His grin faded and he was all business. “If I uncloak it, then you are going down there alone. It seems like Ahiga managed to wipe out the cameras for good, but the rest of the weapons on Apollyon are active. I need to be here.” He closed the distance between us. “I know you don’t remember me, but I also know you don’t feel nothing.” He caressed my neck, and my skin burned bright.

He stepped back from me. “I need you to give us a chance. And to do that, I need you alive. So be careful.”

I nodded, not really agreeing to the rest of it, but I really hoped the alive part was happening. “I will be.” I hoped he didn’t hear the uncertainty in my voice.