Starborne

Chapter 39

I ignored his dig altogether, pulling ahead as we reached an intersection in the corridor and making sure to check around the corners before waving us through.

“I liked your plan a lot more when it was only a concept, Holly.” Koryn couldn't hide the smile in his voice, concerned or not he was clearly excited to get his hands dirty.

“A lot of things are better in theory.” I didn't mean to sound so petulant, but Koryn's snort confirmed I was unsuccessful in keeping the sarcasm out of my voice.

“That's what you tell yourself, then?” Stefin took the opportunity to chime in with another jab, and I finally snapped.

I spun on my heel, turning so quickly Koryn almost barreled into Stefin's back while I fixed him with my coldest glare.

I kept my voice to a low, gritted tone, as I forced myself to look directly into those green eyes.

“You don't know me, your Highness.” I made sure there was no hint of brevity in the nickname.

“You convinced me to open up to you about my past, but that doesn't give you a monopoly on understanding who I am.”

It was uncomfortable to keep rehashing these same arguments under Koryn's awkward glances.

“You told me to leave. And I did. It's not my fault that you lied - or double-bluffed, whatever you call it - I don't presume to know your rationale for that shit show.”

Stefin suddenly looked even more uncomfortable than Koryn. “Where did you-?”

“Your girlfriend has a big mouth. More so than you even know.” I laughed, but it was dry and mirthless.

“Before I got through to Akara, I had a little chat with Melora. Then Groff. Quite a pair, the two of them.”

Stefin had the gall to roll his eyes. I hissed back with exasperation.

“It's not ridiculous for me to be upset about being lied to!”

“Your crush not sharing his whole family line isn’t quite the betrayal you're making it out to be.”

“Cru- what?” I was truly baffled, and beyond frustrated. I took a deep breath to steady myself. In no world did we have time for this.

“It's a betrayal when I find out that she conspired - with Jack - to drug and kidnap me on Cynabar.”

Koryn interrupted with confusion.

“Melora couldn't have been involved in that, Holly, they caught and tried the men responsible.”

“If that was the case, she wouldn't have been able to come back to Jack and try to reveal our plan as barter for Groff's life. Over all of ours.”

Stefin at least had the decency to look concerned.

"Jack knew about the plan - Holly, what happened up there?"

I sighed, pressing my palms so deeply into my eye sockets that small lights rocketed off behind the lids.

"I didn't kill him. Just some light poisoning, probably a concussion. I made sure he's out for the count."

I set off walking again, unable to think clearly enough to hold such an important conversation while my colleagues fought for their lives elsewhere on the ship.

"What exactly did Melora say?" Stefin was keeping closely behind me, barely walking fast as I escalated to a light jog.

"Basically - sibling reveal, a lot of nasty stuff, another bombshell about you lying to me and becoming a social pariah."

Stefin shook his head as if I was being intentionally dense.

"I felt guilty for dragging you into the situation." Stefin suddenly sounded more resigned, albeit still defensive, as we finally made it back to the armory. We had a few precious minutes to suit up, and my repeated glances at my watch did little to reassure.

"And I told you so many times, that I was happy to wait it out." I was back to frustration as I threw on some light armor, struggling to clasp the buckle behind my left shoulder.

"Wait it out so what - we could get even closer, build more of a bond before you left?" I couldn't look at him, he'd spoken aloud those thoughts that I never wanted to verbalize.

I could feel Stefin step closer to me, reaching up a hand as if to help me, but I stepped back angrily and forced the closure on the vest.

"You don't know what would have happened." We were in dangerous territory - literally - my voice soft as I strung reserve ammo through the loops on my jacket.

"I knew I couldn't ask you to stay." His voice was too open, too vulnerable. Sandalwood, permeating with sweat, he was so close I felt suffocated.

"Knew you couldn't? Or were you just too scared?"

We were actively stupid, in the middle of a war, standing as close as two people could be without touching, both resolutely focused on looking anywhere but at each other.

"Why not both?" Koryn chiming in was like a bucket of ice water, bringing me back to reality.

"Koryn -" Stefin started, but his friend cut him off.

"That matching stuff is not a joke. You were both obviously falling for each other, everyone could see it." Oh, the embarrassment.

"Stefin here convinced himself that he was ruining your life - you being a successful Pilot and him being an irresistible prince." The sarcasm wasn't enough to detract from the truth. I scrambled for a pair of lightweight boots, hastily tightening them and refitting my assortment of hidden weapons within.

"There wasn't a right answer for either of you. Holly, you would have eventually regretted giving up your life for him, no matter what he felt. And Stefin, you resented her for leaving you. Oh, and yourself for pushing her away."

Our twin glares did nothing to dissuade Koryn. He cracked a smile.

"At least, that's according to Akara."

Finally, we were dressed, and ready for battle. The knowledge did little to cool my inner turmoil.

As we exited the armory and set off, I gathered my courage and gently touched Stefin's arm.

"Do you really believe that I would become someone like this?" I hated how pleading I sounded, willed my eyes not to search so deeply into his for a sign of understanding.

He hesitated, and then let out a sigh of resignation.

"No." Short and soft, it filled me with a ridiculous amount of hope.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek to fight the goofy smile I wanted to release.

"Alright then. Now, secret mission time. Let's go storm this village."

There. They didn't anticipate that - both their faces registered shock at the same moment a large jolt shook the walls with a clang, and the floor pitched out from under us.