Broken Skies

Jace furrows his brow and looks at me. “You sure seem adept at finding alien admirers. This one’s a little old though.”

I chuckle and Jastren tries to conceal a smile. “Yeah, say hi to Grandpa.”

THIRTY

I scavenge for a change of clothes and a pair of boots as we navigate our way out of the building. There is only so much blood covered fabric I can take and the gown keeps sticking to my side one moment and ripping away the next. Not the most comfortable feeling in the world, plus it keeps the wound from clotting. Thankfully, I’m able to scrounge up one of those snazzy gray uniforms that everyone seems to wear around here and a pair of boots somewhat close to my size.

There’s more to my change in wardrobe than temporary comfort, but not something that I’m willing to share with the guys yet. Jace will not approve and I’m not entirely sure what Jastren will say.

Once we stumble our way through a maze of back hallways and outside, I can see the edge of the forest from where I stand. So close. Everything in me just wants to jog into the trees, leave all this behind and go hide somewhere familiar and safe, but I can’t leave without Lir.

And that’s what is going to make for a very uncomfortable conversation with Jace right now.

“That outbuilding over there looks like it might be a good stopping place.” I point to a small shed right inside the shimmering barrier that surrounds the city.

“Stopping place?” Jace leans forward from beside Jastren. “Why would we be stopping?”

Deep breath. “I’m going back for him.”

“For…”

“For Lir.”

I expect Jace’s protest, but not Jastren’s. “Steliro Vestra is not to be trusted. I do not know what your experience has been with him, but he is Vitrad’s.”

“Yeah, Vitrad’s nephew. Why shouldn’t I trust him? I thought you said he was a target too.”

“He is, but should he have survived that bombing, I am positive Vitrad will find another use for him. He—”

“Wait a second here,” Jace breaks in. “This Lir guy is one of the Vestras and he’s related to the Vitrad guy? The one that started all this? The one that wants to kill us all? Hell no, Jax. You aren’t going anywhere. It’s bad enough you broke him out of lock up. You don’t owe that guy anything.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Damn right I don’t. We’re together. We’re alive and mostly whole. Why would you want to risk yourself on a rescue mission for some alien that probably doesn’t even need to be rescued?”

I stop walking and curl my fingers into my palms, digging in to prevent my temper from exploding. “You don’t even know him.”

“Yeah, but he does.” He jerks his thumb at Jastren. “And even he thinks it’s a bad idea.”

“And you trust him, just like that? What happened to your whole aliens are the devil spiel?”

They’ve pulled a few feet ahead of me and Jace finally stops to face me. “Verifying the family co

Pretty simple stuff? Maybe for him. Is it worse that Jace kept things from me or that he’s so dismissive about my feelings and abilities? If he hadn’t kept me in the dark for so long, none of this would be necessary. I clench my teeth and try to rein in my growing irritation.

“Fine then. Go hang out with Gramps. I’ll be back.” I spin around and take off ru

I don’t wait for an answer.

* * * * * * *

The streets are deserted. Great news for me, but also a little disconcerting. Where is everyone? They’re under attack, or at least they’re supposed to think they are, so where are they?

My steps have slowed to a jog and each empty block I traverse just increases my desire to turn around. Each time my chest expands, my indecision increases. What am I thinking? I’m putting myself and my brother in more u

I round a corner and I’ve just made the decision to turn back when I nearly run into a blue-haired E’rikon standing at the edge of a large crowd that’s gathered in front of a smoking pile of rubble. Stopping just in time, I avoid a collision and back up until I’m huddled in a recessed doorway, hopefully far enough away that I won’t be seen. Not that anyone appears to be looking at anything other than the oversized hologram ahead showing the elevated platform that holds three bedraggled E’rikon, a perfectly poised Trel beside another gorgeous E’rikon teen, a coldly smiling Vitrad and an ash-covered Lir.

Lir’s face is carefully blank but even at this distance I can feel the sorrow rolling off of him. Shoulders pulled back and ramrod straight, only the tension in his jaw gives any hint of the anguish simmering under his features.

The platform is blocks away and a sea of bodies rest between me and it. Even if I made it up there, how would I get to Lir? This was a stupid idea. It’s not like Lir couldn’t find his own way out of the city and to me— if he wanted to— and I’m just asking to be caught by standing here. I risked everything to get Jace back and being here is just putting me in u

“We have lost too many today. This is all that remains of our great Council,” he gestures toward the three, “My dear daughter narrowly escaped with her life and that of her friend,” Lir moves jerkily to put one arm around the friend’s shoulders, pulling her closely against him, “My son is still unaccounted for, and my nephew has lost his parents, my sister, our steadfast leaders…” Vitrad bows his head and shakes it sadly for a moment before raising his eyes slowly and sending a glare directly at the crowd. His next words are edged with a fervor that could easily be mistaken for anger, but that I recognize as triumph. “This will not stand.”

“Now is the time to act,” he continues, “We ca

The rest of Vitrad’s words fade into the background and all I can do is stare at Lir’s face in horror. Standing behind him, supporting him, the man who locked me up, who locked him up, who… wants to kill us all? My hand flies up to cover my mouth and contain the wail that threatens to break free. The cold sense of betrayal seeps into my limbs, infiltrating my body until I almost shiver from it.

I take three slow robotic steps back, shaking my head and fighting against tears. This isn’t happening. This can’t be right. My denial rings false even to me. Jastren was right. Lir is Vitrad’s, his gofer, his follower, his lackey. And I am a fool.

I steel my nerves and feed the spark of anger brewing in my stomach until it’s a raging inferno pushing away any more denials and overshadowing the icy betrayal twisting through me. My narrowed eyes go back to the holo, focusing on his face, willing him to look at me, to face me. And he does.

A barely perceptible widening of the eyes, the clenching of his teeth and one hand curling into a white knuckled fist are the only outward signs of emotion from him. But it’s the other emotions, the ones he can’t— or won’t— show flowing through the link and nearly knocking me over. Anguish. Indecision. Regret. The eyes that meet mine are swirling green pain shot through with golden lightening. He opens his mouth, but quickly closes it again, pressing his lips together as if to hold the words inside. His eyes close and two words make their way into my head. I’m sorry.