Page 27 of Tethered

Ice sluices through my veins. I scramble away from Tanisira, watching her with a sudden wariness.

Immediately, I think the ISA must be here for me. The image of being marched away in front of Vee, my wrists bound, flashes through my mind. I shudder. TheMidasis huge, and maybe, given time, I could find a few hiding places. That’s assuming Tanisira wasn’t the one who reported me. Would Dominik—

Movement snaps me out of my spiral; it’s Tanisira’s fingertips against my cheek. She looks worried, but my body reacts violently, wound so tightly there was no way it wouldn’t have snapped. I shove her away, stumbling back into thebulkhead, wincing as the impact rocks my head and pain lances through my chest.

Tanisira stares. “What’s wrong?”

“Did you call them?”

For the first time, I see Tanisira’s composure completely split down the middle. Nothing around us has changed, and yet everything has. She’d been reaching for me, but at this, her arms drop to her sides. Lightning streaks across her expression, followed by thunder. It makes the hair on my arms stand up.

“You think I’d do that?” she demands.

“Why else would they be approaching?”

“I don’t know.”

“What else am I supposed to think?” I snap.

“I don’t expect you to trust me after only two days, but I—” She clenches her jaw. “I would not hurt you.”

“You’re right. I don’t trust you.”

Tanisira flinches. I watch her, my whole body taut as a bow, as she takes a few steps away. With the distance comes the sharp realisation that it doesn’t matter who reported me—I need to hide.

“Dominik only needs me to be arrestedonce.The last time he took me to court, the only reason the judge couldn’t grant him full custody was because I didn’t have any black marks against my name. Even Dominik couldn’t paint me an unfit mother without evidence.”

I push past her and head for Vee’s cabin but Tanisira’s hand clamps around my wrist. I skid to a halt.

“Where are you going?” She asks.

I try to yank my arm back, but she’s too strong. So I round on her instead, fingers curling into a fist. Her glare could melt glass, but at this moment, I’m sure that mine could kill.

“I’m going to get my son and find somewhere to hide. Let. Go.”

Frustration colours her body rigid. “That’s a terrible plan.”

“It’s the only one I’ve got,” I snap and finally rip my arm out of her grasp.

“What are you so scared of?” Tanisira lowers her voice. “Did you lie to me about something?”

“Either help me or leave me alone.”

Her shoulders snap back. “Of course I’ll help you.” She almost looks offended. “But you have to listen to me.”

Her words take the wind out of my sails, and I sag against the bulkhead in my confusion. My system is fried, nerves all aflame and body aching from head to toe. The adrenaline will probably carry me for a while longer, but I’m not looking forward to the crash. Tanisira, on the other hand, has managed to gather her wits in mere seconds despite being just as frustrated with me as I was with her. I don’t know how to drop my anger once I’m holding it, but I need her help, so I’ll figure it out.

Through gritted teeth, I wait.

“I’d rather not have the ISA aboard either,” she says.

I file that away for analysis later, when my lizard brain isn’t scratching at the walls of my sanity.

“Hiding you will only make things worse for both of us, because they will find you.” She makes a gentle slashing motion with her hand when I start to protest. “But I have an idea that might work.”

“Okay. Let me get Vee, and we’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

“You can’t bring him.”