“You and me, then!” Alfie said to Colton, who just rolled his eyes.
“Then that leaves—” Gemma started to say.
“One-zero-three, your partner isone-three-four,” the alien voices said.
“You and me,” Christian finished Gemma’s sentence.
The ground beneath them trembled as large panels of stone sunk into the bedrock, revealing three passageways. Each was marked by a single symbol as strange as the ones written on the walls. Gemma’s pulse pounded in her ears. How would they know which opening belonged to which duo?
“Choose your path,” the alien voices instructed. “Trust. Adapt. Succeed.”
“Okay, I am officially creeped out,” Imara said.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Colton replied, marching toward a pathway. He choose the one marked with a glowing symbol similar to their number eight, though the alien design was vertically cut through its center by a thick line that tapered to sharp points.
Alfie followed quickly after Colton, and Hawk and Imara chose a circular symbol with swirls just inside its edges. That left Gemma and Christian with the final one: An eye with a pupil of a sun.
“You ready?” Christian asked Gemma.
The grip on her throat said no, but there was no backing down. Not when vengeance was on the line. Without answering, Gemma approached the opening, its mouth glowing with sparkling, purple light. She sucked in a deep breath, then stepped through.
The doorway sealed behind them, the purple light flickering until it disappeared entirely.
“That’s not ominous,” Christian said.
Gemma whimpered. She couldn’t see anything, not even her hands in front of her face.
“One-three-four, you have lost your ability to see,” the alien voices said. “One-zero-three, you must successfully guideone-three-fourto the other side. Fail to do so, and it will be your end.”
Her throat tightened as she reached for Christian. The aliens had blinded her. She was no longer in control of her own fate.Blast you, Rami.
“It’s all right,” Christian said, taking her hand in his. “It’s pretty dark for me, too, so just give me a second to assess where we are, then I’ll be your eyes.”
There was something in his tone—a softness she hadn’t noticed before. He gave Gemma’s hand a gentle squeeze, the gesture sending a flicker of warmth through her. This wasn’t the same Christian who’d fearlessly fought against the simulated Dissent soldiers. He was empathetic, kind.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heartbeat. She could trust him. Shehadto trust him.
And for some reason, that didn’t feel like a weakness.
“Okay,” Christian said, lightly tugging her forward. “Follow me.”
Gemma clung to his hand like he was the tether keeping her from floating into space. Every slow step they took felt like a kilometer, each inch building the nausea in her gut.
Christian halted them. “There’s a narrow pathway we need to cross. I’m going to walk backward. Keep your hands in mine, and I won’t let you fall.”
Fall?Her heart flailed in her chest. “But if you’re facing me, how are you—”
“I’m good on my feet.” He spoke nonchalantly, but a sliver of doubt tinted the edge of his voice.
Gemma pretended not to notice and placed her hands in his. Her breathing grew shallower—she couldn’t feel her feet.
Deep breaths, Gemma, Nadine would say.Mind over body. Confidence is capability.
Christian carefully moved them down the path, his strong hands never leaving hers. With every step they took, Gemma’s anxiety waned until reliance on him felt as easy as breathing. Not once did he lose his balance or falter, and by the time they reached the other side of the gap, her heart rate had slowed to a steady, even pace.
“Nice,” he said. “You did great.”
Gemma’s cheeks warmed. “All I did was hang onto you.”
