Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 132491 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132491 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
The worry lines in his brow deepen. “Is it repairable?”
I shrug. “We’d have to cross through unprotected territory to find out, and Virginia’s just waiting for us to do it. She killed one of our team members last time and injured another one.”
McClain’s shoulders slump. “The shield will go down.”
“We’re searching for the flowers. It’s all we can do.”
He nods, his expression grim. “This is all my fault.”
“Maybe you’ll be able to do something to help.”
He shakes his head. “It’s too far gone. Even if I had the flowers and could make a stabilizer, Virginia wouldn’t let her people take it.”
“Let’s hope that’s a problem we get to work on a solution for.” I hold my hand out. “Can I take your bowl?”
He takes the piece of toast from the bowl and passes it to me. I nod to him as I take it and walk back to the rock path that led me here.
The past few days have been a contradiction of sorts. Marcus brings me to the highest peak of happiness, both in and out of bed, when we’re alone together. But we’re also running on borrowed time as we search for the flowers every day, because our supply of electricity is dwindling by the day and because every day his aromium is activated so close to full bonding, the more likely it is that it won’t go back off.
I’d be devastated if he was sentenced to a lifetime of aromium. When I start to think about it, I force the idea from my mind. We’re not there yet.
When I get to the Sub’s entrance, Amira, Nova, Chance, Wyatt and Adele are all gathered there, waiting for the rest of Command Team One to arrive.
A small tree nearby that had leaves yesterday morning is blackened and bare today, because yesterday afternoon Rising Tide members shot two dozen flaming arrows into our camp.
Thankfully, two of the security teams were drilling in the center of camp when it happened, and they were quick to get everyone sheltered and get the fires put out. One man was grazed by an arrow, but he wasn’t seriously injured.
Just when I think my anger for Virginia has peaked, she decides firing flaming arrows into a camp of innocent people is a good idea. I should have finished her off when I had the chance. She was restrained by vines and I had a knife. I could have cut her throat and ended her, but I didn’t. Something tells me that decision will come back to bite me hard later.
“Everyone ready?” Marcus asks.
He and Niran are approaching, and my stomach does a full somersault just from looking at him. All six feet, four inches of him are mine every night, and I still can’t get enough. We fall asleep wrapped around each other in his small bed, waking up sweaty the next morning in the tropical heat, but also content. Maybe even more than content, but I don’t want to tempt fate by even thinking words like happy.
“Hey, B.” Marcus passes me a hair tie and my canteen, which he filled for me.
“Thanks.”
Niran smirks. “You two are gonna put me in a sugar coma. I’d think you just stare into each other’s eyes and recite poetry every night if my room wasn’t on the other side of the wall your bed bangs into.”
Marcus scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Put some lipstick on your hand and maybe it’ll feel more like a girlfriend, asshole.”
“It’s like a battering ram! I thought you might actually bang that bed all the way through the wall the other night.”
I clear my throat, my face warm. “Moving on. The flower we’re looking for may only bloom at certain times every year, so just because you’ve looked somewhere already, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t search it again.”
“Stay alert,” Marcus adds. “The Tiders are probably out looking for us. If you encounter them, radio as soon as it’s safe.”
Ellison insisted she be there when our aromium is turned on and off, so she joins Stella in walking us to the perimeter where it can be safely reactivated.
“How’s everyone doing with being locked down?” I ask Ellison.
“There’s worry, of course, but overall it’s okay.”
Only essential workers are allowed out of the Sub. Everyone else remains sheltered in there because it’s the safest place in camp to be if the shield goes down.
“If you have a chance, tell the laundry and kitchen workers how much we appreciate them. Clean clothes and good food make our work easier. I know they work hard.”
She trades a glance with me, smiling. “They’ll appreciate hearing that.”
“This could be the day, guys,” Amira says.
After looking over the files on the computer about the flower, I can’t say I’m positive of anything about it. But my best guess is that if it’s still here, it grows in well-drained soil rather than the swamp, and that it grows best in full sun. I only told Marcus about those theories because I don’t want to limit the search areas of the other teams.