Intermix Nation

Lumi tries to stand, but her ankle istwisted. Cato helps her up, supporting her weight. Fists of everyrace and color pound triumphantly in the air as the rebels raisetheir victory flags in the skytowers across the city. Nazirah looksaround the roof shakily, not truly comprehending. It’s a bloodbath,rebel and Medi alike.

Nazirah sees Cander through the mist,hunched over a fallen intermix from the slums. Cander shuts hiseyes gently, sleeping corpse, says a prayer. Healers scatter,sifting through the dead. Even Bilungi is there, tending theinjured. Several recruits cry over a lifeless Anzares, warrioruntil the end. Nazirah feels sick. She was ready to die. And now somany have taken her place.

Death is not racist.

Death welcomes all.

Nazirah stands over Gabirel’s body. Relieffloods her. But there’s incredible sadness too. That it has to cometo this. Adamek is now an orphan, just like she is. So many peopleare dead. And more will follow.

Because although they have won, for now,Nazirah has no idea what happens next or what the future holds.“Beautiful morning to die, Chancellor,” she whispers.

“Irri.”

Nazirah whips around. Nikolaus sits a fewyards away, slumped against the broken platform. Bilungi and Aldrikbend over him somberly. There’s a bullet wound in his chest.

“No!” Nazirah screams, crumpling before him.She tries frantically to staunch the flow of blood with her hands,desperate.

“Nation …” Aldrik gently grabs hershoulder.

Nazirah snarls, wrenching her arm away andreturning it to Niko’s chest. “What are you doing?” she screams atthem. “Why are you just standing there? He’s your Commander! Savehim!”

“MEDIcine won’t work,” Bilungi says sadly.“Bullet’s too deep, hit too much.”

“Just try it!” Nazirah yells.

“Irri,” Niko says calmly, voice hoarse. “Idon’t want them to try.”

Cato watches; Lumi sobs into his shoulder.Nazirah’s vision blurs from salty tears. The rain has stopped,streaking the roof in sunlight. Nazirah doesn’t feel it. “Don’t saythat!”

He touches her face. “It’s too late. OnlyGod can save me now.”

“Niko …”

“I’m sorry I haven’t been a betterbrother.…”

“Stop, please!” she chokes, grabbing hishands. “You’re the best brother I never wanted.”

“We both know that isn’t true,” he sayssadly, breathing shallowly. “I’ve been distant … for a long time. Icouldn’t handle everything … and shut down. I wasn’t there for youwhen you needed me most.”

“Then be there for me now!” she cries.“Don’t give in!”

“Seeing how much you’vegrown,” he wheezes, “I’m honored to call you my sister … to callyou a Nation. Riva and Kasimir would be proud … theyare proud. You’re thelight Irri … you give us hope.” He coughs. “And you need to bestrong now. The war is over … but our fight has only begun. Do youunderstand?”

“Okay.”

“Tell me you understand.”

“I understand!”

He nods. “There’s more.”

“Don’t say anything else!” she weeps. “It’stoo hard.”

Nikolaus untangles their hands, touching herheart, touching the pendant. He smiles in recognition, looks ather. “I took a vow,” he whispers, “but there’s something you mustknow.”

“What is it?”

“The conditions of Morgen’s pact.”

“Conditions?” she asks, bewildered. Shescans the roof for Adamek but doesn’t see him.

Nikolaus fights to stay conscious. “When wefirst made the blood pact,” he says, “in exchange for hisallegiance … Morgen wanted only two things. The first was the soleright to kill his father.…”

“I know this already!” she snaps, voicerising. “He wanted to kill his father and receive amnesty.”

Nikolaus looks into her eyes. “No,” he sayssadly. “He never wanted amnesty.”

“I don’t understand.”

Lie.

Nazirah looks at the pendant. Why did Adamekleave it behind, buried for good?

Don’t ask a question, if you don’t want toknow the answer.

And she never had.

“Nazirah … he wants to die.”

“No.”

“His second condition was that we notinterfere … when he chooses to go.”

“No!” she yells, so loudly it frightens her.“You’re lying!”

Nikolaus’s breathing slows. “Like most men,”he says, “he wants to be judged for his sins.” His eyes close.

“It’s not fair.…”

“When is life ever?”

Nazirah grabs his face, trembling. “How am Isupposed to live without you?”

He smiles. “You just… live.”

He passes that way, face upturned at thesun. Nazirah watches the last family she has leave. She bends,slowly kissing his forehead. “I love you,” she whispers, thenstands shakily. Everyone around her, even Aldrik, is crying. No onespeaks, for no words can comfort. Cato detaches himself from Lumi,making sure Cander supports her. He hugs Nazirah tightly, wiping atear with his thumb. “What happens now?” she asks him, staring atwhat remains.

“Now,” Cato says, “you go save him.”

Nazirah pulls back. “What?”

“Nazirah,” he says, “when have you everlistened to your brother?” He leans in close so only she can hear.“It’s time you stopped living for the dead.”

She whispers, “Thank you,” because it’sexactly what she needs to hear. Nazirah takes off, weaving throughthe crowd, jumping over rubble and ruin. She bolts down the windingstaircase, back into the grand room, searching frantically amidstthe rebels.

He isn’t here.

Nazirah stops. She closes her eyes, triesthinking like him, imagining where he might go. Her head snaps upimmediately. She makes a sharp left, sprinting towards Adamek’sroom. Nazirah passes it quickly, turning down an unfamiliar hallwayshe knows far too well. Not bothering to knock, she enters thefirst room on the right. Soft pastels and feminine scents waft overher. Nazirah walks through Victoria’s chambers, heading straightfor the bathroom. She hesitates for only a moment before turningthe handle.

Her breathing relaxes marginally. Adameksits on a chair, gun resting in lap, in front of the empty bathtub.He’s largely unharmed, but his eyes are empty. “I figured you’dcome eventually,” he says, staring at the gleaming white porcelain.“Wouldn’t want to miss the finale, right?”

Nazirah wordlessly sits before him,cross-legged, a child at story time. She gently places his gun onthe cold floor, takes his hands. They are both miraculously okayand have come so far and still she may lose him yet.

“Thank you,” she says, “for saving me again.I seem to always owe you my life.”

Adamek nods distantly, distracted by herhands. Nazirah needs not ask what he’s fixated on. He brushes herknuckle, looks at her. “Ramses?” he asks quietly.

“It felt good,” she confesses, “to do it.Just for a second, but that second felt so good.”

“You’re not a killer, Nation,” he says,kissing her knuckle. “You’re so pure it hurts. You’re everything Iever wanted. And nothing I could ever have.”

“You don’t have to do this,” shewhispers.

“But I want it,” he says. Tears fall downhis face, baptizing her anew. “I can’t live with this guiltanymore. I need the judgment … the peace.”

“What are you waiting for, then?”

“I couldn’t do it,” he mutters. “You were sofearless before, so ready to die. When it comes down to it, I’m acoward … exactly like my father.”

“You’re not a coward,” she says earnestly.“You’re the bravest person I know.”

“I am a coward,” he repeats. “But if I’mbeing entirely honest, I also wanted to see your face one lasttime.”

“How did it feel, Morgen,”she asks, “to finally … takeit?”

“It felt good, Nation,” heanswers, looking into her eyes. “Sogood.”

Nazirah shuts her eyelids. He touches them,and she wishes time would stop. She thinks of her parents, of hermother’s last wish. She thinks of the promise she made, now thelast Nation standing. She thinks of what Adamek wants … and sheknows.

Nazirah opens her eyes. “Morgen,” she sayssoftly, “has my day come?”