“Recall them, Logan. They are no good to anyone dead.”
Nodding, he massages his temples as he issues the silent instruction.
At that precise moment, a trickle of aircraft emerges from the mother ship, opening fire as they descend. “Oh no.”
“Come on.” He takes my hand. “We need to get to Vin.” Logan issues silent instructions to Deputy Tre to follow us as we teleport to the rebel’s location.
A grim-faced Vin awaits us on the outskirts of the city, in the intersection between the Core and Midi Circles. The mother ship lords large in the early morning sky, casting an ominous shadow on the brightening land below. “What’s the latest?” Vin inquires.
“Sadie destroyed the server so they’ve lost the ability to fire directly on us, and all drones are inoperative, but they clearly still have military aircraft with their own firepower.” He jerks his chin up as we watch more and more aircraft stream out of the mother ship, weaving in and out of the skies as they fire continuously at the ground below. “Get our craft in the air, Vin. Now.”
“I’ve already issued the order,” he confirms. “We should have visual contact shortly.”
Throngs of our allied soldiers line up behind us, and Vin nods at Zac. Zac motions toward the crowd, and we part ways as thousands of footsteps race forward, chants and battle cries mingling with the nervous anticipation in the air.
A whirring sound from above claims my attention, and I look up as hundreds of aircraft fill the sky. Whoops and cheers emit from the crowd surging forth into the streets. Haydn materializes at our side, along with a handful of Saven guards. He has a deep gash in the side of his face, and blood is oozing down his cheek. Wordlessly, I pull spare medical supplies from my pocket and clean him up.
“Let’s move out now,” Vin says, tapping his earpiece. “Our troops are in position and engaging the enemy.”
We all teleport to the roof of a large building in the very center of the Core Circle, and we watch the fighting in the air and on the ground. Our ships give chase in the skies and shots whizz back and forth. Craft drop like flies—ours and theirs—slamming to the ground, crushing everything in their wake. Clouds of thick, black smoke snake up into the sky, and raging fireballs dot the landscape like a warped fireworks display. People have surfaced from their homes, frozen in place, staring at the battle raging around them with shell-shocked expressions. Others run screaming in all directions, fear and shock etched across their faces. Dead bodies line the streets as ships descend lower, steamrolling everything in sight.
The skies are filled with flashing red and blue lights as the battle accelerates. Our soldiers fill the roofs and highest levels of buildings, shooting at the enemy aircraft as they come into range, but more and more craft spill out of the mother ship like a giant birthing machine. I rub a hand over my taut chest. “What’s going on in other cities?” I ask, peering up at Vin who has scarcely been off his comm-clip.
“The Amaretti have opened fire across the country. These scenes are being repeated everywhere, but it’s worse in other states as the carrier aircraft still has operational firepower, and they are annihilating our defense. It’s not looking good, guys.” Stress carves deep lines in his forehead.
“I thought the main ships couldn’t fire after I took out the server?”
“Dali said it would remove the mother’s ships ability to control the other ships, not that it would render their systems defective, apart from the drone activity which was centrally controlled. At least we’ve removed them from the equation.”
From where I’m standing, it doesn’t look like it was much of an advantage. There is only one thing we can do to end this before it’s too late. “We need to destroy the mother ship. Dali said once it’s eliminated that all the ships lose power.”
Logan sighs. “I know.”
“Some of our troops have been evacuating the area,” Vin confirms, “but if we do this, there will still be huge loss of life.”
“We have no choice, Vin.” Logan’s voice is firm but strained.
Vin wets his lips. “I’ll raise our bombers into the air.”
Vin issues instructions as my eyes wander to the action on the ground. Amaretti soldiers are on the loose below, having survived crash landings. Our soldiers are in pursuit, and shots ricochet between buildings, taking out plenty of innocent bystanders in the crossfire. Peering over the edge, I zone in on Izzy and Ax and some of the assassins in the thick of the fighting. A large black carrier ship lands on the street, and Amaretti soldiers pile into the streets in droves. Logan curses.
“We need to get down there.”
“Go!” Vin instructs. “I’ll keep tabs on everything and comm you with updates.”
The Saven guards reload their weapons, and then we teleport en masse to the street below.
I duck down as a shot whizzes over my head.
“Behind you!” Izzy roars at me.
I spin around in time to catch an Amaretti soldier advancing on us, his finger poised over the button of his weapon. I fling myself at Logan and Haydn, knocking us to the ground in the nick of time. Flipping around, I incinerate the soldier with beams from my eyes.
Haydn helps me up, and we charge into the middle of the melee as soldiers pour into the street.
I fight the enemy with my bare hands as much as with my incendio ability. There is barely time to breathe let alone take note of where Logan, is but the ever-present tingle in my spine assures me of his safety.
A colossal explosion lights up the sky, sending pulsing tremors across the land. The ground rumbles and sways underneath my feet, and I lose my balance, tumbling to the asphalt. Around me, everyone is lying on the ground, all eyes raised to the sky.
Another bomber attacks, and I watch the rocket thundering toward the mother ship with bated breath. Before it can impact the hull, it detonates in the sky with a mighty roar. Shockwaves ripple outward, distorting the air and sending all aircraft tumbling through the sky. A wave of invisible tremors alters the air, sending gusts of powerful wind our way, keeping everyone horizontal on the ground. My hair whips back with force, almost lifting from my scalp, and the skin on my face wobbles painfully.
“Whatever tech they are using is shielding them from the impact of the bombs,” Logan confirms in my mind. His frustration matches my own.
“I need to get back up there, Logan. I have to destroy the ship from the inside.”
“No way. You might not have time to get out before the whole thing blows.”
“I know, but if we don’t do something and do it fast, no one will get out of this alive. I have to do this.”
Logan appears over me, extending his hand to help me up. All around us, the battle resumes. He pulls me into his arms as Haydn, Deputy Tre, and a bunch of Saven guards surround us protectively. “Where you go, I go.” He presses fierce lips to my forehead. “We’re in this together.”
I don’t even attempt to dissuade him; I can already tell there’s no point, and there’s zero time to argue. Without overthinking it or stopping to tell anyone what we are doing, we teleport back onto the mother ship.
CHAPTER 22
We land in the middle of the damaged technological maze. Wires dangle over our heads, hanging dangerously low from the exposed ceiling. It’s pitch-black in the space, and the only visible lights are the luminous buttons flashing intermittently from the remaining operational units. Dry smoke floods my lungs, and I clamp my palm over my mouth, coughing profusely. Mounds of debris and smoldering fires block our path, and visibility is extremely poor. The devastation is considerable, and I begrudgingly admire the Amaretti for their ability to stay functional in the midst of such rampant destruction.
Logan is squinting at his teleport, trying to read the digital map virtually blind. “I think it’s this way.” He fumbles for my hand, and our fingers touch as a subtle alteration in the air sends my blood pressure skyrocketing. Logan slides me behind his back, activating his weapon as he raises it in aim.
; “It’s only us,” Haydn says. “Don’t shoot.” My eyes are adjusting to the darkness, and I make out Deputy Tre’s form alongside him.
“What the stars!?” Logan is part furious, part relieved.
“You think you can evade us?” Haydn says. “We are your personal bodyguards, and I know how both your minds work. If we’re doing this, we’re all in it together.”
“We need to move,” I say, yanking on Logan’s arm. “Let’s go.”
Logan leads the way, but our progress is slow as we edge carefully along each passageway, jumping over craters and fires that block our path and dipping low to avoid the dangling electrical wires. “The main server unit should be around the next bend,” Logan supplies.
The instant we turn the corner, blinding light forces us back, and I cover my eyes with my hands, squinting at the glaring brightness. “Seize them!” the king commands the swarm of armed soldiers flanking him.
I jump in front of Logan, Haydn, and Tre, lifting my wrists and summoning the flames in warning. “Get out of our way or I’ll kill you all.”
The king smirks as he moves sideways, and Dali and Win come into view. Win can barely stand such is the extent of his injuries. A large bruise mushrooms on Dali’s left temple, and her lip is cut and bleeding. “Surrender or I’ll kill them both,” the king says as two soldiers press weapons against both of their heads.
What he fails to understand is that we are all as good as dead anyway, so his threat isn’t much of a threat. I silently communicate my plan to the others as my eyes pierce Dali’s for understanding. She nods, a defiant glint in her eye. “Do it,” she mouths, and I thrust a line of fire at the king at the same time Logan and Haydn fire at the soldiers holding Dali and Win captive. The rest of the soldiers open fire immediately, aiming for me. I drop to the ground, eye level with the mound of ash that was once Dali’s father. A heavy thud dropping to the ground beside me sets my heart racing. An anguished pain cleaves me on the inside as I turn and look into the wounded eyes of Deputy Tre. Blood oozes out of a deep gash in his side, trickling through his fingers as he urgently tries to stem the flow.
The monster rips free of its cage, and I jump up, thrusting my wrists out. “Down!” I roar, hoping Dali understands my instruction. Then I let loose on the soldiers, advancing toward them as they start disintegrating before my eyes. The soldiers at the back start running, but I give chase, not stopping until every last one is reduced to nothing. Huge pressure weighs on my chest, and I scream, shooting lasers from my eyes as I burn through units, the fury and anger needing further release.
Logan’s warm arm snakes around my waist from behind. “Come back to me, baby.” He brushes my hair aside, planting a delicate kiss to the side of my neck, and my anger gives rise to other sentiments, equally as potent. I whirl around, grabbing his head and smashing my lips against his. My kiss is desperate and hard, and I nibble on his lip as my hands claw at his back, replacing my rage with desire. He gives me everything, letting me take whatever I need, and I kiss him desperately, greedily, my lips and arms devouring him like it’s the last time I’ll get to taste him, to feel him, to love him.
It may very well be.
“I love you to eternity and beyond, Logan.”
“You’re my forever, Sadie.” He breaks our embrace to peer into my eyes. “Let’s finish this.”
When we turn around, Haydn is propping Deputy Tre up, helping to keep him upright. Dali is cradling a semi-conscious Win in her arms.
“Is that the core server unit, Dali?” Logan asks, pointing at the massive, towering black unit before us.
“That’s it. Take that out and all the ships lose power.” Mournful eyes meet mine, and no words are necessary.
“Haydn.” I call him over. “Teleport back to land with Dali and Win right now.”
He shakes his head, opening his mouth to protest but Logan cuts him off. “That’s an order, Haydn, and we don’t have time to debate. Sadie and I will stay here and see this through.”
“No,” Haydn croaks out. “I’m not leaving you behind.”
“My father started all this, and it’s up to me to end it,” Dali says, extracting a square box from her pocket. “You four leave, and take Win with you. I’ll implant this bomb. I’ll end this now.”
“If you want to apply that logic,” Logan says, “then I’m the one who should do this, because it was my father who set this whole thing in motion.”
“Oh, for the love of all things holy!” I throw my hands in the air. “People are dying down there while we argue this!” I jerk my head back. “There is no time to debate. Haydn, get them out of here now. Go!” I shove at his chest as he makes a move to hug me. I shake my head. “No time. Get out of here.”
Dali continues protesting as Logan helps her and Win up. They wrap their arms around each other as Logan takes a step back. Haydn readies his comport, keeping a steadying hand on the rapidly flailing Deputy Tre. Tears stream down Haydn’s face as he looks at me with his finger hovering over the activation button.
I send him one last communication and his eyes grow wide. “Please.”
His forlorn eyes don’t waver from mine as he subtly nods his acquiescence.
The air starts to shimmer and I spring into action. I know we said we were in this together, but I love him too much to let him die like this. “Forgive me, Logan. I love you.” I knock into him, hard, thrusting him at Haydn.
Haydn grabs onto him just before the teleport tunnel closes. The last thing I hear is Logan’s anguished shout in my head before he disappears.
Tears threaten to choke me, and I can hardly see over the blurry haze in my eyes, but I need to ignore my heartache and focus on what I need to do.
Retracting my Eterno line, I shut Logan completely out as I turn to face my fate.
CHAPTER 23
I blow air out of my mouth as I position myself in front of the unit, trying to steady my nerves. I can do this. I concentrate on emptying my mind, pushing all my hurt and pain and heartbreak to one side.
It’s true what they say: That your life flashes before your eyes in the moments preceding death.
Images flit through my mind—happy times, sad times, horrific memories mixing with heartwarming ones. Perhaps my whole life has been building to this point. Maybe I was never destined to live a long life, and there is no more honorable way to bow out of this world than making the ultimate sacrifice to protect those who can’t protect themselves.
When this all started, I made a promise to myself—that I would do everything in my power to free the stars and help usher in a new era.
I can die now, knowing that I’ve done my utmost to achieve that.
Beyond that, I can’t think of the consequences, or Logan, or any of my loved ones who I’m leaving behind. I can only hope that my legacy is enough to help them get through the dark days.
I wipe my damp eyes and smile.
It all ends here.
It all begins here.
With measured control, I lift my wrist and blast the server unit, keeping a steady stream of fire leveled at the center of the unit, watching as the flames penetrate the surface, infiltrate the interior, and whip through the system like a crafty thief sneaking through the night.
I keep the flame burning bright, thrusting everything I have into it, pleased when the unit starts to expand and shake as the heat takes possession. A keening, rumbling sound pierces my eardrums, but it’s a welcome sound.
After a few minutes, my body sags, exhausted from the overuse of my power, and I slump to the ground, struggling to stay conscious. My lips pull into a wide smile as the unit starts to rip apart, and I know it’s enough. I’ve played my part. This will all be over shortly. My eyes drift open and shut as loud pops reverberate around me.
Any minute now and it will end.
A mammoth explosion rips through the air, and I’m hit by a wall of blistering heat, feeling it singe the skin on my face and my hair as the last remnants of consciousness start to fade away and
blackness encroaches. The last thing I feel is something solid around my middle, and then I black out.
Sharp spikes stab my body all over as I slowly come to. My throat is dry as sandpaper, and I cough, a croaky, raspy sound releasing from my throat. A familiar tingly sensation crawls up my spine, and a soothing sensation floods my mind. “Logan,” I whisper-croak, forcing my eyes wide.
“Angel.” Logan’s relieved voice is like music to my ears. I try to sit up, but he gently presses a hand to my chest, keeping me in place. “Don’t. I’m waiting for a medic to check you over. I”— his face crumples in pain—“I almost didn’t get to you in time!” Bowing his head, he cries silent tears, his chest lifting up and down.
I bring my hand up, running my fingers through his hair. “Shush, baby. It’s okay. You got me.” Logan lifts his chin, spearing me with furious eyes, his look in total contrast to his nurturing words. “That was the stupidest stunt you have ever pulled. What the hell got into you? I should’ve been by your side, and I could have gotten both of us out of there in plenty of time.”
“Logan, I’m sorry, but we didn’t know that for sure. I couldn’t let you die. I just couldn’t do it.”
“And you think I could? You promised me, Sadie.”
I touch his face, and he holds my palm against his cheek. “It was a split-second decision. I’m sorry. I only wanted to save you.”
He presses his forehead to mine. “If you ever do anything like that again, I’ll …”
“I know,” I admit, softly. He presses a fierce kiss to my forehead. “What happened? Did I destroy it?” I wince at how strained my voice sounds.
“You did it, girlfriend,” Dali says quietly, crouching down alongside me. “You destroyed the mother ship and grounded every other Amaretti ship. It’s over. It’s finally over.” Tears cascade down her face as she leans in to hug me.
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