The stolen walker listed to one side, steaming. It had tripped over a gnarled tree root, a beginner's mistake. Or the mistake of someone who'd been running through exhaustion.
"Careful, Mr. Sharp," Newkirk warned as Deryn stepped forward cautiously. "I don't think any of the other pairs are within earshot."
"Understood." After their prisoner's escape, the Leviathan's crew had been sent out in searching pairs, looking for the runaway prince. One was the lookout and the other – Deryn ran her fingers over the cold lump at her belt unhappily – had the gun.
Coughing out the acrid smoke, Alek stumbled out of the wreckage. His eyes widened. "Dylan. Newkirk."
Newkirk folded his arms. "We don't have to fight. Just give up and come back to the ship." He was trying to sound tough, Deryn could tell, but it wasn't working. His voice shook.
Alek shook his head. "I'm not going back. I'm not being a prisoner when people are dying."
"You heard him," Newkirk said. "You know the orders."
She knew them. Alek knew too much to be allowed to escape. If he refused to come back, she was ordered to shoot. To kill. With trembling fingers she pulled out the loaded pistol. It felt strange and hostile in her hands.
"Hurry up," Newkirk urged, keeping a wary eye on their prisoner. "Before he pulls out that saber."
Deryn looked at Alek. He was pale, but stood there, not trying to escape or fight back. He would let her kill him to do her duty.
"I'm sick of running," he'd told her.
He hadn't killed her, when he could have. Could she really repay the favor with a bullet?
She looked up again, into the eyes of the boy who she still loved, even if they were supposed to be enemies, and came to a decision. "I'm really sorry about this, Newkirk," she said, and hit him on the back of the head. He crumpled to the ground, without even time enough for his face to assume an expression of indignation. "Well," she asked Alek, who was staring at her with his mouth open which, even she had to admit, wasn't especially attractive. "I hope your walker has room for another runaway."