Unravel by Imogen Howson

power it must have taken to do that to one ship—she can’t do it to all of them.
    As if she’d had the same thought at the exact same time, Lin’s eyes shot open. Her gaze went straight to Elissa. She put out a hand.
    She can’t do it by herself. It’s too much. But linked, we moved a spaceship. If I help her, if I do what we did before, we can do this, too.
    All she needed to do was take Lin’s hand, let the physical touch strengthen the link that was always there between them, give herself—as she had before—to act as combined anchor and catalyst for Lin’s electrokinetic power.
    She didn’t move. The explosion sounded again in her head, flames filled her vision. What Lin had just done wasn’t just moving a spaceship, it wasn’t just getting them out of danger. Whoever had been in that craft—Lin had killed them.
    They came here to kill us. They’ve shot down two of the pilots already. They wouldn’t hesitate to shoot Cadan down too, or kill me and Lin, or take us both away for experiments that are no better than torture.
    She should reach out to take Lin’s hand. She could help save them all. Could help save Cadan, and the other pilots, and maybe all the refugees.
    I can’t. I can’t kill people. I can’t help her do that.
    Lin shook her hand impatiently toward Elissa. Her face was tight with strain, she couldn’t waste energy speaking, but it was more than obvious what she was asking, what she needed from Elissa.
    She was willing to die to save my life. To save all our lives. I owe her forever. And I love her. There shouldn’t be anything you wouldn’t do for someone you owe your life to, for someone you love.
    â€œI can’t,” said Elissa, knowing Lin couldn’t hear her, hoping she could read her lips, her gestures. She shook her head, stepping back. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”
    Incredulity swept over Lin’s face. Then a look of such betrayal Elissa felt it go through her like an electrical shock. Lin’s lips moved. You have to.
    Elissa backed farther away. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry .”
    Lin opened her hands, staring at Elissa, a gesture of helplessness and blame. Then her fingers curled into her palms, and she lifted her face back to the fiery slashes of the ships dogfighting above them.
    One of the attacking ships jerked, its flight path disrupted. It dipped, seemed to pull back. Within it, was the pilot fighting to keep hold of it, not knowing why his instruments were going mad, why the controls were no longer responding to his touch? Was the control panel smoking as Lin overloadedthe circuits? Was fire licking out from beneath it? Was he already snatching his hands away, terrified, panicking, not knowing what was going on?
    They came to kill us. They don’t deserve mercy.
    It didn’t make any difference. Elissa realized her face was wet; she could taste salt on her lips. At some point in the last few minutes she’d started crying.
    Lin staggered. Her legs shook, and she grabbed at a seat to support herself. When her eyes met Elissa’s, they were bloodshot. Elissa had seen that before: When Lin was at the end of her stamina, when she’d expended too much energy, blood vessels began to burst in her skin, her eyes. If she keeps trying, if I don’t help her, what else will happen to her? What else will I let happen?
    Elissa’s nose was running. She wiped her sleeve across it. “I’m sorry ,” she repeated, wretched and helpless, knowing she could take the burden away from her sister but unable to bring herself to do it.
    Lin’s lips moved again, so slightly that it took Elissa a couple of seconds to read what she’d said. So am I.
    What? It made no sense. What was Lin sorry for?
    Then, as Lin made a lunge toward her and grabbed her hand in a death grip, Elissa knew.
    â€œNo! I said no !” She tried to wrench her hand away, but