When Burn rounded the room and passed in front of me, I caught the look of distress on her face.Crap.I hadn’t meant to cause her pain.“I’m sorry.I shouldn’t have pried.”I turned my attention back to my coffee.
Burn made another circuit of the room then dropped into the chair opposite me with a thunk.“You’ve probably never even heard of my planet,” she said, “which is completely fine, because it sucks.”
I put down my cup and focused on her.I wasn’t going to interrupt.
She took a breath and started picking at her nails.I’d never seen her express anything but extreme confidence or righteous anger.To see her obviously bothered...Whatever she had to say, it wasn’t going to be pretty.
“I grew up on Octavius Prime.”She paused, waiting to see if I recognized the name.
I shook my head.
“It’s a planet filled with misogynistic, small-minded people.Where the men are men and the women are...”Her words trailed off and she redoubled her efforts on her poor cuticles.
I covered her hands with mine.She tensed, then the muscles under my palm loosened and the picking stopped.
“Women are baby makers and food preparers and that’s pretty much it.No education, no other skills.From the cradle, they’re taught to aim for the best men—the wealthiest and the oldest—and to treat other women like competition.”
“That’s awful!”I blurted, then realized how it might make Burn feel.“Sorry.”
She gave me a grim smile, her eyes haunted.“No, you’re right.It’s awful.”Her hand curled up to grip mine.“The fact that you want to go after your sister?That’s awe-inspiring to me.”
“She’s my sister.”I didn’t understand why that would inspire awe.
“You love her, right?”
I nodded.
She pulled her hands free and rolled up one sleeve.Her hand traced over a long scar.“My sister gave me this because I refused to marry Old Man Weather.It was my ‘duty’ as the oldest daughter,” she said robotically.“I ran away and she was forced to marry him in my place.Instead of his son.”She rolled down her sleeve and pushed her shirt up to reveal another scar on her stomach.“When they caught me and brought me back, she tried to kill me.”
“Your sister did that?”Horror coated my voice.Layla and I had our moments—some of our more violent fights had involved throwing things—but we’d never intentionally tried to harm each other.
“With our mother’s favorite carving knife.”Tightly leashed pain was barely discernible in her tone.
I squeezed her hand.“That’s awful.I’m so, so sorry.”
She gave me a bleak smile.“I’m not.It was the final push I needed to leave that godforsaken place.”
“How?”
“I learned from my first escape.I was sneaky, careful.And I knew my timing had to be perfect.”She laughed bitterly and I glimpsed the deep well of pain and suffering that Burn kept hidden.“I smuggled myself out on a supply ship.”
I waited for her to say more.When she didn’t, I ventured one more question.“How did you get into the space corps?”
“There weren’t a lot of job opportunities for a woman with no education and no idea how the world worked.But I was strong and willing and they promised me hot meals and a place to sleep.”
“I’m glad you’re safe now.”
“And I’m glad you’ve shown me that sisters can fight for each other, not just with each other.”She gave me a tight-lipped smile and pulled her hand away.
I’d always fight for my sister.I couldn’t imagine it any other way.
A tiny voice inside added that I’d fight for Dax now.
“Anyone else need coffee?”Dax’s arrival broke the silence between us.I was grateful, because I had no idea what to say or how to offer comfort.Or if Burn would even accept it.
Both of us murmured no.
“What’s going on?”Dax asked, having picked up on the tension.“We’re not kicking her off the ship yet, Burn.”
