Page 6 of Bound By Stars

“Congratulations, Ms. Fleet.” The porter smiles, inclining her head. The door closes behind her with the soft sound of compressed air before I can thank her.

I turn back to the window. Heat expands in my chest, up my neck, prickling at my eyes. Has Mom realized I’m gone? How angry is she going to be?

When I’d uncovered the ivory envelope with my name in elegant script under the mess on her worktable, her tone had been cautious, like she’d done something wrong. And she knew it. “It’s too dangerous up there.”

“Are you kidding me? Have you seen the Elysians? They have it made on Mars!”

“It only seems that way because you’ve only ever lived here.”

“So have you!” My voice had grown louder, angrier with every word, as the weight of her betrayal settled on my shoulders. “They have everything! They live in a protected atmosphere where they don’t have to scrape by and work in shitty factories and get dust lung and—”

She snatched the paper out of my hand. “You aren’t going.”

“Like hell, I’m not!” I grabbed for the letter, but she held it out of reach.

She sucked in a shaky breath. “I wish I didn’t have to say no, but it’s too big a risk.”

“It’s not your choice!”

“You don’t… If they… Weslie, it’s my job to protect you. I’m not changing my mind.” She petted my hair with her free hand, staring straight into my face.

“I’m not like him, you know. Dad. I wouldn’t leave you here.”

Pinching her eyes closed, she took a slow step back toward her worktable.

I pushed away the guilt. She couldn’t hold me captive becauseheabandoned her.

“Can you please trust me on this one?”

“Trust you?” I narrowed my eyes to slits, pointedly trained on the stolen letter in her hand.

“I’m sorry, Wes.” She clicked on the torch.

The edge of the paper curled and disintegrated in the flames licking over the pristine lettering.

“Attention,Boundlesspassengers.” The gentle, robotic voice cuts through the memory. “Welcome aboard. All passengers have been accounted for, and we have officially departed on our journey to Mars station. Estimated arrival in thirty-six days, six hours, thirty-five minutes. Thank you for traveling with White Star Line.”

I take a steadying breath and blink away hot, stinging tears, still staring down at Earth. Home. Outside the atmosphere, my fresh anger feels weakened. I already made it. I’m on the ship. On my way. There’s nothing Mom can do now. And she’s alone down there. A microscopic speck on a blue planet.

She’ll understand after I present ILSA to the company heads on Mars. When they give me the internship, ask me to stay. Unlike my dad, I’ll send for her to join me. And she won’t have to work in a factory anymore. She won’t start coughing one day and never stop. She won’t have to waste her talent on minor repairs. And we won’t have to worry about surviving all the time.

“ILSA, end silent mode.”

She comes back to life. “Yes, Weslie.”

“I’m ready to send that message to Mom now.”

Chapter Three

Jupiter

Thirty-five days to Mars

With my bag slung over my shoulder and my shoes in my hands, I creep across the polished floor of the sitting room illuminated by the glow of artificial crackling flames in the fireplace.

Almost free. With any luck, I’ll slip out without having to deal with Gianna, my mother’s henchwoman.

As I step into the foyer, the overhead light clicks on. I jerk to a stop five feet from the front door, clenching my jaw and pinching my eyes shut. Please, please be Gianna. I may never get out of here if it’s Mom.

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