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Holly checked his breathing and pulse. Both were steady. She was no medical expert but had to hope there were no more serious injuries that needed treating.
She peered at the control panel, which looked worryingly dead. No one knew they were here, wherever here was. She didn’t remember hearing Avel send a distress call. He’d been too busy trying to keep control of the ship. For all she knew, it could be just the two of them here.
Holly tested the panel, skimming her hand over it. Nothing worked. “Computer, systems check.”
There was a glimmer of light across the panel before it faded.
She tried not to panic. Avel had said he’d look out for her, and she had to believe him. He’d already made sure they had a safe oxygen supply, despite being badly wounded.
Her bottom lip trembled as she looked at his pale face. He was doing it again, looking out for her, making sure things didn’t go badly. She’d been so angry at him for getting involved in her business. He’d been doing it to help her. She realized that now. Holly had let her old fear that she wasn’t good enough resurface.
But Avel had kept things from her. He should have told her he was the Dackin who’d lent her the money. Why conceal that?
Holly shook her head. She had to remember what he told her. He was hanging around because he needed to keep his asset alive. It wasn’t because he actually cared for her.
She touched his hand, tracing a finger over the numerous scars on his knuckles. A part of her wished it was more than that. Although she’d pretended she didn’t like it, it felt so good to have someone on her side, fighting her corner. If they’d met under different circumstances, could there have been something more between them?
Holly removed her hand from Avel’s. A big, tough guy like him wasn’t for her. Their relationship was strictly business, and that was for the best.
She sorted through the medical kit before cleaning her own wounds. Her head hurt the most. She felt dizzy as if she might have a concussion. Holly found painkillers in the box and dry swallowed them. Her arm and back still throbbed, and she imagined she’d have spectacular bruises in the next few days.
She secured the kit under her seat, certain she’d need more painkillers before too long.
Holly peered through the cracked glass in front of her. Wherever they were, it wasn’t a habitable planet. The ship’s nose pointed into space. She could see the vast expanse of the star system in front of her. Where had Avel put them down? He’d been fighting to get them somewhere when the ship had been spinning, but there were no living planets close to this side of the wormhole.
Avel jerked in his seat and his eyes flickered open. “What the—”
“I’m right here.” Holly grabbed his hand. “It’s okay. You lost consciousness when I was treating your ankle.”
Avel grunted. “You mean I passed out?”
She shrugged. “Nothing to be ashamed of. That ankle looks nasty. You shouldn’t have been standing on it.”
“It was stand on it or we both died.” Avel licked his lips. “When I came to, the oxygen alert was spiking like crazy.”
“You did a great job of keeping us alive.”
“I did a job, but it was a lousy one. I should never have flown when I knew a star storm was coming.”
“That’s not your fault. You weren’t to know the storm had shifted and grown stronger. If everything had gone to plan, we’d have been through the wormhole and back on Prodigy by now.”
He twisted his ankle around and winced. “It already feels better.”
“You’ll be dancing again soon enough.”
Avel snorted a laugh. “I do not dance.”
Holly smiled. “So, where are we?”
He shifted in his seat. “As the storm took us, I tried to lock on to Sabernicus. A dead planet lost during the war. I figured it was that or die. We were so close when I finally lost control of the ship. It was a lucky strike that we got here.”
“I’m guessing from the way the ship’s wedged in the ground that we’re not leaving anytime soon.”
Avel grunted a laugh. “Not a chance. This old girl is too damaged to fly.”
“I’m sorry you lost your ship because of me.”
“You didn’t conjure the star storm.”
