Destiny's Blood

Chapter 12

She’s not doing well.” Layela pointed at the sleeping form of Josmere, her skin yellowing and pasty. She wasn’t sure whether to strike Ardin and Avienne or plead with them. Couldn’t they see that she was wilting?

“She’s not necessary for this,” Avienne said, shrugging. “We could just send her to a nearby colony.” Seeing Layela’s look of horror, she added, “A lush colony.”

“That’s hardly the point! She’s in no condition to take care of herself! She’s barely been conscious in the last day!”

Layela, shaking with rage and guilt, fought against her tears. It was her fault Josmere was involved in this and, after a few days on Collar, a battle and two days on a cold, lifeless ship, the Berganda’s life energies seemed to have taken a bad hit. She needed to rest and heal and, for her to do so, she needed what every other plant needed: earth, water and sun.

“We’re in the middle of a tunnel,” Ardin said. “We can’t exactly open a shutter. All you’ll get is flickering blue light, which can induce seizures in humans, by the way. And we can’t just put her on a shuttle, either,” he added, looking sternly at Avienne. His sister met his look but said nothing. The tension sucked the air out of the room as efficiently as Glotch gas.

“Please,” Layela pleaded.

Avienne sighed and shook her head, as if the weight of this situation was more than she could handle. Layela wondered why her quick smile and crazed actions had vanished. Remembering their first encounter, inspiration struck.

“What about a bargain?”

Avienne’s head tilted sideways with interest. Layela took a deep breath.

“Twice what you are being paid to...transport us.” Avienne took a deep breath and Ardin shook his head.

“I would laugh if this wasn’t so sad,” the smuggler girl said, leaning back against the wall.

Layela shook her head and pleaded again. “Just let us go, bring us to safe port, and as soon as I can find my sister, I’ll repay you.” The Malavants exchanged a glance. Layela looked down at Josmere’s yellow hair, swallowing hard, knowing she was speaking out of desperation to save her friend. “Sunrise Flowers,” she choked on the words, barely able to get them out. “I’ll give you the shop. You can sell it, and it’ll bring a fair bit of money with a few repairs.”

Ardin ran his hand through his hair as he looked at the Berganda. “It won’t be enough.” Layela’s eyes widened as he continued speaking. “We’d need about twenty of those flower shops to meet our price.”

A sharp laugh escaped Layela. “Who would pay that for me?” Ardin studied her and Avienne looked at the wall as though bored. Neither of them said anything.

Layela was about to protest again, when a thought rammed into her head. “Is it Yoma? Did my sister put you up to this?”

Avienne gave a short, bitter laugh. “Honey, unless your sister is more than two and a half meters tall, bears a sword, and, oh, is a middle-aged man, then I doubt it.”

Layela stared back down at Josmere. Yoma had pulled stunts before, but she couldn’t have promised them such a big amount. And why would she get Josmere involved from the beginning, knowing that so much space travel was involved? She felt her hopes wither. This wasn’t her sister’s doing.

It hardly mattered whose doing it was. Josmere’s life was more important. She turned to plead with Ardin.

“Then turn off at the next exit. Give Josmere a chance to heal somewhat. Please.”

“We won’t arrive at the next exit near a solar system for quite a few hours,” he said pensively, watching Josmere. Layela followed his gaze. Some of Josmere’s hair had fallen out, like a dying tree shedding its leaves in an effort to conserve energy and survive.