Page 14 of Bonds of Starfall

Lucien was her doctor; she could share this confidentially, but her pride made her hesitate. He was silent, waiting for her to continue. And she broke under the weighted quiet he crafted.

She pressed a hand over her sternum. "I can’t take a full breath. I’ve not been sleeping well. I thought it was just the stress of wondering if I’d pass the entry exams, but it’s notstopped. My head hurts almost all of the time. Does that… make me weak?"

Lucien studied her. "It makes you what you are: an anomaly."

The clinical word was harsh, but she understood. The only way he could separate himself from her impending death was to treat her as a normal patient.

"The Nova in your heart continues to weaken you every day. If you forge ahead with your plans of being a Hunter, it will exponentially speed up the process, due to several factors. Stress, physical strain, exposure to Nova in the field. Tell me, Vesperin, have you thought about what will happen if you come into close contact with Nova?"

She had, but that hadn’t stopped her from wanting to be a Hunter.

"I’ll manage. Sabine and Talor mentioned an experimental drug," she started, not willing to admit that the thought of being subject zero for a drug on combating the effects of Nova exposure wasn’t something she was thrilled about. But she would do it if that’s what it took.

"No." Lucien stopped her with a sharp cut of his hand through the air. "Absolutely not. You’re just as likely to die. And it would be a far worse way to go, I would imagine."

She resisted the urge to rub at her near-constant aching chest. "Do you know what it’s like?"

Lucien raised a perfectly groomed, dark brow in question.

"I feel the Nova running through my veins with each beat of my heart, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. It’s like this—this electric heat inside me. I would giveanythingto be rid of it," Rin breathed, staring into Lucien’s cool green eyes. "Even if that means I shorten my time. It’s already numbered, anyway." Her tone was infused with sardonic, dark humor. But she was coping the only way she knew how—pretending it wasn’t real,until she would one day be faced with the inevitability of her Nova-induced demise.

His eyes darkened imperceptibly. "It will not come to that, Vesperin. I promise you, I won’t let you die."

He had been promising her that since the accident. Foolish research could only get him so far.

Rin sighed, scrambling for a topic change—she had never been good with serious conversations, most especially with the stoic Dr. Lucien.

He was just as emotionally stunted as she, for he adjusted his glasses, once more, and reverted to the professional man she knew him as.

"In light of your intensity of symptoms and your Hunter’s training, we’ll increase your appointments." He stood, towering over her. "You’ll see me once a week. Katri will send you a reminder. Don’t be late." His hand dipped into the pocket of his coat, and he pulled out a bottle of pills, uncapping it and tipping two small white tablets into his palm. He held them out to her. "For the headache you’ve been trying to hide from me."

Her cheeks warmed as she took the pills from him. Lips parting, she lifted the pills to her mouth and swallowed them dry—she didn’t want to come across as any weaker than she already did by asking for water. With a grimace, she felt the pills stick in her dry throat.

Carefully, to give her a moment to back away, Lucien raised his hand, settling it on the base of her throat. Her grey eyes grew wide.

"Let me help," Lucien murmured, stroking his thumb firmly down the column of her throat, forcing her to swallow. Just as quickly, he pulled away from her, leaving her wondering if the sparks between them were all in her head.

He gave her his back as he busied himself on the computer, continuing as if he hadn’t rendered her speechless. "In themeantime, get a full eight hours of sleep, minimal alcohol consumption, and don’t skip meals." The last part was said pointedly.

She took that as her cue to stand, and she hopped down from the examination table, heading for the door.

"Vesperin."

She turned at the sound of her name.

"Stay far away from the Nova."

Rin dipped her chin in a short nod, turning the handle as she left his office without a word.

She never did tell Lucien that it would be hard to stay away from Nova, seeing as she was on the Alpha Team.

3

STRANGER

Rin braced a hand on the doorway with a heavy sigh, sweat dampening her spine beneath her shirt.

"That’s the last of it," she said, voice somewhere between exhaustion and excitement as she turned to Kit, who was already starting to open up boxes.