We were whispers of air breezing through the passageways. Still, the beasts caught our scent. A chorus of roars nipped at our heels as we scurried toward the bunker’s main entrance. Ryker continued to lead the way, all sure steps and confidence. I couldn’t help the unease tumbling round and round in my stomach. This could be a trap. This could be Ryker’s final mission before earning the enhancement serum.
I was a coiled ball of anxiety as a pair of giant steel doors materialized before us. There hadn’t been a single guard on this floor, which only fueled my misgivings. Maybe the whole point was to lead us here so the mutated beasts could eat all evidence of Renold’s botched science experiments.
Stop thinking, stop thinking!
I was driving myself mad.
Ryker walked right up to a hidden panel near the doors and ripped the cover off. As he pulled a red handle, a loud click came from the doors. When he began forcing them open, I rushed to help. Soon, several hands were aiding in the effort and the doors were sliding back, back, back, allowing moonlight to spill inside.
Never in my life had I cherished the smell of dirt and pine as I did now. I wanted to close my eyes against the sting of tears and breathe it all in, but a hand from the outside jerked me forward and into a tight hug. Behind me, Bren growled, the sound more surprise than anger. When the scent of hay tickled my nose, I returned the embrace with a shaky laugh.
“You okay?” my best friend asked.
“Yeah. I am now.”
“So where are we at with the plan?”
Ryker gestured at Asher who seemed eager to fill me in. “We’re all set to create a diversion that will keep the Supreme Elite’s focus inward and not on the wall. The amount of damage done to the solar panel field should allow your friends to breach the wall and open the gates before they can restore the electricity.”
Bren stepped forward. “Where is the diversion taking place?”
“We’re bringing the fight to them. Tatum House.”
I gaped at my best-friend-turned-strategist. “We’re going inside? How will we manage that? Sneak through the tunnel?”
“Only some of us. But there are too many ways for the Supreme Elite to escape. The majority of us will storm the house from the outside and block off all possible exits.”
“And we already have a man inside,” Ryker supplied. “He’ll open the front doors for us.”
My eyes were bugging out now. “Who?”
“The butler.” He shrugged at my dumbfounded look, adding, “Told you I’ve been busy. He knows a lot of stuff and really isn’t a fan of what happens inside the bunker. I might have promised him a more exciting job if he helped us out.”
A snort-laugh left me. I never saw that one coming. “Okay, then we’d better get going before Renold has a chance to organize the guards and elites. We have miles of ground to cover and—”
“Actually,” Asher said, drawing out the word, “we’re not going on foot.” He grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the trees.
“Ash, what are you—?”
“Wait for it,” he said with obvious excitement. We were barely past the treeline when he paused and flourished a hand. “Ta-dah!”
“Uh . . .”
“Look!” He practically danced in place, pointing at the dense forest I’d feared for so long. His dimples sunk inward like someone had poked holes in his cheeks.
I squinted into the predawn gloom, but it was the sound of wet snorts and jangling metal that clued me in. My face split into a huge grin and I practically ran into the woods. At the sight of my beloved charger, my cheeks throbbed from smiling so hard. But she wasn’t the only animal tied to a tree. Stalin, Napoleon, and at least a dozen others were there too, all scrutinizing me with their eerie yellow irises.
“How?”
Asher slung an arm across my shoulders, clearly pleased with himself. “All of the stable hands are in on the plan. Feels good to work together for a change, you know?”
“Yeah.” My chin quivered. “It really does.”
He pulled me into another hug, planting a kiss on top of my head. A year ago, I never would have allowed us to be this close. City rules aside, I’d been afraid that caring for him too deeply would make it impossible to leave this place. But now, all I wanted to do was make up for lost time.
And so I said, “Freedom.”
“Hmm?” he mumbled against my hair.
“I named my charger Freedom when I first signed a Rasa Rowe contract.”
He chuckled lightly. “I know.”
“What?” I twisted in his arms to see his face.
“When you were younger, I used to catch you whispering to her all the time. You weren’t very sneaky.” He reached up and flicked the end of my nose.
I batted his hand away and mock-scowled. “Good thing you never let on that you knew or I would’ve demanded your silence in a not-so-nice way.”
He guffawed, not looking the least bit scared.
Stars, it hit me then. All those years of hiding who I was and this boy always saw right through my mask. If he hadn’t shared the gift of his friendship, we probably wouldn’t be standing here today.
Out of everyone, I owed him the most.
“Thank you for always being there for me, Ash.” I had to clear my throat as it tightened. “I couldn’t have asked for a better best friend.”
Tears sprung to my eyes when he gave me the sweetest smile.
Ryker chose that moment to brush past, muttering, “Save the speeches for later. No time to waste.”
“There might not be a later,” I replied to his back, watching it stiffen. “There’s no time but the present.”
He swung into Napoleon’s saddle without comment, but I didn’t miss his curt nod.
A few moments later, I was astride Freedom and about to address the freed prisoners when two short whistles pierced the air. Freedom danced beneath me as a couple dozen villagers joined us, all carrying what looked like sledgehammers.
“You were right,” one said to Asher who was riding a gray mare. “The guards watching over the solar field were lazy. We should have done this years ago.”
“That was the easy part,” Ryker interjected, glowering down at the man. “Are you ready to face a highly trained elite? Not just knock them out, but put that sledgehammer through their skull? Because that’s what it’s going to take to stop them.”
Several gasps and wails rose up from the freed prisoners. I didn’t need a Sensor ability to detect their abject fear. The gap between lesser and elite had never been bridged before. They believed change to be impossible, the price of failure their very lives.
I remembered Bren saying, I want to change things for good. But sometimes, for things to get better, they first have to get worse.
It was true. The process of change was painful, but what if all that pain was worth it in the end? My eyes drifted to Bren astride Stalin with Iris still cradled in his arms. If I hadn’t accepted change, I never would have cared for them. My heart wouldn’t be so full that I sometimes had to press a hand to my chest just to contain the feeling.
Yes. The pain was worth it. So very worth it.
I whirled Freedom in a tight circle, looking into the faces of the people around me. “You don’t have to fight. The choice is yours,” I said, surprised at how steady my voice was. “But if you do, know that it’s for a better tomorrow, for a future where your children and grandchildren can feel safe. The Supreme Elite sees you as little more than slaves, and I’m but a tool in his grand scheme to create a new master race.
“But there’s one thing he overlooked,” I continued, facing Bren, Ryker, and Asher. “Teamwork. And if we all unite against him, we can reshape this city into a place where everyone is equal. DNA doesn’t define your worth. Character does. And whether or not you fight today, be proud of who you are.”
Silence fell. Crap, I was getting misty-eyed. Someone needed to say something and fast.
Bren rescued me, drawing everyone’s attention as he s
aid, “Those who want to join us, choose a weapon from the pile over there. Whoever can ride, double-up if you can. We’re going in hot. We also need people to hold the underground tunnel between here and Tatum House. Renold and his elites must not get access to this bunker. Everyone else, find someplace to hide until this all blows over. Protect each other. Stay safe.”
That got them moving. As people scrambled about, Bren nudged Stalin alongside Freedom and reached for my hand, pressing a lingering kiss to my knuckles.
Tears pricked my eyes. Again.
Because that small gesture said a great many things.
“You sure we should take Iris with us?” he whispered for my ears alone.
“No, but I don’t trust anyone else to watch over her like you can.”
He swallowed, then nodded. Straightening in the saddle, he looked for all the world like a man who finally believed in himself again as he raised our joined hands and roared into the fading night, “Who’s ready to storm the castle?”
A chorus of cries shook the trees.
The earth trembled with the rumble of hoofbeats.
We burst through the trees, clambering across the bridge spanning the French Broad River.
We swept over hills, our mounts foaming at the mouth as we pushed them to greater speeds. Wind sucked the air from my lungs, tossing my hair back and plastering the shirt to my body. Laughter bubbled up and out of me. I couldn’t help it. Even with insurmountable danger before us, I was in my element.
Danger, adrenaline, speed.
Where thoughts drifted away and instinct took over.
And I wasn’t alone.
A black charger nose with flaring red nostrils came abreast of me on my right. A dark bay one to my left. From behind, I knew that a gray one kept pace with several others. And on the opposite side of the city, Yukiko and her team should be in the process of scaling the wall.
My hope soared.
We could do this. We could take on the elites and win.
As I caught sight of Antler Hill Village in the distance, though, my hope dropped.
“Bren . . .”
“I see it.”
The village was awash in a pale orange glow. With the power down and curfew still in effect, all should be dark.
“Let’s check it out,” Ryker said over the pounding hooves. Without hesitation, we veered left. If something was wrong in the village, then that’s where we belonged. Thousands of people were there who needed our protection.
As we neared, the glow only brightened.
Bren suddenly cursed and reined in Stalin. We followed his lead. Our mounts snorted, sides heaving as they flung their massive heads in the air, fighting their bits.
We all looked to Bren, relying on his superior eyesight.
“What is it?” My stomach twisted into knots as he struggled to speak.
“The buildings,” he said at last, tucking Iris closer to his chest. “They’re on fire.”
My heart stuttered to a halt.
Several startled cries arose from our companions. Asher nudged his mare next to mine. “My family’s in there,” he whispered in a voice so heartbroken that I couldn’t breathe.
I swung desperate eyes to Bren. “We—we have to put it out. People will lose their shelter and livelihoods. Some of them could still be trapped inside their homes. Come on.” I prepared to kick Freedom, but Bren grabbed the reins. I frowned. “What are you doing? We need to go!”
“If we do this, the mission might fail. At least half the village is up in flames, even the hotel. There’s no putting it out. The best we can do is round up the survivors.”
It was a choice. A choice he was asking me to make.
Would we save the city or help the people?
“We go to the village,” I said firmly, because it wasn’t a choice. The city wasn’t worth saving if its people were dead.
Bren released the reins with a nod and we stirred into motion once again. But the mood was less certain now. Heavier. The fire couldn’t have been an accident. If this was Renold’s doing, then he was done playing. He was showing his hand, letting his mask slip, breaking his people’s will by striking fear into their hearts.
And if he succeeded, this revolution was doomed.
Smoke hung in the air now, stinging my nostrils. Shrill cries and wailing came from inside the village. But surrounding the outskirts, trapping the citizens inside, was a wall of guards and elites. And in front of them . . .
The Supreme Elite.
A dark blue cape billowed behind him, his shock of white-blond hair a deceiving halo.
Even from several yards away, his electric blue eyes seemed to flash with triumph.
A short time ago, I would have cowered in fear under that knowing look. But today, I made a point of running a hand down my throat. No collar meant no control. His mouth twisted into a wicked grin. When he raised a hand, the people around me readied their weapons. But Renold wasn’t holding a weapon. The object he held was flat and rectangular, similar to the one he’d used to—
“Lune,” Ryker hissed urgently. “Her collar.”
My mind blanked.
Then . . .
Oh stars. Oh—
Renold pressed the button.
A blood-curdling scream exploded in my ears.
Iris.
She arched in Bren’s arms, shaking as electricity streaked through her small frame. For an unbearable moment, fear froze me solid, then I was scrambling to reach her. My sister—my little sister—was in agonizing pain. And I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t do anything but get to her. I needed the pain to stop, stop, stop.
Stop.
I could make Renold stop.
But I was suddenly there, pulling her from Bren’s arms, falling to my knees under her weight. And all I could do was rock. Back and forth. Back and forth. Cradling her to me. “I’ve got you, sweetie, I’ve got you,” I heard myself say, oblivious to everything but her.
Then there was a voice. A voice that chilled me to the core. “Come to me, Iris.”
She stopped trembling.
I peered into her face to see her eyes open. She was looking at me. But something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
Her expression was . . . empty.
And then those hazel green eyes identical to mine rounded in fear. She let out an ear-splitting shriek and flailed against me. Not in pain, but to get away. She was trying to get away.
“Let me go, let me go!” she screamed. And I did. Stars, I did. Because I didn’t want to hurt her and I didn’t understand. She crawled several feet away before collapsing, whimpering when she saw the row of puffing, pawing chargers.
“Iris,” I called, lurching after her. “It’s me, Lune.”
She waved me back, inching closer to Renold. “No! Please don’t take me. Stay away!”
“Iris.” My throat closed. “I—”
But she didn’t let me finish. She turned and ran toward Renold, crying, “Father!”
I blinked in disbelief. I must have heard wrong. There was no way . . .
“Father!” she said again, flinging herself into his arms.
The sight tore a hole through my heart. I pressed a hand to my chest to keep blood from spilling out. Renold glanced at me over her head and smiled. Nothing, nothing was crueler than this. Getting shot would hurt less.
“What . . .” The word was pitiful. Broken. “What did you do to her?”
“Did you say something?” Renold called. “I couldn’t hear you.”
I gathered the fragments of pain, confusion, and fury burrowing into my heart and threw them at him with a roar. “What did you do to her?”
He shrugged. “Only what I should have done to you from the beginning.”
I ground my teeth together as hatred for this twisted man came to a boiling point. “You can’t have her. I’ll unblock her memories.”
“Actually, you can’t.”
Ice shot down my spine. “And why is that?”
His eyes bored i
nto mine, forcing me to face the truth. “I think you know why.”
“No.” I shook all over as denial and adrenaline coursed through me. “It’s not possible. I don’t believe you!”
I lunged for her, not with my body but with my mind. The tether snapped into place. Lightning quick, I dove into her subconscious. Instead of speaking to her, I latched onto her emotions. Pain, relief, confusion, fear. I dug deeper, searching for images. Memories. Her mind, so cold and vast, was a wasteland of empty space.
I almost gave up, almost pulled back when a dark mass sucked me in. A memory.
“Why can’t I remember anything?” Iris was saying.
“The past doesn’t matter. Only your power and loyalty matters. People will come to steal you away and plant false memories in your head. They will seek to destroy me, the only one who cares about you. Will you let them?”
“No.”
“No, what, dear?”
“No, Father.”
The memory flickered out and I was sucked into another—of Renold. I shoved it away only to be plunged into memory after memory of Renold. No Mum. No Asher or Freedom. No Bren.
No me.
I fought to disengage from the painful inner shell she’d become and snapped back to myself with a strangled cry. Pressure squeezed my chest. It built and built until I was forced to heave a sob. I clutched at my throat to quiet the sounds but my grief refused to be silenced. I was helpless to stop the anguished tears from spilling free.
Arms came around me, grounding me to earth. “What’s happening, little bird?”
“He . . . he erased us,” I choked out. “He can’t have her. Please. Get her back.”
As Bren stood, Renold’s voice cut through the air. “They’re going to harm me, Iris. Stop them. Stop them now.”
No. I jumped up. It was impossible, yet she turned to face us, her pale throat free of the collar. No! In a flash, I had an arrow drawn and pointed at Renold. “Iris, don’t do it.”
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