Page 33 of Rebels Rising

‘Stay here, don’t move. I’ll get you some water.’

The warmth that was on my arm disappeared as she retreated to the other side of the room where a tiny kitchenette held an even tinier refrigerator. She retrieved a bottle sloshing with clear liquid then returned, handing it over as I weakly lifted my arm to accept it. It took a lot more energy than I’d anticipated to lift it to my lips, but I drank deeply, panting when I finally lowered the now empty bottle.

‘Thank you,’ I said, and though my voice was small I didn’t fall into a coughing fit like the last time I’d tried to speak. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d had something to drink, which would explain my current state. It had been days before Artemis and the others had arrived, I knew that much. No wonder breathing felt like nails scratching down my oesophagus and scraping the lining of my lungs.

‘How are you feeling?’ she asked, settling back in beside me on the bed. I had been sitting on the side with my legs over the edge, which explained why my ass was numb.

‘I’m… okay,’ I said slowly, rolling the words over in my mouth to see how they felt. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but I didn’t think it was the truth either. It was more like I was in some sort of emotional limbo, grateful to be free but a part of me was left behind in my cell and the facility.

Adara frowned, clearly not believing me. Perhaps she was right not to. I wasn’t sure I believed myself either, but I knew I had to believe that, at the very least, I would be okay eventually. Even if that wasn’t today.

‘Are you sure?’ she pushed warily.

I sent her a small, melancholy smile. ‘I’m okay right now. How about I let you know if that changes?’

Her hand came to rest on top of my arm, her warmth seeping into me again and soothing something I hadn’t realised I needed until that moment. ‘I just wanted to come and check on you. You’ve been noticeably absent since we left Nova Station. I was worried.’

I placed my free hand over hers, squeezing gently. ‘I appreciate the concern, Adara. Thank you for caring.’

‘Of course. I’m here for you. If you want to talk… I know that not a lot of people here would understand what you’ve been through, but I do. At least some of it.’

‘I think… I’d like that. Just not right now,’ I admitted.

‘I can respect that.’

She started to remove her hand but I caught it before she could get very far, a sudden panic cresting inside my chest. ‘Where are you going?’

She paused, eyeing me carefully. ‘I was just going to head out. You said… I thought you’d want some peace.’

‘Stay.’

The word was tinged with an array of emotions, none of which I was willing to delve deeper into at this point in time. She seemed to understand enough, however, and retook her position beside me, hand still clutched in mine.

‘Okay. I’ll stay.’

???

I woke to the sensation of fingers running through my hair. They scratched gently at my scalp, and I satisfied growl built in my chest. I was rewarded with a girlish giggle before the fingers were removed from my hair, the bed dipping as the owner of that hand got up.

My eyes blinked open blearily as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Not that I was complaining. I would happily wake up like that every day, but I was definitely discombobulated.

My confusion dissipated as I caught sight of Adara, the events of the previous evening – or whenever that was – surging back to the forefront of my mind. Guilt swamped me when I caught sight of another person, however.

Adara nestled herself into Xander’s embrace, the two of them looking very cosy and happy to see one another. I wasn’t sure why she’d stayed with me when she had him, and while I was grateful, I wasn’t the kind of man to steal a woman away from another man. Especially when they were so clearly, sickeningly in love.

I moved to stand, the rustle of the sheets causing Xander’s eyes to snap to mine, but what I saw there made me relax. There was no accusation in his gaze, merely kindness and concern, and most of my guilt dissipated. Nothing untoward had happened anyway, I assured myself.

‘How are you feeling, Hastings?’ he asked, still using my last name. I wasn’t sure he would ever see me as anything more than a cadet, or at the very least his responsibility. I didn’t want to be his burden to bear forever, and now that I was free from The Program’s clutches, no longer wasting away inside that stars-damned cell or laying broken and bleeding at the mercy of those fucked up scientists, I needed to remove myself from under his umbrella of protection. It was going to take some effort to convince him I was okay on my own, but the sudden realisation that I needed to stand on my own two feet and prove tomyselfthat I could smacked into me with the force of a battering ram.

The epiphany bolstered me, my spine straightening as determination filled every inch of me. I knew what I needed to do. First, I would get my strength back. They may have taken it from me once before, but I would ensure no one could ever do so again. Then, I would make myself useful in this fight. I was going to be the first one in, front and centre to destroy the bastards who thought they could get away with this.

‘Hastings?’ – ‘Reece?’

Both Adara and Xander called to me, slicing through my thoughts and reminding me that Xander had asked me a question.

‘Hmm? Oh, yeah. I’m feeling okay. Better, actually,’ I admitted, a small smile tugging at my lips. It wasn’t full by any means, but I’d get there. How, I wasn’t so sure yet. Physical strength was a hell of a lot easier to recover than mental strength, and I wasn’t ready to dig into that pit of misery just yet.

‘Are you sure?’ Adara asked, unsure.

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