“What are you doing, dear?” Evelyn asks me. “You should be resting!”
“I’m feeling much better now,” I say. “Where’s Connor and Aaron?”
Evelyn is about to answer when a loud whistle screams through the air. The tone is that of the loudspeaker, only this time it isn’t Heinrich’s voice. It’s a familiar voice that sends chills down my spine and makes me want to crawl into a dark hole for the next twenty years.
Jeremiah.
“People of the Salem Colony. This is your leader, your protector, your friend. I am Jeremiah.”
Everyone stops to listen to his voice over the loudspeaker.
“It has come to my attention that your colony has fallen under an attack that my guards of Screven have been unable to prevent. For that, you have my sincerest apologies. This would never have happened, however, without sabotage from one from among you. This was a planned attack upon you by the Starborns. Specifically, the Starborn named Mora.”
Eyes from the entire colony fall on me. What am I to do? If they believe what he says, they’re going to want my head. They’ll ex. Tfaces tecute me.
“She and her band of Starborn friends came in the middle of the night, killed the guards while you slept, and led the greyskin herd to you. All so they could prove that they were capable of protecting you. They did this to place themselves above the guards of Screven. But all they have done is hurt you. Look around you. How many are dead and writhing? How many of you have been bitten by a greyskin and now face death in the next couple of hours? Mora and her Starborns are dangerous. They have made enemies of us. Do not let them take advantage of you. The person or persons to bring the Starborns to me will no longer have to pay dues to Screven. You will be allowed to grow whatever you want and do with it as you wish.”
The colonists begin murmuring amongst themselves. All of them seem unsure of what they are hearing. Either that or they are talking to each other about the best way to come at us without getting themselves killed. To my left I see someone running toward us. Relief floods my veins when I see that it’s Aaron.
I move forward and we instantly embrace each other.
“I thought you might have died,” he said. “I was so worried.”
“Bring the Starborns to me, and you will truly be free. But more importantly, you will be protected.”
“The snake does nothing but speak lies,” Evelyn snaps.
Everyone in the colony is looking at us, though none of them make a move. The only sound is a vehicle coming in from the south of the colony. The same vehicle that Connor had been in when he had saved me.
No one says anything or moves until Connor drives up and gets out of the vehicle.
“Did you hear what was just announced?” he asks.
I want to jump up and kiss him. I want to give him the tightest hug he’s ever received.
“Of course we heard it, you idiot,” Heather says out of the corner of her mouth.
“Then why are you still here?” he asks. “It’s not safe.”
“He’s right,” Heinrich says, stepping forward. He looks at me and the others. “You need to go.”
A few of the colonists are holding their guns a little tighter than they need to. I can tell that most of them are contemplating whether or not to make a move. Connor pulls on my arm.
“Come on,” he says. “I’ll take you.” He looks at Danny, Heather, Evelyn, and Aaron. “I’ll take all of you.”
A shout bursts in the air and the ground at my feet shoots up dust. Someone is shooting at us.
“I’m not paying anymore dues if I don’t have to!” some one yells out. “Take them in!”
“Go!” Heinrich yells.
Connor yanks on my arm to bring me to the truck. Danny jumps into the front cab as Heather and Evelyn climb into the back bed. Connor lets go of me and runs to the driver’s seat.
More shots ring out as Aaron helps me into the bed and jumps in next to me.
“Keep your heads down!” Connor yells out the window.
With only a few words, Jeremiah was able to make the entire colony turn against us. No dues. The words only scream to me of how much these people want to be free from Jeremiah’s oppression.
Aaron squeezes my hand tightly and looks into my eyes as Connor presses on the gas, never letting up until we’re far out of reach fro
m anyone in Salem.
Jeremiah might have been able to fool them for now, but soon the colonists will
see that he is a leader not to be trusted.
Soon they will see the need for a world where t wou.”
he Starborns will protect them without expecting something in return. Someday this world will be greyskin-free. And if I have anything to do with it, Jeremiah will be dead too.
The man is responsible for my parents’ death and the death of so many others. I’m not about to let him be responsible for the death of my little brother and my grandma.
Connor is just trying to get us away from the angry mob that is now following us in their own vehicles. We’ll lose them soon enough. After that, none of the others, including Connor knows where we’re going. But I do.
We’re moving out of the shadows we’ve all lived in for so long.
To the light. Out of darkness.
We’re going to free my home. We’re going to Springhill.
Part Two
If It Kills Me
CHAPTER TWENTY
I’m walking alone down the road leading to my village, Springhill. It’s the dead of night. Nothing can be heard but my footsteps against the dry dirt. The moonlight helps me see the village in the distance. Though the night hides much of its quaint features, it looks different than when I left less than two weeks ago. Maybe it’s the darkness. Maybe it’s the loads of material and equipment scattered about in preparation for Screven to build a wall around its newest colony.
So much has happened since I left. I’ve learned more about myself and the world around me than I thought possible. No one would have thought that I, Mora of Springhill, would ever have some kind of super powers.
But now I’m here, walking back to rescue my grandma, and my little brother, Jake, from the grips of Jeremiah and his soldiers.
Although I’m weaponless, I don’t fear the greyskins on this dark road. The supernatural gift I hold within me could take out any number of them. But now I know the ability to move objects with my mind is limited and can leave me drained of energy if I use it too much. It is a reality I learned only two days ago. Right now I would be dead if it weren’t for Connor.
I still can’t get the images out of my head. He has saved my life several times and he doesn’t even have the abilities of a Starborn.
His brother, Aaron, can make electricity bend to his will. Danny can lift a vehicle over his head. Heather can move faster than any being on Earth. But it was Connor who saved my life when the greyskins were close to devouring me. And he’s the only one who hadn’t been against Jeremiah. I’m not entirely sure what his view is now. He saw the way Jeremiah came after us. He knows that Jeremiah somehow sent the greyskins to Salem just so he could blame the Starborns for it. But Connor has been very silent about the whole situation.
As the colonists of Salem listened to Jeremiah’s declaration of our betrayal, Connor had pulled up with his truck and told me and the others to get in. All I remember from that moment was Aaron holding my hand tightly and the deafening sound of bullets slamming into the back of the truck. After ten minutes of chase, I did what I had to do.
I stuck my head up and raised my hands, ignoring the calls from everyone for me to get down. With heavy concentration, I was able to flip the pursuing vehicles. The chase was over in ju. Tface @st a few seconds.
Connor didn’t stop driving for several miles. Finally, when it felt safe to do so, we stopped and checked ourselves for injuries. Though none of us said anything, we were all checking for bites and scratches too.
All of us were clean.
I still have the tiny ca
nister that holds a blood-drawing needle in my pocket. If I wanted, I could test my blood to see if I’ve been infected. But I haven’t seen a greyskin since we left Salem. If I’d been bitten, I would have died and been a walking corpse by now. I can’t help but wonder if my special abilities would still work after my death. Would I still be moving things with my thoughtless mind? Would I have the power to pull people to me with an invisible rope so I could eat them?
I shake the thoughts out and shift my mind back to the task ahead of me.
Walking slowly, I think about the others that came here with me. All of them know that I can move things with my mind, but none of them except for Evelyn know that I can actually see someone from far away if I have been in physical contact with them. It’s a strange feeling. It’s almost like I am there with the person, even though I’m only there in spirit. They can’t see me. They have no idea. I have mixed feelings about this power. I like that I can see them and what they are doing, but I don’t like that I have to hide it from them. If Aaron or Connor knew that I could spy on their every move, they would probably never talk to me again.
It’s also something that I have a hard time keeping myself from doing. My mind drifts to Connor. He’s hunkered low behind some bushes just outside the village, holding tightly to his rifle. There are building materials all around him, something I’ve seen shipped in while watching my brother and grandma for the last two days. The wall that Jeremiah has ordered for Springhill will be stronger than the village has ever had before. It will provide true protection.
When I had originally gone to seek Jeremiah’s help, I had no idea that within a few days I would be attacking his guards to keep them out of my village. I know that on the outside it looks crazy. He’s building walls to protect my friends and family, but I’m here to stop him. I have to do this because I know that the walls come at a great cost. Springhill would have to give up its freedom. All Jeremiah wants is power over the rest of the world and he won’t stop until he’s gotten it or he’s dead.
I know he is against me, against all the Starborns, but I can’t help but feel the tug of war within me. Did the people of Salem have it so hard under his rule? Aaron seems to think they did. Since we all left Salem there has been little conversation among us, but last night I asked Aaron this question: “Before all this started, were people’s lives so bad within the walls built by Screven?”
“One doesn’t have to be near starvation to feel the weight of an unjust leader,” he told me. “Though there have been plenty of days that people of Salem have had to go without food. They strap the wristband to us so they can monitor everything we do. They tell us exactly what to grow in our gardens, then take most of it from us to feed the lazy people of Screven.”
“It wasn’t worth the price for protection?” I asked.
“It’s good to have the protection,” he said. “It’s better to have freedom and protection.”
Everyone else in the group heard this conversation take place. None of them chimed in — not even Connor who stared silently at the ground in front of him. I asked no more questions and told myself that it didn’t matter anymore. I’ve made myself an enemy of Jeremiah. I have made my decision to fight him and my path is now set. My famil se all ty and friends don’t need the walls of Screven. We will build our own walls and learn to fight the greyskins off the best we can. Besides, they have me now. When I left, I was just a normal girl with a gun and knife. Now, I’m a girl with abilities like no other.
I’m a Starborn.
Springhill is much closer now. I feel that my feet carry me too rapidly to conflict. The trees are shadowed all around the village and within it. I’m sure that when Salem formed, the founders thought it would be a good location to hide from the greyskin herds. They were so wrong.
My vision changes to a view of Danny and Heather waiting just on the other side of Springhill, opposite of Connor. Normally, Heather’s temperament is as fiery as her bright, red hair, but now she seems anxious, maybe even scared. Danny rests a big hand on her shoulder and rubs it gently with his thumb. She turns her head and smiles briefly; a sight that is rare.
Aaron is alone, waiting just south of Connor’s position. During our planning, we knew Aaron would need to be in close proximity to an electrical source. He stands confidently among the trees near the Tower. It’s the tallest point at Springhill and the source of electrical power for the village. It’s also the most heavily guarded area of Springhill, so he will have to remain vigilant.
Evelyn stayed with the truck. Though she is a Starborn, her talents are worth little in the physical realm. A handshake or a touch on the arm are all it takes for her to know everything about a person: their past, who they really are, and what they think. Even their memories. But a power such as that is useless in a fight. She didn’t argue when we told her to stay behind until the fight was finished.
It won’t be long until the Screven guards see me. I try to collect my thoughts. We have a plan to get rid of these guards though I’m not sure it’s a good one. I’m hoping to keep the killings at a minimum, but I suspect the guards won’t give up easily. If this is the case, they will die. All I really have to worry about is the safety of my family and the other villagers.
Jake and Grandma are asleep. It’s good because they are safe for the moment. It’s bad because they aren’t prepared for what is about to happen. There is another problem too. They are heavily guarded. Jeremiah must have ordered his men to keep a close watch on the two of them in case I show up. They may have already heard of what happened at Salem, but they don’t know from experience what we Starborns can do.
A light cuts through the darkness like a blade and floods over me. My hand reaches up to shield my eyes.
“Who goes there?” a commanding voice calls out from behind the light.
I don’t answer at first, but simply stand here and wait for my eyes to adjust.
“Is it a greyskin?” I hear another guard ask.
“Nah. It would still be walking if it were,” someone answers.
The loud voice sounds out again. “Identify yourself, or you will be shot. We have our sights fixed on you and we won’t hesitate to fire.”
“I’ve lost my way,” my voice cracks. My eyes still haven’t adjusted to the light. It’s so bright it’s difficult for me to open them. “I’ve been traveling for days, looking for food.”
“You will find none here,” the guard calls out. “Be on your way or you will be shot.”
I take a step forward and I can hear the sound of fingers gripping tighter to the metal guns, poised to fire bullets through my body.
“This is your last warning, traveler. Go back, or you will be shot.”
My hdthpoiand drops from my eyes. I still can’t see a thing, but I can sense the anxiety from the guards on the other side of the light.
I take another step forward. Their grips tighten.
Nothing is said from the other side. I’m certain the guards are looking at each other, wondering if they should really shoot an innocent woman looking for food. My next step is the last straw.
“Fire!”
Each gunman squeezes off at least three, maybe four rounds. All I see are the bullets that would have hit me. With deep concentration, I turn the floodlight around on them. There are ten or twelve guards staring at me with mouths gaping open. Inches in front of me, bullets float in the air, still hot and spinning. With another thought, I send them shooting back exactly where they came from.
At least eight guards fall to the ground as their own bullets rip holes through their chests, legs, and arms. The leader of the guards stares at me, stunned at what he has just witnessed.
“Sound the alarm!” he yells out. “It’s the Starborn!” A screeching alarm rings out over the entire village, maybe waking every villager. And it’s probably loud enough to catch the attention of every greyskin for miles.
I take more steps toward the guard as he stands his ground. He pulls up a radio from his belt and says somet
hing to a Commander Burns, telling him to get the kid and the old lady.
Jake. Grandma.
A simple flick of my wrist sends the radio flying from his hands, though I’m sure the order has already been received. He pulls out a pistol from its holster and aims at me. I could throw it from his hands, but I don’t need to. He fires at me. I swat the bullet away like an annoying fly as I stomp forward. He shoots again and again. His gun is worthless on me. Twenty feet. Fifteen feet. Ten feet. He never cowers away. His clip is empty and I let the last bullet fall to the ground. Five feet away from him, I stop.
I reach out my hand as though I’m grabbing his neck. His feet dangle in the air as I lift him off the ground. His eyebrows jolt upward and his hands grab at his neck to try and tear away the invisible hand that holds him. Without saying a word, I command the radio back to the side of his head.
“Call them off,” I say. “Tell them it’s a false alarm.”
The guard says nothing, but only tries to shake his head.
“Call them off!”
He grits his teeth in refusal. With barely a wince, I smash the radio into the side of his head and slam him into the ground, annoyed by the noise of the ringing alarms. As I walk by his body, I don’t check to see if he’s breathing. I don’t care if he’s breathing.
Lights turn on all around the village as the commotion alerts guards and villagers to the threat. I’m sure most of them are thinking it’s another greyskin attack.
I jump behind a stack of building materials meant for constructing the walls around Springhill. With my mind, I seek out the others. We knew the alarm would sound. That was their signal to start the takeover.
Heather is moving faster than lightning, dagger in hand. Screven’s guards aren’t even able to see who or what is cutting their throats before they fall.
Danny is running alone. Some guards see him in the shadows, point their guns and shoot, but he ducks quickly behind some trees. The bark splits off on the other side of him, but then the guards fall to the ground as a blur runs past them. A smile forms at the corner of Danny’s mouth.
The Starborn Saga (Books 1, 2, & 3) Page 23
