By the time my two days in the infirmary are up, I’m itching to get out. Val and Jamie wait outside, huge grins spread across their faces. Both girls kept me company as much as they could during training and ship duties while I was recovering. Asher would come and go whenever he had downtime, even bringing Jesse along sometimes. He preferred to sneak in after visiting hours were over, discussing the new survivors and how they were adjusting to life at sea, his intense gaze always assessing me. I make a mental note to bring our nightly sessions up to Val next chance I have her alone; she’ll eat it up.

“I declare a girl’s night!” Jamie bounces up and down. “Helen gave me the day off, and I finished the book yesterday. Holy shit. My mind is blown.”

Val nods aggressively. “You ain’t kidding! When I took today off, I read the rest of it this morning. Could barely sleep because of it. You finish it yet, Izzy?”

“Of course. I’ve been going mental in there.” I wave my hand back toward the medical bay, emphasizing my relief as the enclosed space gives way to the open area of the bridge. I step forward, drawing in a lungful of salty air. The sun is warm, a slight breeze blows from the north, seagulls trill sharply as they perch above us on the higher dec

Jamie jogs to the stairs. They’re long and narrow, a dull beige contrast against the bright blue sky above. “The special is pizza, and I have been looking forward to it all week.”

Val quirks an eyebrow. “It’s Tuesday.”

“And I love my Italian.” Jamie shrugs. She waits at the end of the stairwell while Val and I catch up.

“You’re well now, right?” Val’s voice softens, her brows drawing together in worry as she glances my way. She instinctively positions herself close, ready to steady me as I descend the stairs.

My fingers graze the smooth wood railing as I smile. “No more headaches.” What I don’t say is that, while my head felt clear for the last twenty-four hours, I’ve been suffering from nightmares sleeping alone in the darkness of the clinic. My latest encounter with Asher has me on edge.

Val’s shoulders slump in obvious relief. “Good.”

Not long after, we arrive at the cafeteria, where the smell of marinara sauce and garlic greets us as we push through the double doors. The lunch crowd is pouring in just as we fall in line with our trays.

Val grabs a couple of honey packets, and I wrinkle my nose. “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, especially paired with their spicy pepperoni.” Val waggles her eyebrows.

I grab a salad, a slice of pizza, and as many breadsticks as my heart desires; the simple act is oddly comforting after confinement. We slide into a corner booth. Jamie talks animatedly about the research Helen is doing with Jesse, whose frown deepens as Jamie launches into a fast-paced summary; he seems overwhelmed and lost. I scan the room, disappointment knotting my stomach when I don’t find Asher.

Val takes a hearty bite of her pizza, dancing in her seat. Noticing my wandering stare, she leans closer and drops her voice, a teasing smirk growing. “Waiting on lover boy?”

I jump, heat rising to my cheeks. “Yeah, I haven’t seen him.” When he came to visit last night, he was more standoffish and distant than normal. I swallow the bile rising in my throat as I think about his words as he stormed out when I pressed him about it.

Val takes a sip of her sweet tea. “He’s been taking care of something for his dad. They’ve been tight-lipped.”

“They aren’t even talking to me about it.” Jesse snorts.

Jamie frowns. “I think that’s why I have off today. Helen didn’t want me snooping around the lab.”

“You? A snoop?” Val grins, winking at her.

Jamie rolls her eyes. “I know. I can’t help it.”

Chewing the inside of my cheek, I murmur, “Wonder what happened.” Relief floods through me that it wasn’t something I’d done to put him in such a foul mood.

Val shrugs. “Sure we’ll find out soon enough.”

As if on cue, Asher slides in beside me, his hair tousled and damp. “Hey, sorry I’m late.”

“No worries.” I take a bite of a breadstick, distracting myself with its perfect buttery garlic flavor. I squirm a little in my seat, trying to shake the discomfort.

Jesse grabs a French fry off his plate and pops it into his mouth. Swallowing, he squints at Asher. “Everything okay, man?”

Asher picks up a slice of pizza, folding it in half. “Yeah, I had to finish helping my parents with their latest endeavor. No time for rest, apparently.” He takes a big bite.

Val nods sagely. “I have noticed it has been nonstop lately.”

“Ever since we got ahold of a Raver, Mom’s been working overtime to get to the bottom of the virus.” Asher rubs a palm over his face, dark blue circles line the bottom of his eyelids. His movements are tired and slow as he turns to me, vulnerability flickering in his gaze. “I see you’re free?”

I grin. His attempt at teasing helping to release the tension in my chest. “Clean bill of health.”

“That’s great.” He reaches for my hand, squeezing my fingers. He winces, forcing out his next words. “Dad’s calling another meeting tonight. We stumbled upon a laboratory. It’s the first lead we’ve come across since we started sending teams out to do some recon.”

Editor: Lucy Cafiero