Thamus takes a deep breath. “Everything has been orchestrated with great precision. Every variable has been considered. We have eliminated the possibility of surprise.”
The energy pulses. “You’ve come to collect him, then?”
“If King Matigo wishes it.”
Cassius tiptoes forward, past the lieutenant and closer to the desk.
Matigo speaks. “I don’t fear for his life. Death is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I would sacrifice a child ten times over to see this through.”
“I understand.”
“Good.” The energy flickers. “The Resistance has already sent their champions, and with them, an attempt at blocking our systems. Ridium is the key to our success. If the Resistance hadn’t coerced a Shifter, we would not be having this discussion now.”
“Yes,” Thamus says. “We are still investigating the possibility of a defector.”
The energy quivers, as if sighing. “It doesn’t matter who did it. All remaining Ridium is under the Authority’s control once again. There’s precious little left after our initial assault on Earth. Haven’s southern most pits are more heavily guarded than ever before. They may have halted our efforts momentarily, but the dam will puncture. It is inevitable.”
I look at Cassius. “The Scarlet Bombings. Do you think that’s how they got the Ridium under the surface of Earth?”
He shrugs.
Thamus swallows. “May I ask you a question, sir?”
It’s silent for a moment. The energy softens. “You may.”
“Why him? Why your son?”
Matigo takes his time before responding. For a second I think he’s going to ignore the question altogether, but then the energy moves again. “You might ask the Resistance the same thing. I have become a target in this war. Those close to me have become targets. There are other Shifters on this planet, but they will have their own ambitions. There is a legacy to uphold. I cannot make this journey, not yet. Not until I know that it is safe. And if I cannot do it, someone of royal blood must be allowed the honor.” He pauses. “You will take him to the pits at dawn and he will be submerged in Ridium. I have team of Shifters ready to construct his craft and get him safely to Earth. Then, when the time is right, I will send a Herald after him and our invasion will begin.”
Lieutenant Thamus nods. “What if he will not go willingly?”
“He is my son.” Matigo laughs. “He is honored by the opportunity. He is excited.”
Cassius creeps around the side of the desk, trying to get closer to the energy. When he’s near enough to reach out a hand and touch it, something pushes him back. He glances at me, eyes wide with surprise. “It’s like there’s a wall here,” he whispers. “It’s not even warm or anything. It’s just… nothing.”
I shake my head, unable to give any explanation.
Just then, something catches my eye, off to the side of the room. A boy appears from nowhere, sitting on a stool next to the wall, twirling a dagger in his hand. He hadn’t been there before, I’m sure of it. Thamus ignores him completely. There’s no indication that Matigo’s seen him either.
I crouch low to look at the boy’s face. He can’t be any older than five. His brown hair covers the tops of his eyes so that it’s hard to get a decent look at them. The blade of the dagger reflects light from the city beyond as it shifts effortlessly through his fingers. “Cassius.” I keep my voice low. “Come over here.”
Cassius moves past Thamus and crouches beside me to look at the boy. “It’s him,” he whispers. “Of course it’s him.”
I bring my head down and meet the kid’s eyes. And I see it. Instantly. There’s a familiar expression in them-a warped curiosity. A slightly rattled look.
I turn back, heart in my throat. “Theo.”
The boy stands. I back away, scared that he heard me. I push Cassius to the doorway and we watch as Theo approaches Thamus. The red energy pulses behind the desk.
The dagger falls still in Theo’s hands. He sheathes it at his side and crosses his arms. He’s just a kid, but the way he stands-the look in his eyes-there’s nothing innocent about it.
“My son,” Matigo’s voice booms. “Soon you will undergo a journey. A test run. You may be lonely for some time, but I will not be far behind. They are using an energy transport system against us. We will use Ridium against them. It has already been set in motion on Earth. There’s only one thing standing in our way, and it belongs in the hands of the Resistance.” He pauses. “Sons. Children, like you. And once they are disposed of, there will be no stopping us.”
The words blast through me like an explosion. They echo, as thunderous as Matigo’s voice. Disposed of. I stare at the five-year-old Theo’s face, committing everything I’ve heard to memory. Ridium. Shifter. Herald. Submerged.
Disposed of.
Suddenly, everything collapses around us. The walls fragment and fold into each other. Theo’s body disintegrates right in front of me. The hypnotic carpet swirls so quickly that it becomes a starburst. We dive into the endless sea of lights. They begin to change, multiply, and spread apart until they’re stars.
It’s cold. Then windy.
I’m in the middle of the sky again. Free-fall.
Only I’m not falling anymore. Ryel’s cube tumbles from the air and lands in my hand. Something carries me.
Someone.
It takes me a moment to see him. My mind is so muddled. But then I notice the glow. Green, all around me. A cocoon of Pearl energy protects my body. If deflects the wind until I can’t feel anything.
A pair of arms support me, stronger than they look. The Drifter’s face comes into view as he gently holds me in the air. I meet his eyes, though I can’t speak. I let my body droop against his hold, confident that he won’t drop me. I’ve got no reason to be, but the Pearl energy makes everything feel better.
The Drifter speaks. “You saved me. Now, I shall save you.”
My shoulder jerks back as I hear his voice. “English?”
He nods. “English.”
“Wait.” I analyze his face, looking for markings, hair color, anything to identify him. “Are you-”
“You freed me,” he interrupts. “From a dark machine. There was a tunnel. Darkness, all around.”
“You’re the guy from the generator back at the Academy,” I say. “From three nights ago. I didn’t know if you’d lived.” A smile breaks out on my face. I don’t mean it too. It fades as soon as I remember the events of the night. “Hey… what about Cassius?”
“He is with my friend,” the Drifter replies, his voice calm and low. “You are both safe. It’s lucky you found a senso-cube. It bought you some time.”
“That’s what that thing is? A senso-cube?”
He nods. “You and your brother were suspended in the air for nearly thirty minutes. Frozen, like statues.”
The thought makes me cringe, not only for the sheer weirdness of it, but for the thought of what Theo could have done to us in that time.
I glance toward the stars. The vessel of Ridium is gone. Theo’s disappeared.
The Drifter’s grip loosens around my midsection. “We are nearly on the Surface, now. My transport energy is beginning to fade. I won’t have many more flights left in me.”
The sun begins to rise over the mountains. Not enough to kill the darkness, but the sight captivates me. It’s been so long since I’ve been this high in the air. I used to witness sunrises like this every morning out my dorm window. I’ve been on the Surface too long.
Before I know it, the Drifter’s feet touch ground and he places me in the dirt. I lie there, trying to get my bearings. Only when I’m sure the earth won’t collapse underneath me do I stand.
Cassius stands beside a second Drifter. I pivot to scan the stark landscape. We’re back outside Lenbrg, right where Theo conjured that vessel of Ridium. I crane my neck and search the stars, past Skyships to the darkest part of the sky. He’s up there. He wanted to kill us.
Matigo’s son.
