"I'll find him later," I promised.
She watched me for a long moment, and I could feel that she wanted to say more. So as she turned to walk away, I beat her to it. "Kor?" She froze, then spun to face me. "Talk to Jask. Right now. Before you do anything else, go talk to him. He'll know what it's about."
I watched Kora walk away, hoping against hope that Jask would tell her everything. She deserved the truth, even if it shattered what they had built together. My chest ached with betrayal so deep it felt like Cypher had reached inside andtorn something vital from me. Maybe his soul magic was a lot stronger than he thought it was.
The wind picked up, carrying the scent of metal and dust across the deck. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold together the pieces that threatened to fly apart. How could I have been so blind? So easily manipulated?
I made my way to the bow, needing distance from everyone. The frozen ocean stretched before me, a vast mirror reflecting the pale sun. From this vantage point, I could see for miles in every direction, all of it dead, all of it empty.
"You shouldn't be up here in the cold." I turned to find Zoya approaching, her dark hair whipping around her face in the wind. She joined me at the rail, her eyes fixed on the horizon rather than on me. "I know what happened," she said simply. "Jask told me while he was looking for Kora."
"And?"
"And nothing. I'm here if you need to talk, or if you need help breaking Cypher's nose. Either way."
A surprised laugh escaped me, quickly followed by more tears I couldn't control. Zoya didn't touch me or offer empty platitudes. She just stood beside me while I cried.
"I don't know what to do," I finally admitted, wiping my face with my sleeve. "I can't leave, but I can't stay either. Not with him."
"Then don't stay withhim," she said, as if it were that simple. "Stay withus. The crew. We didn't know what he did, Juno. We wouldn't have allowed it."
"I believe you." And I did. Her shock was too genuine, her anger on my behalf too real. "But it doesn't change what happened."
"No, it doesn't." She turned to face me fully. "But it does change what happens next."
Before I could ask what she meant, shouting erupted from below deck. A crash, followed by more yelling—Kora's voice, high pitched and utterly furious, then Jask's, pleading. Another crash, then footsteps.
Kora burst onto the deck, her face streaked with tears, red hair wild around her shoulders. When she saw me, she froze for an instant, then ran straight into my arms. "He knew!" she sobbed against my shoulder. "Jask knew what Cypher did to Uncle Marv and he didn't tell me. He let me bring you into this. He let me?—"
"I know," I murmured, holding her tight. "I know."
Jask appeared at the hatchway, his handsome face devastated as he watched us. A bruise was forming on his cheek. Kora's handiwork, no doubt.Good. He deserved that and more.
"Kora, please," he started, taking a step toward us.
"Stay away from me," she snarled, not lifting her head from my shoulder.
Zoya stepped between them. "Give her space, Jask. Now isn't the time."
He looked like he might argue, but then his shoulders slumped in defeat. With one last agonized glance at Kora, he retreated below deck.
More footsteps on the stairs, and then Knives emerged, followed by Tor, Omri and Vic. They approached cautiously, as if we might shatter at any sudden movement.
"We just heard," Tor said, his deep voice unusually subdued. "Jask told us everything."
"Are you both alright?" Vic asked, medical bag already in hand.
"No," Kora and I answered in unison, which startled a watery laugh from both of us.
Knives moved to Zoya's side, their fingers intertwining automatically. "What do you need from us?" she asked, direct as always.
I looked at the faces of these people who had become something like family over the weeks we'd spent together. "I need to know where you all stand," I said. "With us or with him?"
They exchanged glances, some silent communication passing between them.
"The crew stands together," Tor said finally. "Always has."
"That's not an answer," Kora snapped.
