Page 129 of Bound By Stars

“Look.” Skye pats my knee.

Asha’s fresh pink hair stands out in the passing crowd, Tar keeping pace beside her and their parents leading the way.

“It doesn’t make sense. There has to be a reason Asha and Tar are sticking by him,” Skye says like she’s desperately searching for the final piece of the puzzle that’s gone missing.

I let out a breath. “Heard he was officially cleared this morning.” Communication with theBoundlessand the Mars station didn’t link up until right before it was completely destroyed. The captain already safely evacuated with the passengers who were lucky enough to make it off.

No one wanted to hear our version. When our escape pod made it to the Mars station, the rescue team recorded our account of the events, cleared us medically, and put us all on a transport to Mars. When no one else who made it off the ship, including Tarak and Asha, backed up our story, we were all warned about the dangers of fabricating conspiracy theories. After all, Captain Nazari is a hero. Captain Nazari is a respected citizen of Elysium. Captain Nazari got away with it.

“I can’t believe he’s not in prison,” Skye says through her teeth. “He’s responsible for all those deaths.”

I drop my head.

Skye lays her hand over mine. “I’m sorry. I know you’re hoping she made it off, Jupe.”

“Every night, I dream that she is here. She convinces me she’s alive, that it was all a misunderstanding. And then—”

“You wake up and have to lose her all over again.” She takes a deep breath and squeezes my hand. “Still happens to me, too. With Andi.”

Lifting my eyes as Gianna spots me from the third level, I stand. “Time for me to get moving.”

“Oh my…” Skye tugs on my sleeve. Her smile spreads too wide to finish. She stares past me, fixed on the steps of the Central Services building.

I whip around, following her gaze.

Weslie brushes the dark curls from her face, pausing at the top of the stairs and scrutinizing the levels of the central hub from paths and trees at the bottom to services and apartments above.

I’m frozen in place, waiting for her to evaporate. Prove she’s only a ghost of a memory, appearing to torture me. My heart pounds in my ear canals. I don’t move, don’t breathe, too terrified to break the illusion.

Behind her, Mr. Nole comes out the door and places a hand on her shoulder. He points toward his shuttle waiting at the bottom of the steps.

A surge of adrenaline floods my body. I race across the path and leap onto a planter, cutting through ferns and peace lilies.

Weslie nods along as Mr. Nole speaks and they descend the steps.

I jump down into the flow of evening foot traffic, pushing upstream.

Her hand is on the shuttle door.

“Weslie!” I break free from the crowd.

Our eyes lock, and a smile stretches across her face.