Smoke Sky

“If…” I took a deep breath and forced the words out. “If you had the chance to be part of something bigger, would you take it? You and Sawyer both?”

“Bigger how?”

I sighed, knowing I’d have to tell some truths if I had any chance of coercing them into Fletcher’s hands.

“I know this guy. Fletcher.” I glanced at Nash. He gave no indication that he recognized the name. “He used to be get intelligence and information for the Sky Guard. Offered me food and shelter. A… family. He’s a good man.”

A good man who beats me and wants to make me a breeding factory for him and his sons. I doubted I would win Nash over if I told him the truth. Unlike Fletcher, Nash was a good person. And I was trying to destroy him.

“Well, I can’t speak for Sawyer. Wouldn’t be worth his pouting,” he said with a grin. “But he desperately wants to rebuild this ship,” Nash flicked his eyes around the dark room, “and he can’t do it alone. I wasn’t a marauder before The Storm. I don’t know a damn thing about keeping it from falling apart. He needs more help, but he’s too stubborn to accept it.”

Right then, I knew what the answer was going to be. Sawyer would never abandon the Dauntless Wanderer, for whatever reason, and Nash had given his loyalty. The sympathetic look in his eyes confirmed it. I couldn’t convince them by asking nicely. Even if I went to Sawyer and argued exactly what Nash said––that it took more than two people to run a ship––I knew Sawyer would refuse. He didn’t trust or like me, and I hadn’t done anything to earn it in his eyes. Not like Nash had.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. This was going to get a lot more complicated.

“Gemma?”

I grabbed the blanket and started unfolding it. The fabric was big enough that I could wrap my entire body in it. Between that and Nash’s dry clothes, I might actually be able to stay warm. 

“Gemma, what’s wrong?” He sounded closer than before. I continued setting up my blankets.

Everything. “Nothing.”