Page 9 of The Last Hope

I inhale a lung full, and my body slackens. So sluggish and heavy and cold. I wonder how he can even move if he feels like solid ice.

As I battle to breathe normally, he scrutinizes my rib cage that moves up and down. I can count each rib bone by sight. Starving. But my hunger can’t be resolved now. He should know that, being a doctor and a good planner of plans.

I wish he’d stop staring at my bones. I snap at him, “I’mfine.”

Sternness narrows his eyes. “You realize you’re lying like I was.” Court’s worry washes over my body like warm bathwater.

A part of me is surprised that he cares about me. The other part is sad that I’m surprised at all.

“I’m not the one dying,” I say with less bite and roll away from him. Nearing the door. I appreciate his help, but we can’t bicker. Not now.

I kneel and train my concentration on Mykal. Heightening the link, I soon lose sense of the sting in my hip and feel the quickenedthump thumpof Mykal’s heart in my chest. Beads of sweat pouring down his pale skin.

His strength is my strength.

My hand is his hand.

I’m no longer afraid of feeling his unrestrained, furious fortitude that could injure and maim any foe.

His enemies are my enemies.

And we owe this cadetnothing.

“I can see your arm wailing around.” The cadet chuckles. “You’re pitiful.”

Mykal grunts, stretching his arm farther out and pressing his cheek up against the metal door. He fists clothing.

The cadet jerks back. “Too slow—”

Mykal seizes a bony wrist. His fingers wrap tightly around the cadet’s limb.

“You don’t want to do that,” the cadet warns.

“Yeah, I fucking do.” Mykal squeezes his wrist—I squeeze in violent desperation.

Mykal never lets go.

I never let go.

The cadet zaps Mykal twice. We all breathe through our noses.Don’t fall. Don’t fall, Mykal.The shock scalds Court and me.

We rattle.

Another zap.

Mykal screams through the pain. Spit flying. Muscles twitching.

His scream rumbles inside my lungs, and suddenly, all of our anger explodes to the surface. Thirty-one days of confinement and punishment. For no good or justifiable reason.

I yell with snot and blistering tears. Court yells with the last of his breath. And Mykal wrenches the cadet forcefully against the door.Thwack!

It sounds like skull hitting metal.

The cadet lets out a guttural groan.

Mykal pulls back and yanks again and again. Slamming the cadet into the door that imprisons us.

“Stop,” the cadet moans.