?

  It's been hours. Hours packed in like cattle, my heart hammering against my chest like it still hasn't learned its pce. I want to tell it to shut up, but my heartbeat just shows how pathetic and insignificant I am in this situation.

  I felt Soren's firm hand on my back, sliding down my spine. I shoved his forearm away, gring at him.

  — What's your problem?

  — You're my problem.

  — What's that supposed to mean? You losing it now? — I furrowed my brows. Maybe he's just too stupid to have a normal conversation, which I hope is the case since I don't trust men's intelligence in general.

  His light blue eyes stared at me, fascinated by something I couldn't figure out, analyzing me like I was some hard-to-read document.

  — I'm trying to make you feel better. You're my girlfriend, you know. Stop acting like you're not.

  I adjusted my hair, leaning against the cold wall of the ship, shaking my head with a twisted smile.

  — Girlfriend? That's some unnecessary sentimentality. We don't date, we kissed once.

  I smirked a little at his emotional desperation, turning away and feeling some relief in mocking him. It makes me feel better, even in this miserable situation.

  Soren gave me a slight smile—now I know he wasn't serious. It irritates me that he can cheer me up, even now.

  — Making fun of you always brightens my day.

  — I'm almost offended by how well it works every time I let you mock me. — He compined, resting his arms on his knees. — The ship on the other side must have the younger kids, right? We've been here for at least... four hours? And there's a corpse over there.

  He pointed, and I squinted, suddenly noticing the ship visible across from us—bloodstained floors and half a child's head in view.

  — How horrifying.

  My nerves, slightly rexed seconds ago, tensed up again. My heart raced faster, all that blood spilling over the metal floor making my discomfort worse than before. Liora's face fshed in my mind, twisting my miserable thoughts into something I can't even name.

  My head hurts. My eyes burn. I lowered my head, resting it against the cold metal wall, my shes fluttering shut. Even as I forced myself to swallow, the lump in my throat kept rising. The tears I couldn't hold back anymore streamed down my cheeks—maybe the only warm thing in this freezing pce.

  "Light brown hair, curly, long, falling forward, lit by the harsh light of a hot but dusty, steam-filled day. The smell of potato soup, calloused hands touching my head and pointing at a sheet of paper on the table.

  — Althea. Did you learn? This is A... and this... L...

  I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, remembering Liora's face as she taught me to write my name. She loved teaching. Maybe she would've been a teacher if she wasn't so poor.

  — Aunt Liora... here... look. — Even I was cute once, not just a bitter adult. It'd be a shame if these memories disappeared.

  — Oh! Perfect. You wrote it well, Althea. Your name is great, Thea."

  The more I remembered, the more I wanted to cry. My vision blurred, my throat tightened, and my efforts not to sob turned crying into a battle I was destined to lose.

  I still don't know if there's any fight I'm meant to win. I hope this one ends soon.

  Soren's hand touched the back of my neck. I tilted my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes.

  I didn't sleep a wink until the ship stopped. My eyes were red and sore from useless crying. I stood up with Soren. The doors creaked open with a snap of bolts.

  "Form a line and exit." The static noise followed the soldier's voice—that annoying amplifier sound.

  I wrapped my fingers around Soren's wrist and pulled him behind me, joining the line and slowly descending the stairs. My eyes turned to the outside of that cargo ship. I blinked in surprise. I shouldn't be surprised—isn't this how they've always treated us?

  A desert. Soldiers. How many of them? Enough to freeze my stomach and crawl up my chest.