“I haven’t come this far to die now.” The truth was that I wasn’t sure I could keep that promise. I’d try, but I was in so much pain. All I could think about was getting away from SpaceTech and the pain finally being over. One way or another.

Lorne closed his eyes. A burst hit the ship again, and the walls glowed with a red light.

He stood up and went back to the desk. “In three.” His voice cracked. “Two.” I could barely stand to hear it. “One.” The word whispered so softly in the quiet.

I knew I was screaming—the air was ripped from my lungs—but I couldn’t hear it. I couldn’t feel anything, except for pain. It was like a meat grinder in my head, and all I could think was that I’d lied. I couldn’t survive this.

And when the ship stopped, I couldn’t stop screaming.

I don’t know how long I was like that before I could hear something. My own screams. It was faint, but I heard them and tried to stop.

Then my father’s voice yelling.

Someone picked me up and ran.

I felt the air shift. Just like I had in the mine when I’d been sucked into the ship.

And then I heard my mother screaming.

My mother?

Was I dying?

“I’m sorry, Mom.” My voice was little more than a croak, and I heard her answering sob, but I couldn’t make my eyes open. I couldn’t stand the pain. So I did the only thing left that I could do.

I let go.

Chapter Forty-Four

I was warm…

Safe…

Loved…

The light was so bright, so white that it should’ve hurt to look at it, but it didn’t.

Being here was like being wrapped in a warm blanket made of love. Cozy and perfect.

I let out a slow breath and felt the weight of over a decade of fear and pain and sorrow disappear as if it were a trillion light-years away. Finally, I was free. Truly free.

Maybe I should’ve been scared or upset that I was gone—that my life had ended so painfully short—but I wasn’t. Death was true peace, and I wanted to stay here forever.

A low hum rumbled through my soul, and I felt myself being called back, except I didn’t want to go back.

I didn’t want to go…

I didn’t want to—

Chapter Forty-Five

I wasn’t dead. I didn’t hurt. And I was disappointed that I was alive.

Those were the first three things that came into my mind.