Tir Andol's Ashes by Stephanie E Kusiak

Author:Stephanie E Kusiak [Kusiak, Stephanie E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781950136001
Publisher: Dark Horse Publishing
Published: 2018-12-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 3

We run. My legs ache with the exertion of it. The spaceport feels so far, and every passing minute feels so final. The light of fire is my only guide. People scream that the planet is out of power. They say it’s the end of everything. I strangle my hold on Marianna’s hand. It’s how I know she’s with me. Because I can’t look back. I can’t see the haunting pillar of light that burns behind my shoulder. The heat is impossible, stagnant, and the scent of sulfur chokes the air.

My chest burns with every caustic breath.

Above me, the planet’s defense system is failing. It stalls the invasion by only the smallest of margins. As Marianna and I weave in and out of alleyways, I watch as the force field towers are destroyed. The green shield still holds, but it flickers with the promise of failure.

We have to get off the planet before that happens, before The Phalanx can rain hell down upon us.

A swarm of darkness coalesces ahead of us and then scatters. I think it was The Phalanx, a thousand forms moving in tandem. I hear screams as others see it, too. The people we are running with scatter. Over the sound of cries and footfalls, I hear hollow thunder beneath my feet.

What is that?

It’s the open void inside the planet! Other layers are collapsing toward the core to liquefy and take the place of the material missing.

I stare up again when we find a small break in the smoke. My eyes search in terror at the haze of debris streaking the sky.

Marianna, there is no way we can get off the planet in a shuttle. There’s no clear path between all of this.

It’s our only chance!

I don’t press the point. There’s no shuttle maneuverable enough to avoid the wreckage I can see. All my studies at the Academy were in combat and flight. I know the truth: even if we get to the spaceport, we’ll never make it.

Marianna was right; we are going to die here.

I stop my thoughts before Marianna hears them. My only point of certainty is her hand in mine as we run. I turn down another street and Marianna’s thoughts reach out and spike into me before her hand tears away.

Aly!

I turn back to see someone pulling her from me. He has her by her hair, her hands grabbing for him.

“Marianna!”

I rush toward them, stopped by the flash of metal against Marianna’s temple in the firelight.

“Give me your suit!” the man screams, pressing hard enough with the muzzle of his gun for Marianna to wince. She stares at me, her body still.

I’ll elbow him in the nose.

Yes. Now.

I don’t even think. I move forward. He points the gun at me and her elbow comes up. I hear the crack over the sound of the rumble beneath me. My hands grab the weapon and spin it out of his grip. Pushing Marianna aside, I move into the space between them, leveling my weapon at his face.

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