Page 56 of Rebels Rising

She squinted her eyes at me as if searching for a lie, but she wouldn’t find one. Seemingly satisfied, she nodded. ‘Sure. Is this a private conversation?’

‘That would be preferable,’ I concurred.

‘I’ve got Bal and Junior,’ Stanson told her and Artemis gave her a grateful smile.

‘Thanks, Eloria. I’ll be back soon.’

The pilot waved her comment away. ‘Don’t worry about it. Take your time.’

Artemis led the way, and we ended up at a doorless bunk. There was a single, large bed in the centre and a pile of shredded blankets in the corner which I assumed was Dave Junior’s bed. She’d taken me to her room.

She sat on the edge of her mattress and gestured for me to join her. I perched carefully on the corner, uncertain what to do with myself or how to begin this conversation. Artemis took the decision from me, however, and made a comment that made my heart clench painfully in my chest.

‘You’re mad at me.’

‘No! No, I’m not mad at you.’

‘Yes, you are. It’s okay, I get it, but please don’t lie about it.’

I swivelled my body so I was facing her fully, catching her gaze in my own. ‘No, Artemis. I’m not lying. I’m not mad at you.’

Her previously stoic expression shifted so minutely that I almost didn’t catch it, but there was a flicker of confusion and hurt that she quickly covered up again. ‘Then what is this about? I thought…’

‘That I was going to have a go at you for lying? No, Arty, that’s not what this is about.’

‘So… you’renotupset with me?’

I inhaled a stuttered breath, my exhale just as shaky. ‘No, I’m not upset with you. I’m upset about this whole situation. I’m upset that I was wrongfully convicted of a disgusting crime that I never committed. I’m upset that I ended up under The Program’s knife. And I’m upset because I miss you and I don’t know how to talk to you anymore.’

‘Oh, Reece.’ Her arms wrapped around me in a desperate hug that I fell into without any protest, burying my face in her shoulder to try and hide the way my emotions screamed through my expression.

‘I knew you’d come for me, I just didn’t expect everything to no longer make sense,’ I whispered into her neck.

Her hands rubbed soothing circles on my back, one coming up to tangle her fingers at the base of my hair. Her nails scratched pleasantly, and I sank even further into her embrace.

‘Can I be honest with you, Reece?’ she asked, her voice small and hesitant while her arms tightened around me as if afraid I would run away.

‘Please.’

‘I never planned on coming back.’

Surprisingly, my heart didn’t sink like I thought it would at her confession. ‘I figured as much,’ I admitted.

‘I was never planning on staying, either.’

‘I gathered that, too.’

‘I only came back because the kids were on Nova Station.’

‘I know.’

‘I’m so sorry.’

This time I was the one who tightened my grip, afraid she would pull away when we were finally starting to get somewhere. ‘You never would have left us there. I know the kids were the reason you came back, but I know you never would have abandoned us if you had the chance to get us out. I understand.’

‘Do you really, though? Because I would have left you all there if our paths had never crossed again.’

‘But they did cross,’ I said determinedly, pulling back so I could look her in the eye. ‘You had the opportunity to get me, Addy,andall those kids out and you took it. You escaped your own prison and saved all those women there, too. Just because you weren’t actively planning an escape doesn’t make you a bad person, or a bad friend. You can’t be everywhere at once.’

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