Chapter 07: Fractured Stars
The days had blended together in a haze of stars, calculated moves, and quiet conversations. It was hard to tell where one day ended and the next began as they navigated the treacherous expanse of the nebula. The ship had become their only constant, a fragile vessel against the dark void that threatened to swallow them whole. And yet, despite the shared goal of saving Aurelia, something had shifted between them.
Lena kept her distance—emotionally and physically. There were moments when she found herself standing in the cockpit, staring out at the swirling nebula, longing for the solitude it offered. It was easier than facing Rian and the uncertainty that lurked in his gaze, in the spaces between their conversations. Easier than acknowledging the way her heart seemed to beat faster whenever he was near.
And Rian—well, Rian was different too. His jokes had become fewer, his smiles more rare. His usual cocky swagger had been replaced with something darker, more contemplative. It was as though the weight of what they were doing had settled on his shoulders, and Lena could see the exhaustion in his eyes.
But neither of them spoke of it, not directly. Instead, they focused on the mission—on tracking the Arkanite crystals, on navigating the nebula, on the next obstacle that lay in wait. It was safer that way. Safer than confronting what was simmering just beneath the surface.
Lena sat at the navigation console once again, her fingers brushing over the holographic display. She had been plotting a course through the heart of the nebula, where the interference was strongest, but it was the only place they stood a chance of reaching the coordinates they needed.
“Everything looks clear for now,” she muttered, glancing over her shoulder toward Rian, who was working at the comms station.
Rian didn’t answer right away. She could feel his gaze on her, and she fought the impulse to turn around. There was something about the silence between them that felt too heavy, too thick with unspoken words.
“Lena,” he finally said, his voice low. “We need to talk.”
She froze, her fingers stalling mid-swipe over the console. She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to face the tension between them. Not now. Not when the mission was at such a critical juncture.
“I don’t think there’s anything left to say,” she replied, her voice sharper than she intended.
Rian sighed, and she heard him stand, his footsteps light but determined as he moved toward her. His presence filled the small cockpit, a tension that seemed to wrap itself around her like a physical force. She clenched her jaw, bracing herself for whatever words were about to follow.
“You’re wrong,” he said quietly. “There’s a lot left to say. But if we keep ignoring it, it’s going to destroy us.”
Lena felt a pang in her chest at the truth in his words. She turned slowly in her seat, her eyes meeting his. “We don’t have time for distractions, Rian. Aurelia needs us.”
He didn’t flinch at her words, but she saw the flicker of something in his eyes—hurt? Frustration? Maybe both.
“I know,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “But pretending like nothing’s happening between us doesn’t make it go away. I can see it in your eyes, Lena. You’re scared. And so am I.”
She bit her lip, looking away from him. The truth was, she had been scared from the moment they’d been thrown together. She had thought she could ignore it, that the mission would be enough to drown out everything else. But the closer they got to completing it, the more she realized she couldn’t outrun the feelings that had started to take root between them.
“I’m not scared,” she said, though the words felt hollow in her mouth. “I’m just focused. We’re close to finding the crystals. That’s all that matters.”
Rian moved closer, his eyes locked onto hers with a gaze so intense that it made her breath catch. “Lena, it’s not just about the crystals. It’s about us. You can’t keep shutting me out.”
She swallowed hard, fighting the surge of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her. “I’m not shutting you out,” she said quickly. “I’m just trying to keep us on track. If we get distracted—”
“We’re already distracted,” he interrupted, his voice rising just slightly. “You think I don’t see it? You think I don’t feel the way this—whatever this is—has started to change everything?”
Lena shook her head, her hands tightening around the edge of the console. “I don’t want to talk about this. Not now, not with everything at stake.”
Rian’s expression hardened, but there was a sadness in his eyes that made her heart ache. “Then when, Lena? When are we going to talk about it?”
The silence that stretched between them felt like a weight that pressed down on her chest. She knew what she had to say. She knew that the longer they kept pretending that everything was fine, the harder it would be to face the truth. But the truth was terrifying. If she let herself care about Rian—really care—it would change everything. It would change everything about the mission. About Aurelia. About her entire life.
“I’m not the person you think I am,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Rian stepped back, his brow furrowing in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Lena stood, her legs shaky as she crossed the room toward him. “I’m not some hero, Rian. I’m just a woman who’s been running from her past for so long that I don’t know how to face it. And now, with you, with this mission… it’s all too much.”
She could feel the tears threatening to spill, but she held them back, staring up at him with a mix of fear and frustration. “I can’t do this. Not with you. Not with everything I’ve been carrying.”
Rian didn’t say anything at first. He just stood there, looking at her, his eyes softening with understanding. He took a step toward her, but she held up her hand, shaking her head.
“No,” she said, her voice firm. “I need to do this alone. I need to finish this. For Aurelia.”
Rian’s gaze flickered to the floor before he nodded, his expression resigned. “I get it. But you’re not alone, Lena. You never have been. Not if you don’t want to be.”
Lena felt a lump form in her throat, but she swallowed it down. She couldn’t let herself be vulnerable. Not now. She turned away from him, stepping back toward the console.
“Let’s focus on the mission,” she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside her. “That’s what we need to do. Nothing else matters.”
For a long moment, there was nothing but the sound of the ship’s engines and the hum of the nebula outside.
And though neither of them said another word, Lena knew that something had changed. The fragile barrier between them had cracked, and there was no going back.
