“Why?! He wants us dead. All of us. Our entire lives have been at your father’s mercy. I won’t let our deaths be the same.” My weight shifts forward as I lift my palms towards the wall of men.
He chokes out my name. “Orelle!”
Chancellor Bren places a gloved hand on his son’s shoulder. “Now do you see? The Orelle you knew is gone.”
The commander pulls the chancellor further behind the line of guards, but not before my attention flicks to the box in Bren’s hand. If I can take the controller, maybe I can take back control.
Shifting all of my weight into my good ankle, I launch myself over the guards. I clear the front line, but the commander grabs my injured ankle during the descent. Neither of us are able to guide the landing, and I crash into the chancellor’s sturdy frame.
His visor lens shatters as it smashes into the ground. Chancellor Bren’s shadows rush forward to retrieve their leader, but I grab the Pyre control box from his belt and tuck myself alongside the chancellor’s dazed body.
My skin broils.
Just one more. That’s all I need.
Grains scatter beneath me as I expel one more burst while clinging to the chancellor. Our bodies spin through the air, until I can’t hold him anymore. We both land in the fray of Sols and Pyres.
I scramble for the remote and twist the knob.
Nothing happens.
The handful of remaining Pyres notice my intrusion and the scent of pure humanity laying on the ground motionless a few yards from me. I frantically twist the knob further and press the only button on the controller. The Pyres that were closing in on the chancellor suddenly seize, bodies stiffening and dropping in unison. The entire field of battle quiets for a moment. I stand on one trembling leg andlurch toward the chancellor, pulling him to his feet.
Kalden and Niles finish off the incapacitated Pyres before appearing next to me.
“Thank the sun you did that,” Kalden huffs, his glowing veins obfuscated by reddened skin.
I peer at my own hand and see a similar hue. The blood in my veins grinds through my body. The pressure threatens to spill from my eyes and ears.
I grip Chancellor Bren’s arm tighter. “Give the order to return to Caligo. Before any more of your men die.”
Gabe inches closer to us before Kalden shouts, “We don’t want to kill him, but if you take one more step, you’ll be the next chancellor!”
Gabe’s purposeful steps stiffen from the threat, and he comes toa halt.
Commander Guffian follows his lead.
“You don’t have the right to command my men.” The chancellor’s bent knees straighten. Turning his gaze to avoid the sun’s rays through his broken visor, he lifts his head and shouts across the dunes. “Who are you, men of Caligo, to listen to this woman—a feeder turned traitor? You have orders from the highest office above or below ground!”
All my hopes of a peaceful retreat crumble. I prepare to summon whatever power I have left.
Chancellor Bren continues, “Let’s be done with this. Kill them all!”
The guard formation marches up the hill, where the vulnerable Huntresses are attempting to slide a heavily bloodied Demi towards the village.
Kalden’s fist connects with Chancellor Bren’s head, lifting him from the ground and disconnecting the snug helmet from its wearer. Golden rays trace across the chancellor’s exposed face.
“No!”Gabe’s voice rings into the clear sky.
“Order them to stop!” I scream at Chancellor Bren.
The crumpled man on the ground clutches at his cheeks. “What have you done? You’ve infected me!”
Niles hurriedly kneels beside the chancellor. “We need to restrain hi?—”
A blast of energy erupts from Chancellor Bren’s hand, and Niles falls back.
His body lands motionless.
