Call the Rebels - Renegades

One

Nova let her head rest on her Uncle's chest. She couldn't sleep. Again. Nova barely managed to get any sleep the first night after her family's death. And who could blame her? No one expected her to recover from what happened in less than 24 hours. But this was the third night. Yes, they knew she wouldn't be okay then, but the anarchists hoped she could at least sleep. Even for five minutes. People worried that another sleepless night would drive her insane. And so her Uncle Ace left a meeting with the Anarchists early just to lay in bed with her. To comfort her. Her father used to do the same thing when she'd have nightmares. Nova almost felt bad for pulling her uncle away, but once he laid the blanket over them, she didn't care. She felt safe.

Ace sifted his fingers through her hair. "Nova, close your eyes and try to rest. Please." And she did. She was so tired, she felt she could have passed out right then and there, but she didn't. Not when she knew what would happen if she did.

"Uncle Ace?"

He hummed.

"Why do you think the Renegades didn't save them?"

He stopped playing with her hair and held her head to his chest instead. "The Renegades are selfish people, Nova," he kissed the top of her head, "They only care about what they want. And without your father, there were fewer weapons to worry about."

"But Papa promised to stop."

"The Renegades are liars. They'll say what you want to hear, and then stab you in the back."

Nova felt tears in her eyes, but she still kept them closed. It was almost funny how her uncle and father had two completely different views on the Renegades. Her uncle despised them and her father trusted them. But look at where that had gotten him. He had told Nova to trust them too. He was so sure they'd be safe. Nova heard hundreds of stories about Renegades and the amazing things they did, all the people they saved. Why were they so loved if they were only lying to us?

"How do you know the Renegades only lie to us?"

She felt his jaw tighten on the top of her head. "I used to be close with one before he became a Renegade." Nova noticed his heart began to beat faster. "I had known him since we were kids. He used to be your father's best friend. I only got close to him because David insisted on us being friends too, but it became more than that." Not only had his heart felt like it was going to explode any second, but his body trembled ever so slightly. She had never seen her uncle like this. "I loved him, Nova. And he loved me. But he lied to me, just like he lied about protecting your father."

"Did he lie about loving you?"

"No. It was about something else."

"Then what did he lie about?"

He held her head closer. "Shhh. Get some rest, Nova."

She didn't want to. She wanted to open her eyes. She wanted to know what the Renegades had done to her uncle. She wanted to know what Hugh Everhart did. Ace said the Renegade who lied to him was the same Renegade who let her family die. What had happened?

Though she had so much on her mind, Nova grew tired again. Ace's hand had returned to playing with the ends of her hair.

So instead, she kept her eyes shut as her breathing evened out. Nova fell asleep that night in her uncle's arms. But he grew busier and busier every day. Raids, meetings, attacks. He was never able to be with her to help her sleep. He was never able to hold her.

That night was the last night Nova ever slept.