The Star Dwellers

But then it happens. The tide turns, almost as if by magic. First Morgan says yes once, then twice, and then it’s like that’s the only word she can say. By the time she’s done, it’s thirty-two for and ten against. I hug Adele and she hugs back. A

For the first time since this all started, I actually truly believe the Lower Realms can be united in a joint cause. With a little bit of pressure, we could possibly get the other ten VPs to change their mind, to support the rebellion. If we could just explain—

A screen emerges from the platform floor, rising up next to Vice President Morgan like a phantom in the night.

From the look on her face, I know she’s not expecting it.

“What is the meaning of—” she starts to say, but then the screen flashes and she gasps, along with nearly everyone else in the audience, myself included.

“No!” I hear Adele croak, the word rough and jagged in her throat.

The whole world spins upside down as I stare at that screen. Ben and Elsey are each tied to a chair, their hands behind their backs, their mouths gagged with thick black cloth.

A man, dressed in sun dweller red, holds a gun to Ben’s head.

I know he’s going to kill them, and all I want to do is scream I’m here, Father, I’m here! Please, take me, not them. But when I try to speak all that comes out are ragged breaths.

Adele is already on her feet when the voice booms through the speaker.

* * *

Adele

I’m scared but it’s nothing compared to the determination I feel coursing through my blood. I will not let them kill my family, not after I’ve worked so hard to bring them all back together. I’m on my feet, prepared to charge through the Dome, rip the place apart stone by stone until I find them, when a voice thunders through the arena.

“Your traitorous ways are punishable by death and death alone!” the President threatens. I’d know his voice anywhere.

I hear the slam of doors and then a cacophony of marching boots fills the Dome, cutting through the air like bullets. Above us, dozens of sun dweller soldiers, decked in polished red uniforms—they look like the same ones we saw in the tu

The Resistance soldiers are on their feet, aiming their own weapons upwards, but everyone in the room knows they don’t stand a chance. The sun dwellers have the upper ground, the better weapons, the element of surprise. We’re sitting ducks.

“Don’t move!” the voice booms. “We have you surrounded. There is no chance of escape. You have all been found guilty of high treason and should be executed in accordance with the laws of the Tri-Realm.”

I close my eyes. We’re all going to die.

“However…” Nailin says, and my eyes flutter open. “…I am offering you one chance to avoid death. Lay down your weapons, allow yourselves to be taken prisoner, and watch the execution of the real traitor, Ben Rose, and his daughter…and I will consider a lesser sentence.”

What? No! “No!” I scream. “You can’t do that!”

All eyes are on me but I don’t care. Tristan tries to put a hand on my arm, but I rip it away from him, charge from the platform. The bullets start flying, but not at me. The Resistance soldiers are firing at the sun dwellers! They’re not going to give up either. They’re fighting!

I see my mom pull a pistol from beneath her tunic and start shooting at the sun dwellers. One drops, and then another. She reminds me now of the day the Enforcers took her away. A fighter—a force to be reckoned with. My mother.

The sun dwellers fire back and I see soldiers dropping amidst bursts of red. In my heart I’m sorry for them and scared for my mom, who’s still on her feet, but there’s only one thing on my mind: Save my dad, my sister.

* * *

Tristan

I sprint after her, but the wings of angels seem to carry her away from me. The crack of guns going off all around us reminds me of when the sun dweller army used to train in the fields by our house. Except this is not training. They want to kill every last one of us.

Adele is already up the steps. She turns quickly and yells to those on the platform to “Run!” but she doesn’t have to tell them—they’re already on their feet and heading for the nearest exit.

And then I see it. A sun dweller soldier—his gun aimed from above, right at Adele. I’m too far—I won’t make it; and he won’t miss. It’s over.

A body flies from the side, violently smashing into her and flattening her against the steps. She cries out in pain just as the bullet takes a chunk of the seats behind her.

It’s Trevor. He’s saved her again. Has done what I could not do.

I run toward them, but she’s already pushing up, bucking Trevor off of her as if he weighs nothing. She doesn’t thank him, doesn’t even look at him, keeps moving up the steps.

Just before she ducks into the tu

When I reach the steps I take a moment to scan my surroundings, ensuring none of the sun dwellers are making a move to follow Adele. Trevor gets back to his feet and hurriedly follows Adele into the tu

I take five long strides and then roll, grabbing a gun left by a dead Resistance soldier, and feeling the whiz of bullets as one of the enemy combatants tries to take me down. But I know they can’t hit me. I’m too fast, too determined. Coming out of the roll, every bit of my training kicks in. I lock on the first target in less than a second, shoot him somewhere he won’t get up from. But I don’t watch him fall; instead, I swing to the next enemy, who falls when I pull the trigger. The third one has realized I’m targeting the ones shooting at Ram and he ducks before I can get him.

I curse and rush to Ram, who’s watching me with a fu

“You saved me,” he says.

“Yeah, yeah,” I say. “Get back to the main body of men. Take this,” I say, handing him the rifle. I don’t hear if he responds because I’m off, sprinting to the steps, taking them two at a time, hoping I don’t get shot. As I approach the top I see two forms moving swiftly toward me across one of the rows.

I swing to the side, tensing myself for a fight, but drop my hands when I see that it’s Roc and Tawni, eyes wide but fierce and determined. I don’t question their presence—I just say, “Hurry!” and sprint into the gloomy hallway. Adele and Trevor are already halfway down the curve of the tu

I can feel Roc and Tawni just behind me, moving on silent feet.

I know something isn’t right when we make it a quarter of the way around the Dome without resistance. The place should be teeming with sun dwellers, but instead, all the action seems to be out on the platform. It’s almost as if my father wanted us to go this way, to make it this far. The thought sits in the pit of my stomach like a rotten egg. The crack and pop of guns provides a symphony for the slap of our feet on the stone. I catch up to her five steps later, grab her shoulder. “Adele, wait,” I say.