He pulled her back, despite her resistance. “I’m not sure,” he whispered. “I’m not sure about anything.”

She softened against him, and Atlas drew her closer still, holding her tight. Damn him for being warm. His embrace was the most comforting thing she’d experienced since the orbitos. It made her realise she was craving the touch of other humans. Not a day went by on the space station where she didn’t receive a hug from one of her knot mates.

Was it possible to be too tired to feel anything? If so, Romy was. She whispered, “Why are we still alive?” to no one in particular.

They were simple words to use for all she wanted to know.

Why could they breathe?

Why could they eat and drink?

How was it Atlas had lived for five years?

He rubbed her arm. “I’m . . . I’m not sure.”

And why was Atlas lying to her?

* * *

“Rosemary. . . ,” a hoarse voice whispered in her ear.

She stretched her arms above her head and rubbed her face. “Hmm?”

“Come with me.”

She was dragged upwards before she could voice her protests.

Eyes barely open, Romy stumbled through the sand after Atlas, grateful her foot was 90 per cent healed. Hopping along on crutches would be impossible on this terrain.

Atlas directed her to a log facing the ocean. “Sit here. Watch.”

“But I want to put my feet in the ocean,” she whined. She sounded like Elara. It was early.

He pushed her back onto the log. “Stay. You won’t regret it. Then you can play in the water all you want.”

Romy huffed. “That’s not what I was going to do. I wanted to test if it was acidic.”

“Sure you did.”

She shivered and scooted closer to Atlas’s side. Romy leaned in when he didn’t move, grateful for his body heat. Sudden curiosity took over her, and she tilted her face up to smell him. There was no reason why. It wasn’t something she’d ever wanted to do before—to anyone. Atlas froze.

Romy’s cheeks reddened. “Uh, you smell like Eucalyptus,” she explained, peeking up at him.

His face was smooth as he held her gaze, eyes masked.

Why did she just do that?

He broke off their stare to face the ocean. “Here it is,” he breathed.

She sat up. What was here? She followed his awed stare across the water. Romy couldn’t help her intake of breath. Without conscious thought, she lunged to her feet and took two faltering steps towards the water.

It was beautiful.