Beyond the Rings: Book one of the Saturnus Triology

Beyond the Rings: Chapter twenty-five

This was her fault, Cosimia realized with cold certainty. If she hadn't been distracted in the training room with Grant, she might've noticed her friend outside the ship and she could've saved her. If she hadn't been distracted, Airlia could be standing here, waiting for Cosimia with a warm smile and soothing words.

She always had.

Cosimia staggered back, shock making her mind sluggish. She couldn't think clearly through the mess of panic and whirling thoughts in her head. Worried hands handled her but she could smell Grant's familiar smell. His voice was rushed with anxiety. She wouldn't be mad at him again; this was wholly her fault. Airlia had always been there for her, always there to help Cosimia through the darkness of life. But now, when her friend needed her, she was too busy wrapped up in her own selfish desires.

Stop pitying yourself, Cosimia, and do something. Minerva don't just sit around.

The mental scolding shook Cosimia out of her daze. She couldn't just stay here when her friend was stranded inside the Black Hole. Airlia wouldn't survive much longer out there by herself and if she died due to Cosimia's distraction, she wouldn't be able to continue with her mission. And mostly, she would suffer from the guilt her whole life. She pushed herself out of her friends' arms, surprised at her strength.

She bolted past them, sprinting as fast as she could towards the podship deck.

"Cosimia! Stop!" Mathias bellowed to her. "Don't make me chase you!"

She ignored him and pushed on. He grasped her waist and jerked her back, holding her firmly as she struggled against him.

"Let. Me. Go." She enunciated each word, forcing steel into her tone.

"You are not going off by yourself. Don't be an idiot, Cosimia."

"This is my fault and I'm going to fix it myself," she said through gritted teeth.

"Like your brother said, you are not going by yourself. It could be dangerous." Grant growled.

"What am I, some child? I can defend myself!"

"I know but this is unknown. You don't know what you'll be facing," Isadora urged. Her desperation grew with every minute that passed. Every minute that her best friend was struggling for her life. Every minute she was losing to get to her.

"Don't make me hurt you, Mathias," she warned.

"You won't." His arms tightened around her, like a steel vice. The Gloria glowed in her pocket and she mentally apologized to her brother as she whipped it out, the blinding light filling the narrow chamber. Everyone but Cosimia flinched away from the dagger, trying to avoid the blazing light. Cosimia seized her chance and flew down the hall, her adrenaline increasing.

She burst into the hangar deck, rushing towards the release button on the opposite of the spacey chamber. The group burst in and her friends just gaped, stricken, as Cosimia jumped and strapped herself into the podship. She looked at them silently, hoping the shimmering of tears was enough to convey her regret.

She slammed a button and pulled a lever, jerking it back. The podship fired up and dropped out of Lady Vortex. Cosimia forced Grant's helpless face out of her mind and focused on navigating to the cavernous maw of the Black Hole.

The pressing darkness that encased the podship made Cosimia want to curl up into a ball. Imagining what her poor friend must've felt just made her brave the darkness, for Airlia. She pressed the pedal and the ship zoomed forward. The tight tunnel let them through easily and Cosimia was uneasy about how the tunnel was defenseless. It made her ponder about what was on the other side, what creature that didn't require outer protection. She knew the Black Hole was the original home of the Creatura but she didn't want to discount that there could be other monstrous things inhabiting the Black Hole.