Page 103 of The Last Hope
“We’re all a strange sort,” Franny says quietly, but light brightens in us. We’re making greater sense of what we share. What others like us once shared.
Stranger, even, to think we’re all that’s left now.
The last three lifebloods.
“You’re forgetting something,” Court suddenly says, more weight descending on his chest. He’s staring at Stork, who fills up a damned glass with liquor.
Sighing, Stork rotates to Court. “Am I?”
“If lifebloods are only created by using the same Death Reader,” Court says. “How did all three of us use the same device and end up in three different places?”
Yamafort.
Bartholo.
Grenpale.
Stork smiles bitterly. “It’s all connected, mate. I told you there was a reason I kept this secret. It’s allconnected.And here we are. You, wanting answers. Me, protecting a dying wish.” He kicks back against the cabinets. “Tell me, which matters more? Your greed? Or their sacrifice?”
We all glance at one another, unsure.
Stork opens his arms. Tears cinch his eyes. “I’m waiting.”
TWENTY-THREE
Franny
“Simply put, don’t fall in the water, and you won’t drown,” Padgett says while I push fleet grub around in my bowl. At 5 o’morning, the warmly lit dining hall is hushed, early risers chewing on cornmeal and berries.
More militant than StarDust, there are no velveteen chairs or crystal goblets. Just a piping-hot buffet spread, benches wrapped around bronze circular tables, and framed picture screens on leafy-green walls.
In a corner next to a potted fern, Padgett, Gem, and I eat breakfast together and talk about the retrieval operation.
We leave theLucretziatomorrow, and after two months of trying and trying, I botched every attempt at swimming. Lately, I’ve thought less about being a lifeblood and more about staying above water.
I dig a bonnaberry out from the mush. “I was hoping humans were majestically buoyant as a natural survival instinct.” Turns out, I’m the opposite of buoyant when panicked.
I sink.
Anyway, I only learned about buoys and sailboats and seafaring things from our two-month Saltare-1 training, but talking about the ocean is different than seeing it.
Gem takes dainty sips of orange juice. “Humans do have floatation jackets. I read about them in a safety manual.”
I straighten up from a slouch.
“Humanflotation jackets,” Padgett emphasizes, stirring hergrub. “If you wear that on Saltare-1, they’ll know you’re not Saltarian.” And then I’d be sent to Onakar Prison.
I try not to mope. “I guess I just better pray to the gods that I don’t fall in.” I eat a spoonful, the gritty texture easier to swallow since my first day here.
“Chin up.” Gem cups her glass with two hands. “Between the three of us, we’ll overcome all odds. I also put in a request that we share the same trash bin to Saltare-1.”
We all laugh when she saystrash binlike it’s a Purple Coach and we’re just leisurely being driven to a new planet.
“A request with who?” I ask. “Stork or Court?”
“Both.”
Padgett adjusts a pretty pendant at her throat, the pink jewel complementing her brown skin. “Most likely, you’ll be in a trash bin with Court and Mykal. I think they’ll want to keep the humans together.”
