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Prologue

Calix

Froht into the sub-faction She—Eile Like the fine petals of a lilabush But unlike the healthy flowers that grow in Galen’s lab, this one wilts With each passing solar, her skin grows hs rattle from her chest and her breaths come out labored

Aria, the commander’s mate and leader of the hu the ho the space for the others to be woken up, but she is overlooking the needs ofher die before our very eyes

As usual, when I’ will slowly turn and seek esture in greeting All she does is cry Silently Motionless The tears I’ve tasted while she was in cryosleep were unlike anythingI crave to hold her in my solid arms and lick away her sweet sadness

But I am not allowed to hold her

Aria des for herself They do not understand I’ve studied her expressions long before she becahs and sputters, and yet I do not fear the pathogens that litter the air around her It is uni truh to haveunder the equalizer to eliminate the bacteria

Eladly catch whatever it is she ails from

Then I could hold her while it stole us both from this life

Nobody, especially Emery, deserves to die alone

I won’t rekking allow it

With my eyes locked on hers, I try to read her expressions She’s sad but y she does have, she tugs and twists at the zuta-metal that is around her arm I feel like it unlocks an ih the test results Avrell has obtained froh his notes

For soued with not knohat to do

There’s a name for her ailment She spoke it to Aria and it’s been recorded, but itto us le even on her own planet, but at least there she had the proper medicine She is too weak for us to try to send her back It’s been discussed With space’s cos, she would not survive That is written in Avrell’s notes as well

Which means…

There is only one thing left to do