Defiance Rising (40 page)

“Is that a good thing?” he asks hesitantly.

“I guess we will find out.”
 
I place my hands on the ground and flip up to my feet.
 
The movement is effortless.
 

Well done,
Kyan calls weakly.
 
Believe that you are invincible and you will be.

“Uh, Illyria…?”

I turn to look at Toren.
 
“What?”

“Your hair…it’s black.”

I lift my hair off my shoulder, filtering the obsidian stands through my fingers.
 
I let the strands slip through my fingers.
 

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad look it’s just…freaky,” Toren says, averting his gaze.
 
His eyes widen with fright as he raises a finger to point directly behind me.

My hair whips around my face as I turn to see a Sky Ship bearing down on us.
 
Toren grabs my arm and yanks me toward the door.
 
“Run!”

“No,” I shake him off.
 
I walk toward the ledge and wait for the ship to approach.
 
It’s laser core swirls as the cannons charge.
 
“I’m not running anymore.”

Energy ripples along my skin.
 
I feel alive and deadly.
 
I grin as the crimson laser slams into my chest.
 
It knocks me back a step as it spreads along the length of my body, curling around me with blistering heat.
 
I lean my head back and breathe deeply as the heat sinks into my flesh, completely absorbed.
 
My mind is abuzz with the added energy.

I lower my head and grin.
 
“I guess Kyan was right.”

“How did you do that?” Toren calls from the open rooftop door.
 

“I’m invincible.”
 
I stretch out my hands, curling my fingers inward like claws.
 
The ship shreds down the middle, spiraling to the ground in a rain of sparks and molten metal.
 
The explosion rocks the building.

Toren limps quickly to my side.
 
“I’m not even going to ask.”

“Come here,” I command, holding out my hand.
 
He stops beside me, eyes open in wonder as I press my hands to his chest.
 
Healing warmth glows instantly from my fingers.
 
He gasps as the cracks in his ribs mend.
 

The glow fades and I pull back my hands.
 
“Better?”

“Yeah, but didn’t that weaken you?”

I grin.
 
“Not this time.”

Toren looks past me toward the building where Bastien fell.
 
“You need to go after him.
 
I’ll go after Aminah.”

“You won’t be able to get through,” I warn.

He offers me a sad smile.
 
“I have to try.
 
Get to Bastien and then help Zahra with Kyan.
 
I’ll hold the fort until you arrive.”

“I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
 
I clasp Toren on the back.
 
“You want a lift?”

“Nah, I’m good.
 
Just go.”

I turn and race for the edge, ignoring Toren’s cry of alarm as I leap into the sky.
 
The air whips around me as I dive off the building and fly down the main street.
 
I stay low to remain under the Sky Ship’s radar until I reach Bastien.
 

The broken buildings blur past as I tear down the streets.
 
Below me, soldiers whip their guns up to shoot at me, but their laser beams fall far behind.
 
I throw out my arms and veer down two blocks before shooting straight toward the four-story brick apartment building where Bastien fell.

Three Sky Ships hover over the building, but their lasers remain dark.
 
This worries me.
 
If Bastien is alive, he won’t still be on that rooftop.
 
A flash of red to my right sends me spiraling through the open window of an apartment and straight through the opposite side.
 
I curl around the edge of the building and come up on the backside of a spider drone.
 
It’s laser cannon scans the skies for me.
 

Dipping low, I grab hold of one of its back legs and yank it into the sky.
 
My mind screams that this should be impossible, but I hardly feel the weight of the machine.
 
As I clear the top of the roofline, I spy Bastien’s crumpled shape in the middle of a Caldonian circle.
 
The soldiers are approaching cautiously.
 

I grit my teeth and launch the drone straight at the nearest Sky Ship’s starboard engines.
 
The Caldonians on the rooftop scatter as the ship collides in mid-air with another.
 
In a cloud of fire and smoke, the drone plummets to the ground.

The third ship is forced to retreat half a block and is quickly engaged by a ground force I can’t see.
 
Perhaps Brym and Beus have made it to this section of the city.
 

I land on the roof beside Bastien in a crouch.
 
I slowly rise, spreading my feet wide to face off with the recovering Caldonians.
 

“Get the girl!”

I turn at the vicious snarl that rises from my left.
 
“You!”

Scar Face struggles to maintain an air of authority as his men retreat, leaving him alone to face off with me.
 
“You got lucky the first time, girl.”

“My friend convinced me not to chase after you.
 
Unfortunately for you, he’s not here right now.”
 
With a flick of my wrist, I slam Scar Face into the railing and press him back so that he’s dangling head first toward the ground.
 
“Where is Kyan?”

“I’m not telling you anything,” he grunts.

I drop him a foot and grin at his pathetic scream.
 
“I’m only going to ask one more time.
 
After that, I will give your men the same opportunity.
 
I’m sure one of them will be more than happy to help.”

“You kill me and Drakon will take pleasure in shredding your mind!”

“I do like a challenge,” I call over my shoulder as I release my hold on him.
 
His screams ricochet between the brick buildings before abruptly cutting off as he hits the ground.

I turn and face the remaining seven men.
 
Only three of them are daring enough to raise their lasers at me.
 
“I need to know where my friend is being kept.
 
If you tell me, I will let you live.”

A young boy steps forward.
 
“I will help you, and so will these men.”
 
He points to three other soldiers who have their lasers lowered to the ground.
   
“We are a part of Kyan’s Rising.”

I narrow my eyes at the boy.
 
Although he looks to be only a year or two younger than me, I see great wisdom in his young eyes.
 
“What’s your name?”

“Carleon, Son of Drabis.”

“Why have I never seen you before, Carleon?”

He drops his gaze.
 
“Kyan felt it best for me to remain behind.”

“Why?”

“I’m too young,” he mutters.

My gaze flickers toward the three men who hold lasers pointed at me in their trembling hands.
 
I reach out and mentally snatch their weapons from their hands.
 
I squeeze my hand into a fist and the guns crumple inward.
 
“Go.
 
Leave the City and I will let you live.”

The men scramble for the door, slamming it behind them.
 
I turn toward Carleon and his men, each laying their weapons on the ground in submission as I approach.
 
I reach out and touch Carleon on the shoulder.
 
“War does not care what age you are, and neither do I.
 
Can you fight?”

“Yes,” he nods.
 
I look beyond him at the other three soldiers who nod enthusiastically.
 
“Then you’re going to need your weapons.”

They grin and pick them back up, their lasers humming to life.
 
“Switch to stun.
 
There has been enough death here today.”

I turn and look back toward Bastien.
 
“Where is Kyan being held?”

“In the courtyard of the Shard, but you can’t get there from here,” Carleon says.
 

I drop down beside Bastien, grateful to see the steady rise and fall of his chest.
 
He’s alive.
 
“Can I trust you with this man’s safety?”

Carleon puffs up his chest as the men form a half circle around me.
 
“With our lives.”

Tears slip down my cheeks as I stare down at Bastien, smoothing the hair away from his face.
 
He is covered with bruises and his legs are broken in several places.
 
Lifting his shirt, I wince at the sight of blood pooling in his belly, just below his skin.

I let my eyes fall shut and summon the healing fires.
 
They come fast and bright and the golden glow spreads along Bastien’s body.
 
The cuts and bruises begin to fade and his abdomen returns to flesh color.
 
I sink back onto my knees, breathing hard.
 

“You’re a healer?” Carleon gasps.
 
“And you can fly?”

I push up to my feet, feeling slightly weakened by the second healing.
  
“I can do far more than that.”

Rising up onto the rooftop ledge, I turn back.
 
“Get him somewhere safe and don’t let him leave.
 
I will come back for him once I’m done with Drakon.”

“Be careful,” Carleon warns.
 
“Commander Drakon is a Mind Bender.
 
He has been trained, as Aloysius’ second in command.
 
Don’t underestimate him.”

I nod, casting one last glance down at Bastien before I leap from the rooftop.

Thirty-Four

I land one block back from the courtyard that leads to the front doors of the Shard.
 
The grass has long since died out, leaving behind a desolate space.
 
A large fountain occupies the center of the courtyard, chipped and cracked from the battle that rages all around.
 
Piles of bricks dot the space.
 
Blood splatters everything in sight.
 

Caldonian soldiers form a circle around a tall wooden platform.
 
I peer around the edge of a building and frown.
 
Kyan stands in the center of the platform, his legs and wrists bound.
 
He is leaned back against tall branches piled into a large pyre.
 
Flickering torches reside on either side of the platform.

“Barbarians!” I swear softly.

Zahra is nowhere to be seen, but my guess is she’s biding her time.
 
The cawing of birds is gone, as are the howls of the wolves.
 

I raise my gaze toward the towering building overhead and know that Drakon is up there.
 
I wonder if Toren managed to find a way to free them or
 
if he too has become a prisoner.

Anger simmers in my belly as I step out into the open.
 
Kyan lifts his head and I have to fight back my revulsion.
 
There is hardly any patch of skin that has not been blistered or cut.
 
One eye is completely swollen shut, the other partially.
 
His lips are split and blood drips from both ears.
 

My anger turns to burning wrath as his one decent eye locks onto mine.
 
Eamon won’t last much longer.
 
You have to leave me.

“No!”
 

The cry sends soldiers into a frenzy as they face off with me, lasers aimed directly at my heart.
 
I don’t know if you can absorb all of their shots.
 
Don’t risk it.

Don’t worry.
 
They won’t get the chance to shoot!

Dark clouds swirl overhead as winds whip into strong gales.
 
My hair lashes against my face, obscuring the veil of black that falls over my eyes.
 
I stretch out my hands and yank ice shards from the sky, keeping a protective bubble around Kyan.

The aliens scream and dash for cover as large splinters of ice pierce their flesh.
 
They shield their heads as blood dots the ground.
 
The earth ripples underfoot as great chasms tear through the earth, sealing the aliens within.

Don’t kill them.
 
They are only following orders,
Kyan calls to me.

I look to Kyan and sever the bonds holding him to the pyre with my mind.
 
He falls to the ground.
 

“Kyan!”
 
Zahra races out from the lower level of the Shard.
 
I raise my hands and wave off the ice storm as she leaps onto the platform and pulls him into her arms.
 

I turn toward the wounded aliens.
 
“Surrender and your lives will be spared.
 
Lay one finger on my friends and I promise you a painful end.”

Racing toward the platform, I reach Zahra’s side.
 
Tears stream down her cheeks as she looks at me.
 
“Thank you.
 
I didn’t know how to save him.”

I nod and focus on Kyan.
 
“Let me heal you.”

“No!” He croaks.
 
“You have to get to Eamon.
 
Drakon thinks he’s the one you will fight for.”

I grit my teeth, hearing the unspoken truth behind his words.
 
Drakon will use Eamon’s sanity as leverage against me.
 
I stretch out my hand and levitate a laser gun to Zahra’s side.
 
“Stay with him. If any of the Caldonians attack, I want you to use this.”

“Count on it,” she growls, clutching it in her free hand.

“They won’t…” Kyan coughs, holding his sides.
 
“We will be safe.”

“I hope you’re right.”
 
I pat him on the shoulder and sprint for the Shard.
 
It is time to finish this.
 

The interior of the Shard is rather surprising.
 
Plush couches line the lower floor while potted plants and other unique trinkets dot the sitting area.
 
My shoes whisper against the plush white carpet, leaving bloody boot prints in my wake.

Despite the battle waging outside, the Shard is ominously quiet.
 
No screaming, no whimpering, no humming lasers.
 
A shiver ripples along my spine as I ascend the stairs.

I imagine the Shard used to be a very impressive building, rising high above all the others.
 
The glass-panned tower must have stretched up to the clouds.
 
Now it is but a shell of its former glory.

Pictures hang on the walls, images of a life I have never knownchildren playing in parks of lush greens and autumn leaves, men tossing fishing lines into water, spending a leisurely day at the lake.
 
Each image captures my attention as I pass, but I force myself to search for the top floor.

When I reach the opening at the top of the final stairway, I can feel Drakon, like a tiny portion of the Shadow is calling to me from the end of the hall.
 
Fear worms its way into my mind as I approach. I haven’t seen any sign of Toren yet.
 

The hallway widens to reveal a large sitting area.
 
Cracked leather chairs form a quaint semicircle around a darkened screen.
 
The carpet is slightly worn here, evidence of a great amount of traffic.

Blood droplets draw my attention toward the closed double doors.
 
I take a deep breath before opening them but I walk into the room with an air of confidence.

“Ah, Illyria,” Drakon grins as he turns to face me.
 
“I was wondering when you might show up.”

“I got a little preoccupied with your army outside.
 
Sorry about those Sky Ships.
 
I hope they weren’t too important.”

A vein running down his forehead pulsates as he grits his teeth.
 
“All is fair in love and war.”

His black uniform is pristine, creased to perfection.
 
His hair is shorter than I remember.
 
His left breast is proudly emblazoned with his many medals of honor.
 
“You didn’t have to primp just for me,” I jeer as I step further into the large space.

The room is circular in design, lined with curved windows to give a panoramic view of the City.
 
I can imagine Drakon sitting behind the large mahogany wood desk, staring out at his empire like one of those Roman Caesars my father told me about, never satisfied with the world they command.

Aminah rests against a tall wooden cabinet off to my right.
 
Her eyes are wide with fright, and her skin is frightfully pale.
 
A growl rumbles in my chest at the sight of her broken leg and fingers pushed so far out of joint it make me nauseous.
 

Her eyes flicker to the side and I follow her gaze to a pair of legs sticking out from behind a large black leather couch.
 
The pants are darkened with blood.
 
Toren!

“I see you’ve noticed the state of your friends.”
 
Drakon tsks, shaking his head as he clasps his hands behind his back.
 
“It’s a pity you didn’t come sooner.
 
You might have been able to save them some of their pain.”

My teeth grind as I glare at him, where he remains perched on the edge of his desk.
 
“Where is Eamon?”

“Oh, I should have known you would come for the boy.
 
Silly me,” he gloats, sweeping his hand behind him.
 

My chest clenches at the sight of Eamon curled into a ball of agony just beyond Drakon.
 
Aminah was right.
 
This man is no fool.
 
He has kept his most prized leverage well out of reach.

“What do you want?” I ask, stepping into the center of the room.
 

From this point, I can reach Aminah in three steps and Toren in five.
 
Even if I did manage to get them out of here, Eamon is sure to suffer the consequences.
 

“What I have always wanted, my dear.
 
To help you fulfill your destiny.
 
Although,” he taps his fingers on his lips, “I do think I preferred you as a blonde.
 
The black is so…dramatic.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I grin, flexing my fingers against my side.

He notices every twitch I make.
 
A grin stretches across his thin lips as I feel him touch my mind for the first time.
 
It comes like the swift jab of a sword, invading and deadly accurate.
 
I can feel my skin pulsate as I allow the Shadow to drape over my mind.

Drakon is thrown off his feet as I mentally shove him aside.
 
Hairline cracks appear in the glass window behind his back as he slides to the floor.
 
He rises, his beady black eyes livid as he wipes a drop of blood from his ear.

“I see the true Shadow Walker standing before me now.
 
Impressive.”
 
His anger fades as a glint of greed makes him giddy with desire.
 
“Perhaps we can come to some sort of an agreement.”

I don’t let a smile form this time.
 
I want him to think that I would consider making a deal with him even though I’ve just proven he has no power over me.
 
“Go on.”

“I will let your friends go if you agree to join me.
 
I can teach you how to unleash your powers.
 
I can offer you riches beyond your wildest dreams.”

“And my friends?”

“Will be allowed to return to their hovel you called a home in the woods.
 
They will be free to rebuild.”

“And they will be safe?” I press.

His eyes narrow.
 
“Safe enough.
 
I can’t promise that
all
of my men will obey my commands.”

I approach, making each calculated step count.
 
I can sense his nervousness.
 
“No deal.”

“It is a fair offer,” he protests, shrinking back slightly.
 
Drakon glances toward Eamon, producing terrifyingly horrific screams.
 
“I wouldn’t do anything rash, my dear.
 
Poor Eamon’s mind is hanging in the balance.
 
One wrong move and you will be feeding him with a spoon for the rest of your life.”

Anger rips through my mind as I restrain the urge to squeeze the life from him.
 
“You seem to”

The window behind Drakon explodes inward, sending glass splinters shooting through the air.
 
Aminah shrieks and ducks as the shards rain over her.
 
I wave my hand and create a protective barrier over her head and the glass patters harmlessly against the wooden floor.