Page 9 of The First Spark
“Dammit, Kal! Don’t you understand? The throne…”
Kalie’s chest heaved as she glared at her. Thethrone? That was what Ariah was worried about? She didn’t give a damn about the throne, it wasn’t her responsibility?—
Her heart slammed to a halt.
Lexie was the heir. And after her…
Kalie’s eyes widened.
Thethrone. Oh, holy gods.
As she stared at the rivets in the metal catwalk, listening to her pulse thump in her ears, she was vaguely aware of Ariah shouting—lying—that they’d used cybermods to morph into each other and switch places. Guards protested, but Ariah snatched a pulser and barked that getting the Duchissa out had to be the first priority.
Duchissa. Holy Mother Azura,Duchissa.
She must’ve stumbled to her feet, or Ariah pulled her up, because the next thing she was aware of was the hallway’s blinding light. Ariah ran at her side, her gown flowing. Her Azurian Guards surrounded them. Captain Reg led at the front, with his scarred lieutenant on his right.
They were running, but she hardly noticed. Her whole body was numb and cold.
Something boomed, and the impact launched Kalie off her feet. She hit the wall hard. Pain rattled through her skull; her chin throbbed, and her eyes pulsed as the world swam in a dizzying mirage. The lights shorted out. Bone snapped with a sickening crunch, and something limp landed on Kalie’s shoulder. Cool liquid seeped into the sleeve of her shirt.
As the lights flickered on, she shrieked.
Her lieutenant’s head was busted open, his neck snapped. His lifeless eyes stared past her.
Blood covered the man’s scarred head. The crimson spatter was far, far too dark against his skin. Droplets gleamed on the sparkling walls, streaking down the cream-colored paint in rivers of red.
Kalie shoved the body aside and crawled away. She gasped for air, but nothing came. The stench of something burning mixed with the sharp, metallic scent of blood. Gods, ohgods…
A pair of strong hands wrapped under her arms and hauled her to her feet. Captain Reg. He snapped his fingers, and Ariah hurried to his side. Her arm looped under Kalie’s. Smears of blood coated her face and soaked her silky gown.
The Captain’s lips moved. The buzzing in her ears drowned out his voice.
A few more stragglers pulled themselves to their feet, but bodies lined the floor. Too many bodies, too much blood. The woman who’d been running at her side was now a broken corpse on the floor.
Nausea roiled in Kalie’s stomach.
Reg was still speaking. She caught the wordshangar bay, but nothing else made sense. Nothing would ever make sense again.
Pulsers shrieked, tinny wails that would haunt her nightmares. Screams rang out, and something thudded against the closed doors of the hangar bay.
A hand brushed against her cheek. Sweat coated Ariah’s face. “Don’t be afraid, Kal. We’ll get you out of here. I promise.”
Every word was distorted, flickering in and out, but Ariah’s grim expression broke her daze. She dug her fingers into Ariah’s shoulders.
“You’re coming with me, right?”
Their eyes met, and there was something in Ariah’s expression, something she couldn’t put a finger on. Ariah opened her arms. Kalie hugged her, holding on tight. She wanted to freeze this moment in time forever, so she’d never have to let go, never have to face what waited for them.
“I love you,” Ariah whispered. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “May Azura bless you.”
They started moving, which didn’t make sense. Why were they going towards the explosions? And why hadn’t Ariah answered her? She had to come with her. Shehadto.
From crib to crypt. If she made it out of this, so would Ariah.
The door slammed open. A body flew out, striking the ground a few steps away. Ariah pushed her aside and fired into the room.
Kalie stumbled forward.
