I can’t find my voice, can’t catch my breath. My throat scratches and burns and my vision spins and blurs.
“Here, please. Sit.” Her hands are on my shoulders, the metallic tips of her gloves jolting chills down my spine. “We’ve been waiting quite a long time.”
I wait and gather enough saliva in my mouth to try and swallow without gasping and choking, but it does no good. I cough and gag on the dryness.Oh God, what I would do right now for a bottle of water.
“Pious took Jex and Rune,” I wheeze roughly. I lean back against a wall steadying my balance, rubbing a hand over my throat to ease its sting. “Pious set Rune’s execution for tomorrow. He had his guards try and bring me to the isolation ward. I think that’s where they are holding them.”
Sarahh’s lips move to speak, but I hold my hands up to stop her. She nods and tilts her head to listen. Behind her, the other Caelum that were concealed in the tunnels with her, step forward to hear what I’m saying.
“Pious…he…he destroyed Earth. He pressed a button and he…” A whimper escapes my lips and tears rain down my cheeks. “He blew it up. My sister and my father. They’re dead.”
Sarahh doesn’t say anything for a moment, she just stares at me with huge unblinking eyes. My hands clench into tight fists. I want to slam them against the walls and scream at her. How could she not care? How dare she stand here and gawk at me like I shouldn’t be reacting like this. What the hell is wrong with her? “Do you even care? Do you?”
Sarahh’s brows shoot up to her hairline. “But we haven’t moved.”
I throw my hands up in the air. “What does that have to do with anything? He destroyed my planet! I watched it explode.”
She reaches a hand out to me and touches her fingertips to my forearm. “Kate, that couldn’t have happened.”
I yank my arm away from her hand and suck back a gulp of air. “What do you mean? I saw it happen!” Why doesn’t she believe me?
“Kate, listen to me. If your planet exploded, a fiery rain of debris would be colliding into us, igniting everything in its path. The energy from an explosion that close to us? That enormous? We would be dead instantly. Everyone on the Caelum ship, we’d be wiped out, and the ship too.”
I sniff back snot and tears. “Wait. What are you saying? What I just witnessed didn’t happen?” I rub my hands across my face. I need a tissue.
“I’m positive you observed something that caused your frantic state, but it couldn’t have been real. We wouldn’t be standing here speaking with one another if it truly happened.”
Could she be telling me the truth? I swipe at my nose again. “Sarahh, can you take me to a window? Can you show me right now?”
“Yes, of course. Come this way. There’s a viewing nook right around this bend.” She walks toward a small dark alcove and I’m on her heels instantly. It’s only a few minutes before I’m standing in front of a small glass plate looking at my world, whole and perfect. I press my palms to the window and the weight on my heart and shoulders eases. The hollow sensation of grief dissipates and my body fills with purpose.
“He lied to me. He did the same thing to me as he did to the Caelum when he told them Rune attacked his own men or that he had died so he could become the next general.”
Pious needs to be stopped.
I’m done with this. He showed me my worst fear, he manipulated my mind, ripped my heart from my chest—all to get what he wants. I won’t let him hurt anyone else. I can’t.
And I’m the only one in the right position to stop him.
“Sarahh?”
“Yes, Kate?” she asks quietly.
“I need some armor, and not just an armguard. I need an entire Caelum suit.”
The corners of her lips curl up into a smile and she nods. “I think we could find you one. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to give Pious everything he deserves.”
“Need any help with that plan?” she asks, smiling.
