of the sky.”
Chapter Eleven
Blank Eyes
Eri slid her hand into Striver’s and wondered if she’d made the worst decision of her life. He was considering rescuing her team, and meeting the elusive Guardians seemed like the only way. Besides, Commander Grier said she had to get to know the natives, so holding his hand was actually a direct order.
His skin felt like fire against hers and heat blazed in her cheeks. She looked down, trying to hide her reaction. “Where are we going?”
“To the S.P. Nautilus , the ship our ancestors piloted to Refuge. Phoenix is on guard duty today.”
Guard duty? Why did the jungle seem more menacing with every hour? “Guarding it from what?”
Striver parted the ferns and held them up so she could step through without the palms touching her. “The Lawless.”
She ducked, trying not to brush too close to him as she passed. “Oh, so they bother you, too?”
He looked away into the early morning rays of sun, his face falling into a grimace. “You have no idea.”
Eri knew enough just from the edge to Striver’s voice not to broach the particulars on that topic. Instead, she changed the subject. “How long have you lived here?”
He uncoiled a rope ladder and lowered it to the forest floor. “Several generations. The year is three hundred twenty-two.”
She pushed away her fear and lowered herself onto the first rung. The rope ladder swung with her weight, and she tightened her grip, fingers turning white. Cyberhell, I miss the elevators.
Striver steadied the ladder and held his hands over both of hers. His skin felt warm and rough on hers, making her heat level spike. The rope ladder stilled, and he let go. “Try it now.”
Eri chanced the first step down, making sure her boot fit snugly into the next rung. “You’ve abandoned Old Earth time?”
“We’ve abandoned almost everything from Old Earth. Look around you. No technology of any kind.”
“Why?”
“For all the same reasons that destroyed Old Earth. We don’t want history to repeat itself.”
Wow. What must he think of her with her locator, her laser gun, and their scout ship? Did she represent blasphemy itself just by showing her face?
Eri climbed down another rung, breathless from the height. She tried not to look at the ground. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?” Striver swung in an elegant arc and followed her down effortlessly.
Sorry that I’ve come to steal your home? No. She couldn’t say it. “Sorry you have to go back into the Lawless lands.”
“It’s not your fault. You’re just doing your mission, following orders.”
Seven more rungs to go. “Yeah, but I’m sorry all the same.”
She debated jumping the rest of the way down and decided against it, clinging to the rope ladder like she stood above the recycling compactor, sharp teeth grinding away. She could tell Striver waited for her, but he didn’t seem impatient. If anything, he kept reaching down to make sure she was steady.
The ground squished underneath her boots, but at least it felt more solid than the tree hut or the ladder. And to think—I’ve been in a metal bubble in the vacuum of deep space my whole life. Which world was safer? At the moment, she wasn’t sure.
“So, you’re the star girl come to conquer us?”
Eri whirled around. A jungle beauty, a whole foot taller than Eri, stood beside her. Glistening black hair flowed to the beauty’s feet and appraising cat eyes stared with a taunting grin.
Boy, word traveled fast. Had the whole village gossiped about her as she lay unconscious?
Striver’s voice was almost a growl. “Leave her alone, Riptide. She’s just woken up from a coma dart.”
Riptide’s gaze traveled from her curly-haired head to her plastic boots. “The visitors are certainly daintier than I thought they’d be. Never mind freckle-faced and pale.”
Striver jumped the remaining feet down. He looked at Eri and sighed. “Eri, meet Riptide. She’s the village gardener and an
Chapter Eleven
Blank Eyes
Eri slid her hand into Striver’s and wondered if she’d made the worst decision of her life. He was considering rescuing her team, and meeting the elusive Guardians seemed like the only way. Besides, Commander Grier said she had to get to know the natives, so holding his hand was actually a direct order.
His skin felt like fire against hers and heat blazed in her cheeks. She looked down, trying to hide her reaction. “Where are we going?”
“To the S.P. Nautilus , the ship our ancestors piloted to Refuge. Phoenix is on guard duty today.”
Guard duty? Why did the jungle seem more menacing with every hour? “Guarding it from what?”
Striver parted the ferns and held them up so she could step through without the palms touching her. “The Lawless.”
She ducked, trying not to brush too close to him as she passed. “Oh, so they bother you, too?”
He looked away into the early morning rays of sun, his face falling into a grimace. “You have no idea.”
Eri knew enough just from the edge to Striver’s voice not to broach the particulars on that topic. Instead, she changed the subject. “How long have you lived here?”
He uncoiled a rope ladder and lowered it to the forest floor. “Several generations. The year is three hundred twenty-two.”
She pushed away her fear and lowered herself onto the first rung. The rope ladder swung with her weight, and she tightened her grip, fingers turning white. Cyberhell, I miss the elevators.
Striver steadied the ladder and held his hands over both of hers. His skin felt warm and rough on hers, making her heat level spike. The rope ladder stilled, and he let go. “Try it now.”
Eri chanced the first step down, making sure her boot fit snugly into the next rung. “You’ve abandoned Old Earth time?”
“We’ve abandoned almost everything from Old Earth. Look around you. No technology of any kind.”
“Why?”
“For all the same reasons that destroyed Old Earth. We don’t want history to repeat itself.”
Wow. What must he think of her with her locator, her laser gun, and their scout ship? Did she represent blasphemy itself just by showing her face?
Eri climbed down another rung, breathless from the height. She tried not to look at the ground. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?” Striver swung in an elegant arc and followed her down effortlessly.
Sorry that I’ve come to steal your home? No. She couldn’t say it. “Sorry you have to go back into the Lawless lands.”
“It’s not your fault. You’re just doing your mission, following orders.”
Seven more rungs to go. “Yeah, but I’m sorry all the same.”
She debated jumping the rest of the way down and decided against it, clinging to the rope ladder like she stood above the recycling compactor, sharp teeth grinding away. She could tell Striver waited for her, but he didn’t seem impatient. If anything, he kept reaching down to make sure she was steady.
The ground squished underneath her boots, but at least it felt more solid than the tree hut or the ladder. And to think—I’ve been in a metal bubble in the vacuum of deep space my whole life. Which world was safer? At the moment, she wasn’t sure.
“So, you’re the star girl come to conquer us?”
Eri whirled around. A jungle beauty, a whole foot taller than Eri, stood beside her. Glistening black hair flowed to the beauty’s feet and appraising cat eyes stared with a taunting grin.
Boy, word traveled fast. Had the whole village gossiped about her as she lay unconscious?
Striver’s voice was almost a growl. “Leave her alone, Riptide. She’s just woken up from a coma dart.”
Riptide’s gaze traveled from her curly-haired head to her plastic boots. “The visitors are certainly daintier than I thought they’d be. Never mind freckle-faced and pale.”
Striver jumped the remaining feet down. He looked at Eri and sighed. “Eri, meet Riptide. She’s the village gardener and an
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