“Where’s yours?” Khall asked April as he finished getting on his chute.
She shook her head mutely.
“No, way,” he said. “No way by the suns and moon. I’ll hold you. You’ll be fine.”
“We’re too heavy together,” she protested.
“We’re not,” he told her, wrapping his arms around her as Minerva opened the railing.
But April wasn’t sure that was true.
“Remember,” he told the girls. “You touch the sensor on your chest, right?”
They both nodded.
“Let’s go,” he yelled enthusiastically.
Minerva grabbed Bo’s hand and dragged her off the side.
April closed her eyes, unable to watch. But she felt Khall’s muscles clenching and stretching as he jumped, too.
And then they were free falling, the wind whipping her hair.
“Press your sensors,” Khall called out.
He put his hand beside her cheek and pressed and she heard something spring out of the chute.
Their descent slowed almost fast enough to cause whiplash as the wings on the chute flapped.
“Bo,” Minerva screamed. “The sensor.”
April opened her eyes and turned in Khall’s arms to see Bo still rocketing down.
The little one had been so brave. But now she was too frozen to touch her sensor.
Without thinking, April fought her way out of Khall’s arms.
“April, no,” he shouted.
But she was already dropping through the air, diving for Bo as her stomach twisted and turned with terror.
This was her worst nightmare, or so she had always thought.
The real nightmare would be losing Bo.
At last she collided with the little girl, sending them both tumbling through the air.
They desperately grappled to hold onto each other.
Finally, April managed to get her arms around Bo, and reach far enough to slam her palm into the sensor on her small chest without a second to spare.
“April,” Bo breathed, wrapping her limbs around her as the wings shot out of the chute, jerking them upward with their first flap.
“I’ve got you, Bo,” April sobbed, holding the little body close. “I’ve got you.”