I turn as a shuttle lands, this one emblazoned with the council insignia.
Master Harlan has stopped his pacing and glares down at me.
“I need a sample.” Onin puts a pneumatic syringe to Lana’s arm, but she bats him away. He flies several paces off and lands in a heap.
Kyte and I exchange a look. Jeren barks a laugh.
“Oh my god!” She jumps to her feet and hurries over to him.
“That’s new.” Kyte leads the way to Onin.
She kneels next to him. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
He sits up, his eyes dazed. “I’m …” He brushes some of the brown dirt from his white coat. “I’m all right.” Peering at her, he squints. “But you’re different. The circle has changed you.”
“I don’t know.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know what’s happening or why that monster tried to take me or why that Bartanz guy said I’m supposed to be his mate or—” Her voice rises, the pitch growing in strength as that same metallic tinge of panic stabs through our bond. “I don’t know why I’m here or why I feel like I’m about to split open from everything inside me.” She presses her hands to her temples as she flickers into shadow. Another spiky barrier begins to erupt around us, the shards digging into the ground and shooting out like bursts of lightning. “It’s too much. I can’t do this. I don’t—”
Kyte reaches for my hand. I take it. Jeren takes his other, and we surround Lana, keeping her centered in the circle as we all imagine that still pool of water, the lake where the sun shimmers along the smooth surface.
“Dive in.” Kyte’s voice is soothing, low. “We’ll be there. Just dive in, Lana.”
Her breathing is shallow, panic almost overtaking every bit of her mind. She feels it so strongly that it begins to color my thoughts. Are we in danger? Should I fight off Bartanz and the others to keep her safe? Bartanzdidtry to take her from us. Maybe I should grind him to dust. Maybe I should—
“Keep it together, Bellatian.” Jeren squeezes my hand. “Focus on Lana.”
He’s right.
“I’m diving in.” Her unsure voice comes through, and I see her in my mind, her body sinking beneath the placid surface. And then we’re there with her, lifting her into the sun. We all take a deep breath together, our bond unshaken as she finally relaxes.
“Good.” Kyte kisses her forehead. “That’s it.”
She takes another centering breath, and then we’re back in the dark night outside of the Academy barrier, surrounded by Gretar soldiers who don’t seem too friendly, and weathering a death glare from a particularly pissed-looking High Commander Bartanz.
We stand in a line, Lana hemmed in between Jeren and me.
“This circle isn’t sanctioned by the high council.” He steps toward us. “You will have to answer for this, for all of it. And you will explain to me right this minute what alliance you have with the Sentients.” He moves closer and draws his energy sword.
“He thinks we’re with the Sentients?” Lana asks.
“Seems so.” Kyte shakes his head.
“They aren’t traitors.” Onin rises. “The Sentients attacked them.”
“Stand down, Omega,” Bartanz snaps. “I’ll decide who’s a traitor. Not you.” He turns back to Lana. “Come without incident, and I can guarantee you fair treatment.” He holds his hand out to her. Then he jerks his chin at the rest of us. “Arrest them.”
“Mistake,” Kyte grits out.
I feel the surge before I see it. And I only have time to hear Jeren think, “Oh shit,” before Lana unleashes a raging fury that threatens to burn the planet to its core.
4
Lana
“Lana, you have to pull your power back inside you.” Jeren’s voice is in my head. “Kyte needs you to pull it back. He can barely hold on.”
A barrier rushed out from me like a cyclone, the tips razor sharp and poised to deal destruction, but Kyte is holding it in place, saving all those around us from a grisly fate on one of my spikes. I can feel fear in the air like an electrical current.
“Control it.” Jeren strokes my arm.
