by Nina Walker
“Just trust me. I don't have a lot of this color left on me, so we need to get moving now. Mastin, do you want to take point?”
He stared at me like I’d completely lost my mind. I shrugged. I hated giving him the lead, but it would keep his mind occupied from the magic.
Another round of shots echoed, once again, closer.
“We don’t have time,” I reminded them and raised my eyebrows.
We took off together, first rounding the dumpster, sprinting for the closest building, and running along the back. As we moved, our speed at least five times a normal human’s, I kept my head down. I couldn't bring myself to look at Mastin, or Tristan, for that matter. Tristan hadn’t put up a fight at the magic, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t pay for this later.
I’d kept this ability to myself for years. Would he judge me for it now? Would he think I’d been selfish? Would he understand that I’d been protecting him?
Mastin stopped abruptly, falling flat on his face in the process. Tristan jumped over him, only to skid and land on his butt with a heavy thud. They both groaned as they stood. I quickly checked to make sure the blue magic was still surrounding us. It was an inner knowing within me that called to the blue, since the magic was different than all the others. They were all unique in their own ways, each feeling slightly different from the last. But the blue? It was beginning to fade. And I didn’t have much color left in the stone.
“Are you two okay?” I asked. “Anything feel broken?”
“I’m fine.” Mastin jumped up, brushing himself off. There was a tear in his uniform, a small trickle of blood bubbled up on his exposed knee. I frowned and reached toward it.
“I said I’m fine,” he snapped, moving out of my reach. I tried not to be offended that he wouldn’t let me help him, but I had to grit my teeth to do it.
Tristan was also standing now, a teasing smile lifting his face. “You could have warned us.”
“I did,” I replied sharply.
He lifted an eyebrow.
“Kind of.”
He laughed, two perfect rows of teeth shining. I rolled my eyes, took a deep breath, and noticed the smoke was beginning to fade. The sounds of shouting had also faded out. The battle had progressed further ahead.
Mastin shook his head, clearly unimpressed by the two of us. “The meeting point from the coordinates is just around this corner and two hundred feet ahead.”
“I’ll go first,” I said. “You two watch for me here and jump in if I need you. Branson knows me. This is best.”
Before they could argue, I took off. It was a narrow alleyway, and deserted. For now.
Didn’t mean we were safe.
Please be there, Branson. We need you. My gut twisted. He was probably too busy to make the meeting, that was assuming he’d made it out of the battle alive.
The two buildings were about to come to an end, a tank sat right in the center, pointed outward. The relative safety of the alley was all I had left. An open road up ahead filled with smoke, a few soldiers dashing past, shouts and gunshots continuing to pierce further ahead. Not about to step out into the open, I stopped and crouched low next to the army tank. It was parked at the opening, probably ready to join the battle if needed. Where was Branson?
“Over here,” a deep male voice called softly from behind, as if he’d heard my thought. I turned, tensing when I didn’t spot anyone. But a moment later, Branson stepped into view from the other side of the tank. Blood mixed with dirt and sweat ran down his temple, and his mouth was set in a grim line. I stilled and clenched my fists, ready to fight if this turned out to be a trap.
He held up his hands. “I was hoping you wouldn’t show. You should go,” he said, voice low and tired. “This is a bad time.”
“I kind of figured that part out.” I glared. “You should have emailed us back.”
He folded his arms over his chest, glancing around. I could sense his worry in the tense set of his shoulders and the way his eyes kept glancing about, never quite landing in one place for more than a few seconds.
“It’s okay.” I motioned to my necklace. “I have shielding blue around us right now. No one can hear.”
Hopefully that wouldn’t turn out to be a mistake, considering Tristan and Mastin were now out of earshot too.
Branson’s eyes finally landed on me, impressed, and he nodded. “Then I’ll make this quick. I was going to have you take a couple of people with you to the other side. Faulk is closing in on them, and I wanted them gone before she figured out that they're Resistance.”
“Who?”
“Doesn’t matter.” He shook his head. “They're caught up in the fight.”
“Who?” I shifted closer and pressed the question again.
“They’re safer if you don’t know,” he snapped. “You’ll have to come back another time. Go hide and I’ll email when I can. Things are getting tense around here. Be patient. It might take some time.”
Disappointment washed through me in tiny pinpricks down my spine, but what else could I do? What else could he do? From the looks of things, no one had expected this attack today. Maybe if Mastin had communicated with his father better, we could have avoided this. No use fretting about it now. Branson stepped back as I turned to go.
“Look who I found,” a sinister voice called out from the other end of the alley. I whipped around and gasped with recognition. Reed. He stood behind Tristan and Mastin. Both of their hands were behind their heads as the group shuffled forward. Tristan’s expression remained steady, but Mastin snarled, his teeth bared in disgust. My eyes darted to Reed, a smug smile and raised eyebrows drawing out all my anger. Reed caught my expression and pressed back with a cackle. Like pouring salt into the wound, he held their guns in both of his meaty hands and used his magic to break them in half. A flash of yellow sparked as the broken pieces clattered to the pavement. He laughed, gleeful and sadistic.
Behind him, two more alchemists were walking with a confident swagger in their step, fists up as if ready for a fight. Their black war uniforms gleamed with stones, the visors on their helmets pulled down so I couldn’t recognize them, like I could Reed. They moved like a pack of lions, confident and out for blood. We were outnumbered, and worse, I was the only alchemist on our side of the fight.
Branson’s hand reached around me, scrunching my shirt and ramming me back against the tank. I caught his low spoken words. “Still using blue?” His quick and violent movement caught me so off guard.
“Don’t touch her!” Mastin yelled.
“Yes, I’m still using blue,” I mumbled, between gritted teeth. “They can’t hear us.”
“This tank is unlocked. It’s ready for you to go. I was going to have you take my friends in there, but it looks like the three of you will be going at it alone.” I stilled as he wrenched my arms behind my back. “Now drop the blue before he catches on,” he whispered again, sending another shove into my gut.
When I did, I think we both felt the magic fade away, because the moment it was gone, Branson immediately called out to Reed. “I got her!”
A few seconds later the lot of them closed in, boots clomping on the ground and angry curses and shoves between them. Branson shoved me in front of him, his beefy hands holding me in place. Reed’s visor was pulled up. He strode over and sneered in my face. I could smell the sweat on him, the blood from battle, and the eagerness to prove himself.
I glanced at my boys and shook my head slightly, hoping they’d catch what I wanted. Play along, follow my lead, I have a plan.
“What were you thinking coming here?” Reed scoffed. “You really are the stupidest person I have ever met. You know that? We’re going to torture you and your friends, Traitor. And then do you know what we’re going to do?”
I glared, refusing to answer him. He leaned in so close, our noses were nearly touching. I fought the urge to spit in his face.
“I said, do you know what we're going to do?” he yelled, spittle flying.
“You s
pit when you talk,” I replied with a growl. “And your breath is seriously rancid. Might want to rein that in, buddy.”
He moved faster than I could react, his magic igniting him, as he backhanded me across the face. I jerked back into Branson’s hard chest. Pain burned across my face, and I spat blood into the dirt. Anger rose in me tenfold, hot and ready to burst.
“Touch her again and you’re dead!” Tristan tore out of his captor’s grip as he went for Reed, but one of the alchemists tackled him to the ground before he’d made it a few steps.
“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…” Reed moved back into my personal space. “After we torture and interrogate you, we will kill your friends. I’ll do it myself. You can watch. And then? We’ll execute you. I think the King will make that one public.”
How had this guy gone from the friendly kid at the palace to this sadistic monster?
Dread gripped me and I lost my breath. My eyes flicked to Tristan and Mastin. Tristan was still sprawled out on the ground, an alchemist sat on his back, pushing his face into the ground. Regardless, he looked up at me with utter determination in his eyes. Mastin was no different, the fire rolled off him in waves. Reed inched back, turning to the other alchemists as he began barking orders.
Branson's grip on my arms went slack.
“Go for the tank!” I yelled.
Immediately, they went into attack mode. The superhuman strength and speed of yellow was still in their systems, something Reed and his little friends hadn’t been expecting. Shock rang on the alchemists’ faces as they shrieked and pounced. But Tristan and Mastin were both trained fighters, and with this newfound strength pulsing through them, they were quick to knock their captors down and sprint for the tank.
I pushed Branson off me with ease and ripped open the door to the tank. Adrenaline ignited the yellow alchemy and for a moment I thought I’d torn the door right off. I jumped inside, seconds later Tristan and Mastin’s bodies rolled in after me.
“I got this.” Mastin pulled the door shut and locked it. “Make sure all the other escapes are locked. Go, now!”
I dove for the door on the other end of the cab and Tristan leaned up to check the one on the roof. We were secured inside in seconds, Mastin already taking point behind the wheel. It roared to life with a loud rumble that vibrated up my bones. A panel of lights ignited on the dash, reminding me of a helicopter. Reed and his cronies were trying to get inside, banging on the windows and doors, but even with magic, the monstrosity was airtight and couldn’t be infiltrated.
“You know how to drive this thing?” I asked Mastin, finally catching my breath.
He nodded, face grim. “Never had to use it in battle, though.”
We jerked forward. A faint burning rubber smell made me cough.
“These things aren’t always the fastest, but they’re sturdy. If we can get out of here before someone catches on that we’re in it, we might be able to get over the frontline and back into America.”
“Won’t your people just blow us up?” Tristan questioned.
“Good point. Here, call my father and let him know we’re coming.” He pulled out the slatebook and tossed it to me. I fumbled with the device for a moment before finding Nathan Scott's contact. Pressing send, it only took one ring before the General's face filled the screen.
“I’m a little busy at the moment, son!” he shouted. “We’re trying to win a war here!” Then he looked down at the screen and saw me, his lips pinching, reminding me that he and Mastin shared the same blood. His face was ashen, eyes weary.
“Sasha.” His voice clipped.
I quickly explained the situation, and he nodded.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll relay the message. Ping me your exact location every few minutes until you get here.”
Mastin took the lead, navigating the land with expert precision. There was a steering wheel, like any land vehicle, but all the buttons he pushed left my head reeling. I watched, fascinated, as he saved our lives. It was surprisingly easy for us to get out of the New Colony basecamp. Every inch we put between us and them, allowed me to relax a millimeter more.
“With the battle waging, what’s one more tank, huh?” Tristan said.
I turned to smile at my friend, only to notice that his skin had taken on a pallid tone. A slight sheen of sweat had covered his face and his eyes were clouded and beginning to droop shut.
“Are you okay?” My eyes searched his body.
He pulled up his shirt with a stifled groan. A trickle of blood oozed from a round cut in his abdomen. I leaned in closer.
“You’ve been shot!”
He smiled. “Actually, I was stabbed, and I might need you to fix that up for me.” Then he had the audacity to wink before the rest of the color drained from his face and he slumped over in his seat.
4
Jessa
I needed to get north. The sooner I could connect to Lucas, the better. I was running out of time. Correction, I was already out of time because he might be dead. But that wasn't going to stop me from at least trying to help. Everything in the world might be conspiring to slow me down and keep us apart, but one way or another, I would discover the truth. I would find Lucas.
I leaned back against the wall and sighed, ignoring the rumble of my stomach. It matched the rumble of the thin wall behind me. I was still here, still riding the train north. Part of me hated myself for doing it; I was putting others at risk. I’d spent the better part of the day justifying my actions. Nobody knew I was here. Nobody would be implicated if I was caught. And even though Madame Silver had prepared me a pack, I was planning to save most of it for when I really needed it again. At the moment, I was safe…
Relatively speaking.
Earlier this morning, when the train had made a stop, I’d left. I’d asked Madame Silver to relay the message to the others, something I was sure she would do. She wanted me away from her company just as I did. What she didn't know, and what nobody knew, was that I'd immediately circled back and stowed away in one of the prop cars. I was currently hiding behind a row of hanging costume bags. The space was stuffy, squished, hot, and miserable. But what other option did I have? If I'd actually run off into that unknown town, in broad daylight, someone would have recognized me. And even if I'd been lucky enough to make it out of there, then what? Walk all the way to The Capitol?
No. This was the only way. I would hide here as long as possible. I would be grateful that every minute I was traveling closer to my love.
My love.
When had things gotten so complicated? First, I’d hated Lucas. Then I’d fallen in love with him. Then I’d hated him again, and now I was back to loving him, this time more deeply than ever. After our wedding, I’d seen him for who he really was, for the selfless person, not just the prince doing his father’s bidding. He’d saved me. Not only me, but my father and my older sister. When that farmer had said Lucas was dead, it was like I’d been buried right along with him. I knew it then, knew I’d forgiven Lucas, that I loved him, and that I wasn’t ready to leave him behind.
My heart had been softened and now it was too late.
Don’t say that…
I closed my eyes, squeezing them against the turmoil. My fingers traveled to the necklace that rested around my neck, relaxing against the comfort the stones provided. I stopped on one and looked down with a frown. I was almost out of purple. I'd been using what little I had far too often lately. The Resistance had been able to help me replenish some of my crystals, but amethyst wasn't easy to come by. It didn’t just pop up in people’s gardens.
My precious stone had turned completely gray all but for one small speck of purple.
That meant one more chance to use telepathy. Over the last couple of days, I’d questioned whether I should connect with Dad again. But Lucas needed me; I had to save the color for him.
Fatigue simmered just under my eyelids, and I stifled a yawn. Tiredness overwhelmed me, the hard floor was beginning to make
my lower back ache, and there was barely enough room to spread my cramping legs out. But who was I to complain? Instead of focusing on my physical discomfort, I needed to focus on using my magic to help Lucas.
I glanced up at the clear bags hanging on the rail beside me. Maybe I could use one as a pillow, or drape it over my body to stay hidden as I slept. The closest bag contained a forest green dress, sequins glistening in the shards of light slicing up through the gaps in the floorboard. A stunning color. If only I could…
Wait! That was it. Adrenaline coursed through my limbs and I shimmied up the wall. I rummaged through the bags, searching through the rainbow of fabrics. There, a purple silk leotard.
Most of my colors had to be pulled from natural elements, but purple was one I was especially talented in when it came to alchemy. The synthetic material would work beautifully. Ignoring a little stab of guilt for ruining something so fine, I ripped a large chunk from the costume. I winced at the sound of tearing fabric, then quickly zipped up the bag and slid back to my hiding spot.
I ran a thumb over the smooth fabric. There was enough color here between my fingers for several more telepathic conversations. Telepathy was finicky magic. I had to be close to my target, but the stronger I got, the further and further away I could be to do it. I also had to make a physical connection with the person first. Okay, not always; there had been that time during the initiation trails where I'd been able to hear a young girl. But our connection had been terrible. I’d tested it with Madame Silver and figured out it was best to touch someone first. They didn’t even have to know about it right away. Once the connection was there, it could be called upon again and again.
I stilled my mind, relaxed my body, and focused on my task. I thought of Lucas, thought of everything we'd been through together. And that centered me. I touched my lip as I remembered our first kiss, pictured the way he’d looked at me. I heard the low timbre of his voice when he’d told me he’d loved me, and the way his gray eyes had flashed silver when I’d said it back. I could see it all so clearly, could practically feel him, smell his spicy scent and touch his warm skin, as if he were in the little room sitting right in front of me.