The media followed her ship all the way to Kepler, constantly offering her extravagant gifts for an exclusive interview with the rogue Cyborg’s captive. She wasn’t free of the journalistic bombardment until the courier delivering her and Lily entered Montihan skies.
Janet stiffened and forced a smile on her face as her childhood home came into view. It sat like it always had, on the windswept bluff overlooking the ocean. Kepler might not be Earth but it was her home and her family’s true homeworld. It had taken so much pain to get back to it—pain that had hardly dulled over the last week of travel.
There was no place like it in the universe.
No wonder why wars were fought.She’d done more than she’d ever admit to get Lily and herself back home. Someone with a lot more power than her could’ve done a lot more for the same prize.Why isn’t it making me feel better?
“Ma! Da! See them?” Lily screeched excitedly. Their family ran from the house to meet them outside in the landing field nearby. When they touched down, her sister was already flying out of her seat and running toward the exit before the pilot even gave them the okay.
The door swished open, and Lily sprinted forth, flinging her little body right into Ma’s arms. Janet gulped, feeling butterflies in her belly. She was a little lightheaded from being back on solid ground and approached slowly as her family cried and celebrated. She stood right outside their exuberance, uncertain of her welcome.
She met her Da’s tear-stricken eyes over Ma’s shoulder and her own tears began to fall.I’ve never seen him cry before.He opened his arm to allow her into the group hug. She immediately closed the distance.
Everything for this. Everything for you.
Home.
Her parents’ arms banded around her shaking frame while saying everything she needed to hear.
I’m going to be okay.
The next several days were hell. Her parents kept her as a captive within the house, unwilling to let either her or Lily leave their sight. Janet couldn’t blame them. She’d had the same thoughts towards Lily when it came to her little sister’s safety. The security had been amped up everywhere, and a new landing zone was being built much farther away from the main house. No one but family was allowed to use the one on the grounds now.
They were unwilling to risk Lily being a repeat stowaway. Even Janet thought that was a great idea. But that was the only opinion she had on the matter.
No one could keep a Cyborg out if they truly wanted to get in. The added security meant nothing, even if Netto was coordinating it all.
Janet sat at her windowsill and gazed out over the ocean, her focus drifting over the waterships docked nearby. The sky was blue and bright, the water the same. She kept picturing theOppressionbreaking through the wispy clouds and landing right outside her window—even though it was impossible now. The ship was gone just like Hector was.
Her sense of safety had gone with them.
A knock on her door frame drew her eyes away from the window. Rylie stood at the threshold.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
Rylie stepped into her room. “You’ve been quiet. Ma and Da are worried. I’m worried. Netto’s even worried. Are you okay?”
No. I’m not. I’m not okay.“Yeah, just tired.”
“You’re never tired,” Rylie accused, closing the bedroom door behind her before sitting on Janet’s bed. “You’ve been like this for days.”
Janet shrugged. “I’m extra, super tired?”
“What happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”I don’t want to hurt anymore.
“What happened?” Rylie asked again.
Janet sniffled. “I really don’t want to talk about it. Please.”
“Did Zeph hurt you?”
She stared at her older sister, unable to even muster the energy to clench her hands or snap at her. She just really didn’t want to talk about it, but hearing Zeph’s name out loud was almost too much to bear.My family doesn’t even know about Hector.She hadn’t told them a thing about his illness. His face was a phantom in her head, almost tangible to the point she could reach out and touch it, but then the image would shift and his features would darken, and she’d snatch her hand back. He’d told her his confession could kill him. Janet bit her tongue. But it wasn’t his words that had done him in.
“I told him I would be the death of him,” she whispered.
