“Stop here.” She pulled them to a halt. “Are you okay?”
That muscle ticked in his jaw again. “Yes.”
“Liar.”
“I won’t stop until you’re safe.”
The words and the look in his eyes melted her. He would do exactly what he promised. He was the most honest, honorable man she knew. She felt a flash of emotion under her heart. She was falling in love with Sabin.
This day was officially the craziest day ever.
She heard the Kantos in the corridor getting closer.
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand.
They started moving the other way. He yanked her down another corridor.
He was slowing down, his limp worsening. “Sabin?”
“I have some internal bleeding.”
No. Brent had died of his internal bleeding. Old, ugly memories crashed in on her like a swarm of locust.
No. She couldn’t lose it. She had to stay strong and help Sabin. She couldn’t lose Sabin.
Suddenly, he stopped. “Here.”
A door was set into the wall in front of them. Sabin tapped the wall and yanked open a panel. Wires, organic looking tubes, and some brown ooze filled the small compartment.
He did something inside the compartment, and the larger door slid open. Inside, was what looked like a large cocoon. The top half of it was open.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“A Kantos escape pod. Get in.”
She spun to look at him. “What?”
“We can’t get to the swarm ships. I won’t last much longer. I need you to get in. I’ll program a signal that the Rengard can pick up. You’ll be safe.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re coming, too.”
“I need to keep the Kantos distracted so they don’t realize the pod’s gone.”
“No.” She grabbed his arms. “I am not leaving without you.”
His jaw tightened. “Finley—”
“No.” She shook her head. “You and me, or I stay and help you fight.”
He growled.
“I won’t lose you,” she whispered.
“Cren.” He yanked her in for a kiss. “Fine. Get in.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You first.”
He scowled and climbed into the cocoon pod. She climbed in beside him. It wasn’t huge, and it was oddly shaped, but there was plenty of room for them.
The door closed, and red lights flickered to life.
“Buckle in the best you can. These are designed for Kantos bodies.” He touched the controls.
Then, without any warning, a low beep sounded, and the pod jettisoned into space.
Finley was pushed back against the pod seat, and her stomach dropped. Oh, God.
Sabin wished he had control of his helian, so he could hack right into the escape pod controls.
Finley was clinging to him, but not panicking. That was his tough, gorgeous Terran.
He worked the controls and hoped the Kantos ship hadn’t noticed them leave.
The pod jolted wildly.
“Oh, God, what’s happening?” she asked.
Sabin squeezed her arm. “The battlecruiser’s firing on us.”
She made a sound and pressed her face to his chest. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No. I’ll try to get us out of range.”
He wished again for his helian. The pod wasn’t very maneuverable. He checked the screen and saw that there was a large planet nearby, though he wasn’t sure what it was. He did a brief scan and was grateful that the atmosphere was reading in range for him and Finley to be able to breathe. The air might be a little thin, but it was fine.
“Can you send a signal to your warship?”
“No. The Kantos would target us.”
Her nose wrinkled. “You said you’d send one if you sent me out in the pod.”
“Yes. Because I would have provided enough distraction to keep them off you. If I send one now, it will just help them hone in on us.”
Suddenly, the pod was clipped by laser fire, and they spun out of control.
Finley screamed.
Sabin gritted his teeth and fought for control. “The pod’s systems are damaged.” More laser fire winged past them, making the pod rock. “We’re losing oxygen.”
“Sabin…”
He met her gaze. “I’m not going to let you die. We’re heading for the planet.”
She nodded. “I trust you. Whatever happens…I’m glad we’re together.”
He quickly kissed her.
The controls made a squawking sound. “We’re entering the planet’s atmosphere.”
The ride got bumpy, the pod spinning and jerking.
He wrapped his arm around Finley. He looked at the screen and took a deep breath.
“Brace for impact.”
“Sabin—”
He pulled her closer and kissed her.
They hit the ground with a bone-jarring impact. They were tossed around, the pod tipping over and over and over.
Finley cried out.
He held her tightly as they slid along the ground and finally stopped.
By Ston’s sword, he never wanted to do that again.
“Finley?”
“I never want to go into space again,” she said.
Her tone was a little shaky, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Are you injured?”
“A few bumps, but I’m fine.” She looked at him. “You?”
His body was a mass of agony. “I’m fine.”
“Liar.”
“Let’s get out of here. The Kantos will come searching.”
He touched the controls, and the pod opened with a hiss. Sunlight flowed over them, combined with an eerie silence.
They climbed out of the pod and he stifled a groan. Finley helped him stand.
“The oxygen’s a little low,” he warned her, “so take it easy.”
She nodded, looking around. They were standing in the center of a city, nestled in a valley between several hills. It was abandoned, with recent signs of fighting.
All the buildings gleamed, made from a white stone, but many were marred with scorch marks. Some of them were just rubble. All around them, the trees had been stripped of leaves, and there wasn’t much greenery left.
“What happened here?” Finley murmured.
Sabin shook his head. He had a suspicion of where they were.
Finley wandered down the cobblestone street. On the mountain top above them sat a ruined temple. The design was elegant, even beautiful. The ruined city’s architecture was artful, with lots of quiet pools and now-still fountains.
There were also several overturned transports in the street.
Finley gasped.
“What?” He hurried to her.
“God.” Tears shimmered in her eyes and she pressed her hand to her mouth. “Sabin, look.”
The street was littered with desiccated skeletons. They were humanoid.
“Where are the animals? There are no birds, no insects.” Her eyes widened. “The Kantos attacked here.” Horror filled her eyes.
He sighed. “I suspect this is the planet C’addon. The Kantos recently attacked it.”
“Everyone’s dead. Wiped out like they never existed.” She swallowed, then her eyes sparked. “I’m not letting them do this to Earth.”