Page 40 of Fractured Future

We shuffle towards our rooms, keeping our heads lowered just in case anyone passes by. Hyland’s hand remains clamped under my arm to take the weight off each footstep.

“You’re in 302.” Warner stops outside the first door, selecting one set of keys. “I need to come in to look you over, Em. You’re barely walking straight.”

“I’m f-fine,” I strangle out.

“Convincing.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You’re clearly not. Ideally, we’d let Sabre’s medics check you out, but I’m not prepared to wait that long.”

Extricating myself from Hyland, I try to stand straight. “Look, I’ve survived worse.”

“That’s…” Warner pushes out a frustrated breath, “so not the point, Em. You know I was a field medic in the military. Let me check you over.”

“Really, I’m okay.”

“Still being a stubborn shit, huh?”

Hyland smothers a chuckle.Dickhead.

“Yep,” I hum.

Reaching for the door handle to escape inside, another rush of pain and dizziness causes me to fall into the painted wood. My body hits it with a thud that can’t be played off.

“Ember!”

I slump back against the taut body that moves behind me. “Oh, fuck.”

“What is it?” Warner demands.

“H-Hurts. I’ll take some painkillers if you have them.”

“Get the supply bags from the car,” Warner orders, his hands moving to grasp my hips. “Inside, Em. No more arguments.”

I’m frogmarched into the dark room, letting Warner pause to flip lights on. It reveals a small, basic space. With a tiled, terracotta floor, simple double bed and rotating ceiling fan, the sparse furnishings fit our needs.

Depositing me on the edge of the bed, Warner surveys me. “Where are you hurt?”

“Ribs,” I wheeze. “Spine. Asshole kept slamming me.”

“Who?”

“Long story.”

“Dammit.” He shakes his head in barely contained anger. “What else? Dizziness?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have a head injury?”

Not a recent one.

Saving me having to cook up a lie, Warner moves to let Hyland in when he raps on the door. The pair flash to my side, a backpack ditched next to me on the mattress.

Toeing off my shoes, my bare feet are rubbed raw from being rushed to shove them on. The reminder takes me soaring back to my earlier escape. Or rather, the stranger who orchestrated it.

No one explained when I revealed Blaine’s name as he’d instructed. But from the widening of Warner’s eyes and Hyland’s colourful curse, they have a history. One I’ll need to uncover.