Page 9

It took far too long to reach the infirmary, especially considering it was so close the airlock door that had just sealed shut behind us. Luckily, the doorway wasn’t blocked and we were able to enter without any more fuss. I’d earned myself a couple of bruises on the way after getting jostled about by stray elbows and firm shoulders, so I took the opportunity to shake out the aches when there was enough space.

‘How is he?’ Urman asked Henrik. I would have asked myself, but I was more focused on the two glowing blue forms. I blinked as my brain tried to catch up. I’d seen Artemis glow before, but not Bromm…

She was hunched over his prone body, their glows matching as if from the same source, and her eyes were closed as she gripped his limp hand between hers. Beside them Cadmus had stayed close, his own body slumped forward as he sat against the side of Artemis’s chair almost as if he were asleep.

I squinted, wondering if the same blue glow was also emanating from him, but I discarded the errant thought as exhaustion catching up to me and focused on the pair that actuallywereglowing. It must have been merely a trick of the light, a visual echo from looking straight at the bright blue light from the other two.

Bromm had looked better. He was currently unconscious with a breathing device sticking out of his throat. We’d entered in time to watch Henrik attach wires to specific areas on Bromm’s body that made the machines around him beep and flash with information I didn’t know how to decipher.

The whole scene was such an odd sight, and I didn’t know where to begin to process it all. If I was honest with myself, I was still stuck on Artemis turning out to be a woman. I was kicking myself for not seeing it before. Now that I knew, it was so obvious looking back. There were so many little things that I’d dismissed as quirky or introverted behaviours that I now realised were attempts to hide her true form.

And this time a solar ago she never would have fucked one man, let alonetwo, in front of an entire group of people. Arthur Mercer was shy, quiet, and reserved. Artemis was the opposite, and I was having a tough time merging the two versions into one.

Perhaps that was my problem, though. Arthur Mercer was an act. Artemis was the real person, and I needed to get to know her as she was without any preconceived conceptions.

But I missed my friend and I wanted him back, and I couldn’t just turn that off. I knew Arty. I didn’t know Artemis. But did I want to?

Of course. That was never in question. Not really. I wanted to know her because despite forming a close bond with her alter ego, the best lies always carried a bit of truth. She hadn’t pulled the Arty persona out of her ass. Some part of that was the real her. I just needed to figure out which parts.

Already, I knew her self-sacrificing tendencies were genuine. And her strength. She’d tried (unsuccessfully) to hide that part of herself while undercover, but there was no need for her to do so now. I just hoped she could trust me enough to be herself without those damn walls getting in the way again.

If we could move forward without her guard up, that would be great,I mentally pleaded with the universe.

The bigger question was, could we move forward withoutmyguard up? She had deceived us all, after all. How deep did that deception go?

I didn’t get the chance to mull those thoughts over because I was interrupted by the guard from before. The one who looked just like Foryk. I was too busy healing from the injuries I’d sustained at the hands of The Program’s scientists or being buried under a mountain of children to pay attention to the full scope of their relationship, but Ihadbeen able to deduce that they were related. Brothers, I would have wagered.

When the guard spoke, I was proven correct, though I was taken aback by the formal tone he used.

‘Foryk, your presence has been requested by Mother. She wishes for both her sons to be present for to uphold our traditions and honour Father.’

Foryk, whom I’d previously ignored in favour of studying the glowing pair, stood up and I noticed he held the blonde boy Artemis had saved in his arms. He passed him to me, and though I accepted the exchange I shot him a look that I hoped expressed my discomfort but he simply ignored me and left the room with his brother.

I looked down at the child in my arms. He was gazing up at me with big green eyes brimming with innocent wonder. Little fingers grappled at my face and tugged on my hair. I knew it was a matted mess and I hoped it was salvageable, but it would probably be even worse after this little guy was done with it.

‘Um, hi there,’ I said as those tiny digits somehow found their way both into my mouth and up my nostrils at the same time. ‘My name is Reece. What’s your name?’

‘Weese!’ he shouted with a smile as he slapped at my cheeks before shmooshing them.

I chuckled. ‘Well done! That’s my name. Can you tell me yours?’

‘Bal!’ he said, punctuating his answer with an excited clap. ‘I Bal!’

‘Well, Bal. It’s nice to meet you,’ I said, letting him mess with my face again. This time he seemed to take a particular interest in my ears. Specifically their pointed tips.

Suddenly, another tremor rocked the ship, except this one was much larger than the others. Those had been simple stops-and-starts while whomever piloted the ship got used to the controls. This one was more like a physical blow that was strong enough to topple us all over as we scrambled to keep ourselves steady. I had one hand over Bal’s head as I cradled him closer to my chest in an attempt to protect him.

Nova Station had mobilised, it seemed, for only one thing could have caused such a reaction.

We were under attack.

A hologram appeared over Bromm’s cot, and the familiar face of my old flight instructor filled the air. If I remembered correctly, her name was GC Stanson, but I could have been wrong.

‘Captain! Their ships are following us with fatal force. What are your orders?’

I expected Xander to step up and start barking instructions, so I was looked to him expectantly, surprised when he didn’t. It took a moment for me to process that they were all looking towards Artemis, and I realised our conundrum. This was Artemis’s ship which made her the captain.

And she was currently unresponsive.