I pulled Quanta around the corner and broke into a sprint, tugging her along. Just bring me back to life.

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

QUANTA

As soon as Tair stopped running, I was going to punch him. We would’ve been gonners in the holo room, but we were still gonners. Except now I was sweaty.

And borderline flipping out.

“Take him down!” Darren’s voice echoed down the corridor and I could just picture his face turning that gross shade of red. Boots thumped behind us, only a few steps back.

Who’s going to bring me back to life? I had to ask Tair the quiet way because I was panting as we hustled down the long hall. Only his grip on my fingers kept me from falling. If we did this up much longer I’d definitely need resuscitating.

You’re going to stay alive. Tair’s firm voice sounded in my head. Then he tugged me down another turn like a human rubber band. But it wasn’t the right time to complain.

As soon as we rounded the corner an alarm started blaring.

I’d seen what happened when alarms sounded and we had maybe ten seconds before a mess of warriors flooded the floor. Gripping Tair’s fingers tighter, I let him pull me where he wanted as I checked the future for paths where neither of us ended up in a pool of blood.

The book of the future opened to my mental reach, easy as anything while I still held onto Tair. Skimming through, I looked for a way out or at least proof that I’d be able to rewind us out of this disaster.

We run left and guards pour through a hidden panel in the wall; we turn right and hit a dead end, the guards closing the space between us in a breath; we keep going straight and—

“Panel!” I dug in my heels, throwing all my useless muscle into it to stop Tair. We skidded just short as part of the ceiling dropped down. I saw the ghostly line of the security laser before it shot out and pushed him away.

The beam bit across the back of my hand. I yelped and gripped it to my chest, but adrenaline burned away the hurt. Flipping through layer after layer after layer of future options, I tried to find a non-death option, but I couldn’t focus on the present and the future at the same time.

Tair lunged for me. “Are you o—”

“Put me on your back.” I basically jumped on his shoulders, but he slung me around without wasting time. I need to concen—Laser!

He shifted my weight as he dodged. I slung my arms and legs around him but the world in front of me fuzzed with timeghosts ghosts so I couldn’t get too lost in the body contact as he kept running.