against my head. “You going down there or did we simply sneak over here for the rush? I could see this is all getting boring. No hot Viking to pummel all night.”
“Sprig!” Heat crawled up my cheeks. His jab hit a little too close to home. One of several dreams I had lately flashed through my mind. Ryker’s lips skating up my inner thigh, his hands...
Zoey, stop! I rubbed my face fiercely.
“What?”
“Shut up,” I hissed.
“Not getting any is making someone grumpy.”
“Like you and food.”
“Exactly. Ryker is your honey stick.” His face scrunched up.
“Ugh.” I shook my head. “Let’s not ever use that reference again.”
“I think I might even have ruined honey for me with that comparison.”
I raised a dubious eyebrow at him.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Sprig grabbed his stomach, laughing. “That could ne-ver happen.”
I shook my head, a smile curling on my face. No matter what, Sprig could make me laugh, even in difficult times.
“You know, all this talk of honey—”
“If they ever allow me beyond my room, I will try and find you some.”
“This is why we should never part ways.”
“Because I supply your addiction?”
“Pretty much.” He nodded.
“That’s what I thought.” I sighed. “My role in life.” I stared back down the gap in the ceiling. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“Great!” Sprig bobbed on my shoulder then stopped. “What are we doing again?”
I reached over and grabbed Sprig. “This.” I lowered myself into the opening and held him over the bed. “Jump.”
He easily leaped on the bed as I turned myself around in the vent and slid through the opening feet first. I dropped to the ground, my knees bending with the impact. I barely made a noise. I was exceptional at several things and being stealthy was one. Robbing homes, starting at the age of nine, taught me early how to move so I could break into places undetected.
I crept over to Sera’s bed, her frail form disappearing in the mattress. My gaze roamed over her face and hair. We didn’t come from the same parental DNA, but we came from the same formula Dr. Holt designed. I guess I still hoped to find something visual connecting us—a trait, a birthmark, something tangible. But we were only related on the inside. A unique coding in our DNA linked us.
Without realizing it, I reached for her hand. It was small and cold in mine. Sweat beaded at her hairline and a shadow of blood crusted the base of her nose.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice startling me. Emotion struck my heart. “I am so, so sorry.”
Sera’s lids quivered and slowly they lifted. Adrenaline sent spikes of energy through my limbs. What if I read her wrong earlier? What if she cried out for help or hit a button to get the nurses in here. All my work to obtain Rapava’s trust would be down the drain.
I stiffened and glanced nervously at Sprig. He had moved to the opposite nightstand as me, hiding behind a jug of water.
Sera’s head bowed toward me, her gaze taking me in. I was half expecting anger or even fear to flash in her eyes, but instead liquid filled them as she squeezed my hand.
Air I didn’t even know I was holding slipped over my tongue.
Sera took back her hand and tried to push herself up.
“Here.” I adjusted the pillows so she could sit up. She struggled to move, and after repositioning a little she laid back on the pillows, her eyes closing with fatigue.
I felt helpless and guilty. My conscience kept stabbing me. What kind of person are you? You could save her. Do something. And the shame only thickened with the knowledge I wouldn’t; I was going to let her die.
She licked her lips as she opened her eyes. “You. Came.” Her voice was soft and every syllable struggled to come out.
“Sera, I—” She grabbed my hand, halting my words.
“I should have believed you.” She huffed slowly, sucking in deep gulps. The tube in her nose wheezing with strain. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t
“Sprig!” Heat crawled up my cheeks. His jab hit a little too close to home. One of several dreams I had lately flashed through my mind. Ryker’s lips skating up my inner thigh, his hands...
Zoey, stop! I rubbed my face fiercely.
“What?”
“Shut up,” I hissed.
“Not getting any is making someone grumpy.”
“Like you and food.”
“Exactly. Ryker is your honey stick.” His face scrunched up.
“Ugh.” I shook my head. “Let’s not ever use that reference again.”
“I think I might even have ruined honey for me with that comparison.”
I raised a dubious eyebrow at him.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Sprig grabbed his stomach, laughing. “That could ne-ver happen.”
I shook my head, a smile curling on my face. No matter what, Sprig could make me laugh, even in difficult times.
“You know, all this talk of honey—”
“If they ever allow me beyond my room, I will try and find you some.”
“This is why we should never part ways.”
“Because I supply your addiction?”
“Pretty much.” He nodded.
“That’s what I thought.” I sighed. “My role in life.” I stared back down the gap in the ceiling. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“Great!” Sprig bobbed on my shoulder then stopped. “What are we doing again?”
I reached over and grabbed Sprig. “This.” I lowered myself into the opening and held him over the bed. “Jump.”
He easily leaped on the bed as I turned myself around in the vent and slid through the opening feet first. I dropped to the ground, my knees bending with the impact. I barely made a noise. I was exceptional at several things and being stealthy was one. Robbing homes, starting at the age of nine, taught me early how to move so I could break into places undetected.
I crept over to Sera’s bed, her frail form disappearing in the mattress. My gaze roamed over her face and hair. We didn’t come from the same parental DNA, but we came from the same formula Dr. Holt designed. I guess I still hoped to find something visual connecting us—a trait, a birthmark, something tangible. But we were only related on the inside. A unique coding in our DNA linked us.
Without realizing it, I reached for her hand. It was small and cold in mine. Sweat beaded at her hairline and a shadow of blood crusted the base of her nose.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice startling me. Emotion struck my heart. “I am so, so sorry.”
Sera’s lids quivered and slowly they lifted. Adrenaline sent spikes of energy through my limbs. What if I read her wrong earlier? What if she cried out for help or hit a button to get the nurses in here. All my work to obtain Rapava’s trust would be down the drain.
I stiffened and glanced nervously at Sprig. He had moved to the opposite nightstand as me, hiding behind a jug of water.
Sera’s head bowed toward me, her gaze taking me in. I was half expecting anger or even fear to flash in her eyes, but instead liquid filled them as she squeezed my hand.
Air I didn’t even know I was holding slipped over my tongue.
Sera took back her hand and tried to push herself up.
“Here.” I adjusted the pillows so she could sit up. She struggled to move, and after repositioning a little she laid back on the pillows, her eyes closing with fatigue.
I felt helpless and guilty. My conscience kept stabbing me. What kind of person are you? You could save her. Do something. And the shame only thickened with the knowledge I wouldn’t; I was going to let her die.
She licked her lips as she opened her eyes. “You. Came.” Her voice was soft and every syllable struggled to come out.
“Sera, I—” She grabbed my hand, halting my words.
“I should have believed you.” She huffed slowly, sucking in deep gulps. The tube in her nose wheezing with strain. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t
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