The Dark Sky Collection: The Dark Sky Collection

by Amy Braun

  “Looks easy enough to climb,” Gemma remarked, staring at the machines with her hands on her hips. “Let’s see if anyone set up some nasty welcome presents.” She started for the nearest backhoe.

  “Wait–”

  But of course she didn’t. I expected the worst when Gemma grabbed hold of the wheel well and pulled herself up. I imagined something like the entire wall being electrified, powered by one of those dozen generators Deanna was said to have.

  I wasn’t expecting the gunshot.

  It cracked through the night like thunder, a metallic ding! whistling off the side of the machine. Gemma yelped and dropped off the backhoe, stumbling as she regained her footing. Abby whimpered and hid behind my back. Nash raced for his lover, wrapping her in his arms.

  Gemma was fine, but wide-eyed with shock. Clearly she wasn’t anticipating snipers.

  I snapped my head at the belfry, just in time to see the edge of a rifle barrel peek through the shadows. I let go of Abby’s hand and started to reach for my pistol. It wouldn’t have the same accuracy or range as a rifle, but I was a good shot. If I was careful, I might be able to take him or her out. And if there were two–

  Beck brushed past me and stood in front of us with his arms spread wide.

  “Ellen, relax! They’re with me!”

  I watched the shadows, waiting for a face to reveal itself.

  “They’re marauders, Beck,” the sniper called back from the shadows.

  “I know, but they’re fine. I wouldn’t bring them here if I didn’t think they could help.” He pointed to the Dauntless. “They have a ship that works. Come on, let us over the gate.”

  “Boss lady is already pissed at you for running off, Beck. This isn’t going to improve her mood.”

  “I doubt that very, very much.” Beck called.

  He looked at me, then glanced down at Abby. I grimaced, then carefully drew Abby out from behind my back. She was stiff and nervous, but I made sure to hold my arms across her chest to shield her as much as I could.

  The sniper was silent. After a minute of probably looking at the little girl through her rifle scope, she leaned forward into the light. Ellen was too high for me to see her features clearly, but there was no mistaking the grey in her hair.

  “Hope you know what you’re doing, Beck,” she shouted down.

  Ellen leaned to the side and moved her arm behind the window frame. Probably flipping off a switch. Then she disappeared, and we all turned to Beck. He lowered his arms.

  “All right, we’re safe now. Come on.”

  He started for the machinery wall. I glanced at Abby.

  “You mind climbing with Nash and Gemma, Stargazer? I have to talk to Beck about something really quick.”

  She nodded and let go of my hand to climb with them. I jumped onto one of the skidders and soon found myself scaling it next to Beck.

  “So Deanna is mad at you?”

  His jaw tightened again. It was a strange thing that happened every time I mentioned something personal about the woman. Beck probably thought he concealed it better than he did.

  “I wasn’t supposed to take off looking for recruits. I’m the leader of the Brigade, though she commands it.”

  “How did she find you?”

  Beck reached the top of the harvester and turned, starting his descent. I checked to make sure that Abby was okay with Gemma and Nash, then continued after the soldier.

  “I’d sailed with her on the Meridian, so she knew me. We found each other about six months after The Storm. Even then, she was working on a plan, but she couldn’t do it herself. She needed to be protected while she worked on the weapon. So I went on scouting missions for her to find more soldiers and engineers. There weren’t many who wanted to work with her at first, but after I told them what Deanna was trying to do, they had a bit more faith. They believed in her, asked her opinions on important matters, sought her guidance.”

  Beck reached the bottom of the harvester and jumped to the ground. I followed him.

  “She just became a leader, I guess. It wasn’t a position Deanna asked for, but she knew her responsibility. She understands just how much she owes, and she wants to be the person who fixes everything she can.”

  A noble gesture. I just wasn’t sure it would be enough, no matter how hard she tried. Unless Deanna had created something truly amazing to combat the Hellions, I doubted I would be impressed or forgiving for how she treated her daughters.

  Though I wasn’t expecting her to be very fond of me. Once she learned who I was related to, I would be amazed if she didn’t order Ellen to shoot me on the spot.

  Once we were all safely across the wall, Beck started leading us to the entrance of the lumber mill. We walked through the main bay door and gazed into the yawning space of the mill. Almost all of the lumber material had been stripped away, only a handful of worktables lining the far wall. Electric lamps were bolted along the wall, casting everything in a warm, red-gold glow. The worktables were immaculate and well organized. Two generators were placed against the wall, one of which powered a series of wires connecting to chargers for batteries and electric tools. The second generator was charging the two small raiding skiffs that were neatly parked near the conveyer belt entrance.

  On the left was a metal staircase that led to the belfry. Beck guided us toward it.

  “Where is everybody?” asked Gemma.

  “Probably at home,” Beck said without looking back. “First sign of trouble, Deanna sends the workers to their apartments and puts the soldiers on alert. We would have seen your ship coming miles away. If anything goes wrong, the Brigade will be in here like moths flying to flame.” He cast a glance in my direction. “They definitely harbor some ill will toward marauders.”

  When Beck started up the stairs, I looked at my friends with a sardonic grin. “Isn’t it wonderful being so popular?”

  Nash stared at me. Gemma rolled her eyes. Abby looked immensely confused.

  I followed Beck up the rickety steps, not wanting him to get too far ahead of me in case he decided to change his plans. I wanted to draw my pistol until I knew I was safe, but decided not to. My affair with Claire would come to a screeching halt if she found out I pointed a gun at her mother. Though I was anticipating a few guns to be pointed at me.

  Beck walked down a narrow hallway lined with various office doors. He went to the one at the very end and rapped on the window before pushing it open. From inside, I could hear tiny zaps as something was welded together. Then I heard tools being slammed down. I eased toward the door.

  “Where the hell have you been?” a woman demanded. “Ellen told me you were with some people who came in a ship…”

  The woman began to trail off as I entered the office with the crew. She was dressed in dark green coveralls stained with grime and grease. Welding goggles were perched on top of her head, holding back a mane of wavy blonde hair. She was tall and lean, the lines of age barely visible on her pale face.

  But it was her eyes that gave her away. They were the same, brilliant green that Claire’s and Abby’s were. The girls were a spitting image of their mother.

  Unfortunately for me, I bore a lot of resemblance to my father and brother. Deanna squinted, her eyes widening as she pieced together who I was. It turned out her memory was excellent.

  “You…” she said in a low voice. “I don’t know what you want, but you’re not going to get it. Ellen.”

  The woman leaped into the room from the left corner, coming from a door I didn’t even see. She was dressed in a puffy brown jacket and baggy pants, and pointed a hunting rifle at my head.

  I held up my hands, but Beck stepped in front of me.

  “Wait, Deanna, it’s not what you think.”

  “What I think is that he’s a damn Kendric. I would know that face anywhere, Beck. I can’t forget it.” She whipped her head in Ellen’s direction. “Kill him.”

  Ellen cocked the gun. I spread my arms, hoping to keep Gemma and Nash out of range. This h
ad gone south much faster than I expected. I wasn’t going to have time to defend myself.

  “No!”

  With my arms raised, I couldn’t stop Abby from running out from behind me, right in front of Deanna. She raised her skinny arms as high as she could, doing her best to protect me.

  “Don’t hurt him! He’s my friend!”

  The entire room went silent. Deanna’s jaw dropped, her eyes widening as she looked at the little girl in front of her. Tears welled in her eyes, a decade of heartache spreading across her face. Her breath hitched and she blinked rapidly, fighting the tears that were building faster than she could control.

  Abby lowered her hands, seeming to take the woman in for the first time. She tilted her head. “You look familiar. Did we meet somewhere?”

  It was too much for Deanna. A painful sob broke from her throat. Her knees buckled and she had to press her hand to the table beside her for support. Her free hand went to her chest, as if her heart was bursting with pain.

  Beck darted across the room and caught Deanna in his arms, holding her and smoothing her hair. He whispered in her ear, concern clearly etched on his face.

  I recognized that look, and suddenly knew why Beck tensed up whenever something personal was said about Deanna. He was in love with her.

  Abby looked at me, uncomfortable. I crouched down and put my hand on her back.

  “It’s okay, Stargazer,” I said. “She’s your Mommy.”

  Deanna’s sobs were agonizing to listen to. I began to regret every harsh thought I had about her. She left her children, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t thought about them every single day. That she hadn’t missed them with every waking breath.

  Abby looked at Deanna, still crying in Beck’s arms. She turned to me, a strange mix of uncertainty and eagerness on her face.

  I gave her a smile. “Go on. Go see her.”

  Abby turned to Deanna. She stepped away from my hand. Tentatively at first, each step becoming studier. Deanna pulled away from Beck and dropped to her knees. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks, falling endlessly in the same path. Deanna opened her arms and reached for her child. Abby stepped hesitantly into the woman’s embrace. She slowly looped her arms around her mother’s neck.

  Deanna shattered. She folded Abby into a hug and pressed the little girl tightly to her chest. Abby began to do the same, her smaller sobs drowned by Deanna’s heart-rending ones. I stood up, feeling like I should leave them alone. This was the first time in a decade that Deanna had seen her youngest daughter. This was the first time Abby had ever met her mother. It wasn’t for us to intrude.

  But at the same time, I didn’t want to leave Abby alone. Her mother was a stranger to her. I didn’t think Deanna would hurt her– not after this display– but I wanted the girl to be comfortable. I wanted her to know that I was here for her if she needed me to be.

  Deanna rocked Abby back and forth, struggling to breathe through her sobs. She stroked the little girls curls feverishly.

  “Oh, Abigail, my baby, my sweet little baby, I never should have left, I’m so sorry…”

  Deanna was almost incoherent, her words tangled up in ten years of pent up grief. How many times had Deanna cried over the children she lost? That she might have feared to be dead?

  I didn’t want to know.

  “Mommy,” Abby whimpered. “Where did you go? Why did you leave us?”

  Deanna bawled, “I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t have a choice–”

  Abby pulled back. “But you did! You could have helped us! We needed you, and now Claire’s missing–”

  Horror sliced across Deanna’s face. “Claire’s missing?” She turned her gaze to me, her eyes like knives. “What did you do to her? What did you do to my daughter?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “We’re trying to find her.”

  “You have to help her, Mommy,” Abby said, grabbing Deanna’s hand and tugging it with all her strength. “You have to help her. Davin and the Vesper have her. They’re hurting her–”

  Deanna looked like she would be physically ill. All the color drained from her face and she staggered back. Ignoring the threat of the rifle, I rushed forward and gently clasped Abby’s shoulders.

  “Slow down, Stargazer. This is a lot for your mom to process.”

  Abby turned to me, tears streaking her cheeks. “But she has to help,” Abby begged.

  I wiped her tears away, and did my best to smile. “She will. But she needs a minute to calm down, okay? Why don’t you go outside with Gemma, Nash, Beck, and Ellen? I’ll talk to your mommy and we’ll figure out a plan.”

  Abby pouted, even as she cried. “I want to stay here.”

  “I know you do. But you’re going to distract your mom. She’s only going to want to think about you, and she won’t be able to focus on helping your sister.”

  Her expression was torn again, the same time it was when she wanted to come to the village with us. I squeezed her shoulders.

  “You’re going to have all the time in the world with your mom soon. Just let me talk to her for a few minutes, okay? You can wait outside.”

  Gemma knelt beside me, her smile far more convincing than mine. She took Abby’s hand and helped her to her feet. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go find some trouble.”

  I gave Gemma a grateful nod, then watched her leave the room with Abby’s hand in hers. Ellen followed after giving me a skeptical glance. Nash crossed the room, put his hand on Beck’s back, and forced him out of the office. The door closed, and then I was alone, kneeling across from a woman who shaped my fate long before I had any say in it.

  Deanna’s sobs began to slow. She closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and steadied her breathing. After about a minute, she opened her eyes and looked at me.

  “Tell me everything,” she said in a demanding whisper. “Tell me everything that’s happened to my daughters. Tell me about my Claire.”

  So I did. I told her how we met, what we experienced, how Claire created the Volt to bring down the Behemoth. I told her what happened to Abby, how Riley betrayed her, and where she was now. I told her about Claire saving my life in Satbury, and how she gave me the journal before returning to Hellnore. I skipped the romantic details. It wasn’t Deanna’s place to know them.

  Finally, I told her exactly who I was.

  Deanna shook her head. “I never expected to be sitting across from a Kendric and still be breathing.”

  I stifled a laugh. “First time for everything, I suppose.”

  She snickered. Then she looked at me seriously. “You have my journal?”

  I reached into my coat and pulled it free. Deanna stretched out her hand to take it, but I pulled the book out of range. She gave me a cold look that I matched with equal intensity.

  “Why did you give Claire the key to the Palisade?”

  Deanna scowled, not wanting to answer me. Too bad for her.

  “I didn’t have a choice. The Hellions were right on us, and I couldn’t die without someone continuing to work on the Palisade. I know how smart my daughter is, Kendric. I knew she would figure out how to use it.”

  “She did,” I agreed, “but it didn’t work. She didn’t have time to perfect it. Now she’s with the Vesper building the exact same kind of machine you used. As soon as the Vesper has it, he’ll kill her.”