Jewel
Page 18
Then she remembered the reason she’d gone under the water to begin with. “Miners?”
Erik hesitated. “We think they’re all dead, Jewel. None of them made it back to the surface with you.”
Sorrow washed through her pain. Surely they couldn’t all be dead.
“We think that the platform collapsed. That would explain the cloud of armenium-laced silt you encountered.”
She reexperienced the pure terror of having the frigid seawater invade her all-environment suit, forcing its way into her mouth just before the horrendous burning had started.
“Hey, you’re shaking,” Erik told her. “It’s all over now. You’re going to be okay.”
“That remains to be seen,” Dr. Brüning said.
“Doctor,” Erik warned.
“It’s the simple truth. Even if the Armenites don’t catch us, her injuries—”
Jewel’s heart leapt in her chest.
An alarm sounded nearby.
“Void!” Erik hissed. “Does that mean what I think it does?”
“She’s becoming quite agitated,” Brüning observed with no noticeable concern in his voice.
“Jewel,” Erik told her. “You’re going to be all right. You made it back to the surface and I think we’re going to be able to outrun the Armenites.”
Jewel needed answers. “What’s…wrong with me?”
Brüning reentered the conversation. “You’ve sustained a significant amount of internal and external damage. There were corrosive agents in the water. I can’t fix this. We’re going to have to freeze you.”
“N-no,” Jewel protested. She couldn’t be frozen. She had to deactivate Spy. “Wait…no.” Jewel tried to grab hold of Erik but she couldn’t lift her arm, just like she couldn’t open her eyes. “I can’t—”
“Do it, Brüning,” Erik said.
She heard the sound of equipment whirring followed by a slight clanking sound, like a lid closing on a box.
“Erik!”
“It’s the only way, Jewel,” Erik told her. “And the rest of us will be joining you soon. It’s seventy-two years to Arch by sublight drive, but it will still feel like tomorrow when we arrive.”
The hiss of cold gas reached her ears, encircling her body, entering her mouth and throat, stealing her consciousness as Erik stroked her hair.
About Veronica Tower
Veronica Tower was married to her high school sweetheart for five deliriously happy years and ten far less wonderful ones. Now she is taking the time to make up for lost opportunities. In addition to returning to school to pursue a degree in psychology, Veronica has committed herself to fully exploring her fantasies, both in writing and in person…
Veronica welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Veronica Tower
Playtime 1: Streetwalker
Playtime 2: Masseur
Playtime 3: Changing Room
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Jewel
ISBN 9781419946189
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Jewel Copyright © 2013 Veronica Tower
Edited by Elizabeth London
Cover design by Fiona Jayde
Cover photography by mocker/.dreamstime.com
Electronic book publication June 2013
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