Page 91 of The First Spark
A niece who’d been her age.
She took a step away from him, and hurt flashed in his eyes. “Kalista, she’s dangerous. Your mother?—”
“I’m sure this will come as a blow, dear,” Iliana crooned. “I once looked up to him the way you do, and I’m sure he’s manipulated you the way he manipulated my sisters and I. But I’m afraid I cannot recognize your rule. My bloodright is stronger than yours.”
Kalie stopped breathing. She wanted the crown.
Ten steps separated them, but her aunt’s voice seemed far away. “I’m my mother’s firstborn, and unlike you and your mother, I’m a full-blooded Dalian. If you turn the crown over to me, I’ll name you my heir. I’m past the age to have my own.”
“A trap,” Uncle Jerran babbled, “Kain… Caira almost died…”
Kalie trembled. All eyes were on her.
“And…” Her voice rasped against her sandpaper throat. “If I refuse?”
“Then I will take what is mine.” Iliana tipped her head towards the traitorous guards. “You should accept my offer, Kalista. It is far more generous than the alternative.”
Kalie swallowed painfully. She was cornered. Her guards were working for Iliana, and the forcefield was active; no one could get in or out. Vale had insisted on the forcefield. He’d insisted on not bringing in the Skyforce. Hemust’ve planned to betray her all along.
She was trapped.
By doing this publicly, Iliana had ensured her story couldn’t be covered up.
Her options were simple: surrender the crown and live, or fight for it and die.
The sapphire crown sparkled on its pedestal. It promised the power to create change. It was Aunt Calida’s legacy.Herlegacy. She was meant to wear it, not some vengeful stranger.
Iliana’s eyes narrowed. “I won’t wait forever.”
“Listen to me.” Uncle Jerran’s clammy hand gripped hers. Kalie tried to jerk away, but he held tight.“You can’t trust her, Calida made that mistake?—”
One of Iliana’s men aimed his pulser at Uncle Jerran’s skull. “Not another word.”
Kalie’s heart thumped as she looked from the crown, to Uncle Jerran, to Mylis. They were all she had left. Aunt Calida, Lexie, and Ariah were gone. Ariah had died so she could claim the crown and make things right. To give it up wouldn’t just betray her, it would betray them all.
She took a ragged breath. Released it.
“I refuse to surrender my crown.”
Taking a step back, Iliana bowed her head. “So be it.”
Ancient glass windows shattered, the forcefield flickered, and an army of men on jetpacks broke through, opening fire.
Dali, Sector 4
Decemmensis-29, 817 cycles A.F.C.
Shards of glassrained down as the forcefield returned. Terrified screams rang in Kalie’s ears, but the bodies were falling too fast to keep up. A woman nearby shrieked and crumpled. Carmine liquid pooled at her temple.
Oh,gods, what had she done?
There wasn’t time to think about it. Lasers were flying.
Kalie’s heart leapt into her throat as she hit the ground. A million stabbing pains pierced her skin. A sharper, keener pain tore at her cheek, and she threw her arms up to shield her head. Blood trickled down her face. Shards of crystal littered the ground around her.
The crown glittered on its pedestal.
As lasers streaked across the platform, Kalie dodged a blast and slipped between two guards. Hitching up her gown, she sprinted past the throne?—
