Chapter 37
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
Britta
M y heart lurched at the heavy thump against the door. I froze, my fingers digging into Kann's bicep as we lay on the hard academy mattress, our clothes scattered across the floor. I’d been snatched from euphoria back to the cruel reality of our situation, as the walls shuddered and the floor moved.
The second knock hit even harder, and it was followed by a furtive voice.
"Kann!"
Kann jerked upright beside me, and I rolled fully onto the bed. "That's Volten's voice.” His voice was barely a whisper, but it was thick with disbelief. Before I could fully process what he'd said and the possibility that Volten could be in the holo simulation, he was already on his feet.
"Are you sure?" I whispered, scrambling to locate my clothes in the low light and rumbling room. My hands shook as I grabbed my bra from where it had landed near the desk. I hooked it on quickly and then snatched my shirt from the floor. The fabric was inside out, and I fought to right it, my mind racing.
This couldn’t be right. It didn’t make sense. “This could be a trap.”
"I know my best friend's voice, but no one from this ancient version of the academy does.” Kann crossed to the door with purposeful steps, and I had to bite back a hysterical laugh.
"Wait! You're not wearing anything!"
Kann glanced down at himself and then up at me. He grinned and the warmth of it doused much of my panic. I tossed him his uniform pants, watching as he tugged them on with quick, efficient movement. Now I knew that the Blade went commando.
Even as I had faith that Kann would protect me, doubt gnawed at my stomach. How could Volten be here? How was he here, even as the program was collapsing?
My pulse raced as Kann pulled the shirt over his head and reached for the old-fashioned door handle. I shoved my feet into my boots, not bothering with the laces, and braced myself for Drexians to rush in and take us prisoner.
But when the door swung open, it actually was Volten who burst in, his familiar features both completely out of place and achingly welcome.
"Vol—how—what—?” Kann stammered, even as he threw his arms around his friend.
Volten's eyes darted between us once Kann released him. “Are you both okay?"
"How are you here?" Kann finally got out a full question.
"Zav got me in by using the adjacent holochamber and meshing the matrices.” Volten spoke quickly, his words clipped as he glanced over his shoulder. “He thinks he can get us all out the same way, but we have a limited window of time to reach the entry point for extraction."
I thought about what he’d said. Using an adjacent holochamber and meshing matrices was smart but risky. I bent over and laced up my boots. "How did you even find us?"
"Tracker," Volten replied, pulling a small device from his pocket. "It let me pinpoint your signals within the program. Don't ask me how it works—I just know how Zav told me to use it."
The floor trembled, reminding me that we were far from saved. “I’m surprised Ariana let you take such a huge risk."
Volten's expression tightened. “Ariana doesn't know. She left the academy for Kronock space. The mission to save Sasha could not wait any longer.”
Kann cursed under his breath, and I fought the urge to do the same. If the three of us were in a simulation at the academy, that meant the rescue team was short at least three members.
Kann shoved his feet into his boots and hurriedly tied them. “Then we need to get the grek out of here and join them.”
Volten grinned and slapped his friend on the arm. “I hoped you would feel that way.”
Kann thumped Volten’s back. “I cannot believe you are here. I cannot believe you stayed behind.”
Volten lifted one shoulder. “I could not leave you behind.” He slid his gaze to me. “I am not the only one who stayed. Fiona and Jess did not go on the mission. They could not leave with you still trapped in here.”
A wave of fondness washed over me at the mention of Jess and Fiona. I was touched that my friends had stayed, but guilt followed close behind. They should be on the mission to save Sasha. They'd been there from the beginning, helping to plan every detail, running scenarios late into the night. Just like I had.
I swallowed hard, remembering all those hours we'd spent hunched over maps and intel reports, planning insertion points and escape routes. That was my mission, too. I'd helped design it, helped work out the contingencies. Now Ariana was leading our carefully crafted plan without me, and Jess and Fiona were not even on the team.
All because Kann and I had gotten trapped in this simulation.
The thought crystallized everything into sharp focus. We had to get out. We had to catch up. The rest of the team—our friends—needed us, and we needed to be there. I hadn't spent months planning this mission to miss it entirely, or let my friends walk into danger.
Volten cleared his throat. “Now that I’ve found you, we need to make it through the academy to the extraction point. If it works like Zav hoped, he will pull us out.”
His gaze caught on the rumpled sheets, and he flicked his gaze to Kann, one eyebrow raising. "Anything I should know?"
"Nothing,” Kann said, shoving his friend toward the door.
The curt word stung more than they should have, but I pushed the feeling aside. Kann and I had never discussed being anything serious. We had barely discussed anything but our mutual desire. All I knew is that I’d thought we were about to die, and I hadn’t wanted to perish in a holochamber without having done something daring and reckless.
Nailed it.
I followed the Drexians from the room, casting a final look at the rumpled bed, wishing I could still be on it and tangled in Kann’s arms.
The corridor was shaking as the walls flickered, and fear iced my skin. Being with Kann had helped me forget reality for a short while, but things had gotten worse since we’d escaped into the room. I stayed close to Kann as we moved stealthily down the dark hallway behind Volten.
When we reached a point where two corridors merged, we paused, and he reached back for my hand. The warmth of his skin reminded me of the heat of his bare skin against mine, and for a moment my pulse fluttered from arousal and not fear.
"Halt! Stop!"
“ Grek .” Volten looked back at us. “Ready to run?”
Kann's hand tightened around mine, strong and sure as he pulled me after Volten. Our boots thundered on the floor as we sprinted down the corridor. I no longer wore the cloak that had hidden me and covered my hair, which flew loose behind me as we ran. It might be a simulation, but the blood pounding in my ears, the stinging of my feet hitting the stone, the firmness of Kann's hand in mine felt all too real.
We were so close to being out, to being back in the real world, the real academy. Now we had to stay alive long enough to escape, and we had to outrun the Drexians. Then it would be up to Zav.
I tightened my grip on Kann's hand and pushed myself to run faster, letting the burn in my muscles wash away all thoughts except survival.