Attack on Phoenix by Megg Jensen Page B

I really appreciate your help."
    Rell gestured at Leila, and the blond followed her around the bend, leaving the others behind.
    “Will you introduce us to your people? Our commander said the buried were hostile. It’s why she sent me on this mission. I’m pretty good with a blaster.”
    Rell had no intention of letting anyone see the defenders. There would be too many questions. She'd be brought to the council and severely punished. "We probably won't see anyone. I want to get something to help Torsten, and then we'll take it back and heal him."
    Rell crept through the tunnels, Leila close on her heels. They walked in silence. Rell was glad. She had no interest in conversation. When they reached the final bend before the healer’s ward, Rell put a finger to her lips. Leila stood quietly, waiting for Rell's signal.
    Once Rell was sure no one was around, she grabbed Leila's hand, pulling her into the med lab. "Wait there. Don't touch anything." Rell closed the door behind them.
    Leila's eyes were wide. Rell knew what she was thinking. How did they have this much tech underground? Her people had hoarded tech since the day they'd first settled in the tunnels.
    Rell regretted allowing Leila to see it, but there was no other way to help Torsten. Until he was healed, Rell couldn't convince them to leave.
    She rifled through the cabinet, grabbing a healing device. "Okay. Let's go."
    "That's all?" Leila asked. "What about medicine and bandages?"
    "We don't need those," Rell assured her. "Trust me. Now, let's get back to your brother before anyone sees us here."
    They jogged through the tunnels until they were back with the other three. Torsten had fallen asleep, his brown eyelashes brushing his cheeks. Rell knelt next to him, cursing the constricting leather pants again.
    Torsten stirred, his sleepy eyes focusing on Rell. "Hi," he said with a tired smile.
    "Hi." Rell laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hold still. This won't hurt."
    "I believe you," Torsten said. He braced his back against the wall and stretched out his injured leg.
    Rell held the healing device over his leg, slowly moving it from his toes up to his knee. She repeated the process three times. The readout on the device told her his bone had knitted.
    "You can get up now. Try it out. Tell me how it feels." Rell crossed her arms while Leila offered a hand to Torsten.
    He took it, and stood. Torsten placed his weight on his right leg, then his left, then his right again. His eyes widened. "It's fine."
    "Really?" Leila asked, incredulous. "You're okay?"
    Torsten nodded. He dropped Leila’s hand. Smiling, he laughed. Then he did the most surprising thing. Torsten grabbed Rell and pulled her to him. He lifted her into the air, swinging her around in a circle.
    Then he kissed her on the lips.
 

Chapter Thirteen
     
     
    Torsten stumbled, his back slamming into the wall. He blinked a couple of times, resting a hand over his stinging cheek. Rell had punched him. Hard.
    "I'm sorry," he said, looking over at Rell. She trembled, her hands and lips shaking.
    "How dare you?" Rell backed away from him.
    "Tor, that isn't how you kiss a girl." Leila crossed her arms over her chest. "You always ask first. You always make sure she wants you to."
    A blush burned over Torsten's neck and up his face. He hadn't even realized what he'd done until Rell clocked his face. He'd been so grateful. "I'm sorry. It just happened," he said again. He would say it a million times if it would help erase what he'd done. "I would never, ever hurt you, Rell. Not like that." He wanted to reach out to her, take her in his arms and comfort her, but he knew it was a horrible idea.
    The anger and fear in her eyes told him he'd done something very, very wrong. He tried to remember the small bits he'd gleaned about the buried. The grounders didn't know much about them; they'd been separated for centuries.
    "I never should have helped you." Rell's words were like daggers in Torsten's heart.
    "Okay, Rell," Leila