The forest rang with screaming and gunfire.

  Shouts echoed between the trees, bullets cracked through branches, and confusion ran wild on both sides of the battlefield.

  Yet somehow, at the very centre of the storm, there was a sight that didn’t belong there at all.

  Hector stood calmly beside the central tower, holding a teacup.

  “Lieutenant,” he said politely, raising it slightly. “Would you like another cup of tea?”

  “That would be lovely, Lance Corporal,” Solara replied without looking away from the chaos below. “Such a well?mannered man. Unlike some people.”

  Hector froze mid?hand?off.

  Bella’s face appeared inches from Solara’s, teeth clenched in a bright, dangerous smile.

  “Lieutenant,” she hissed, “we’ve talked about comments like that before, haven’t we? Keep those sparkly eyes off my man, or you’ll be seeing those sparkles for real.”

  From her perch on the ledge, Elyria snorted with laughter.

  “And this is the kind of relationship you thought me and Caelan would have?” she said. “Yeah—pfft. Real healthy.”

  Bella spun instantly, eyes lighting up as she grabbed Hector’s arm.

  “Oh my love, did you hear that?” she said brightly. “She’s calling it a relationship now. Oh, she’s come such a wrong way.”

  Hector cracked a smile despite himself as he finally handed Solara the tea.

  “Well,” he said mildly, “we knew it the moment we met them. They just need to catch up.” He turned and poured another cup. “Let me sort the love of my life one as well.”

  Solara exhaled slowly through her nose.

  “You’re welcome, Lieutenant,” Elyria added dryly.

  Solara took a sip. “What’s got into you?”

  “What do you mean?” Elyria asked.

  “Lieutenant?” Solara replied. “Not like you.”

  Elyria shrugged. “Pfft. Everyone else is super into it. Might as well not be the odd one out.” She glanced down at the battlefield. “Anyway, what’s actually happening? They’re all just hiding behind cover. The enemy looks completely lost. No one’s pushing, but—”

  “One moment, please,” Solara said, suddenly covering her mouth.

  She turned sharply and walked to the far side of the tower. One of the floating panes vanished just in time as Solara leaned over the edge and vomited into the forest below.

  Elyria sighed, already moving.

  “I told you to tell me when this started,” she muttered. “Reduce the area if you have to.”

  Her hands began to glow as she placed them gently against Solara’s back, healing energy flowing as Solara breathed heavily.

  “No—don’t worry about me,” Solara said between breaths. “I can keep going.”

  From the corner, Mynxi looked up from her drawings. She rummaged through Solara’s bag, grabbed a small towel, and ran over.

  “Here you go, Auntie!” she said, holding it up proudly.

  Solara smiled weakly as she took it. “My little hero.”

  Nearby, Aurex sat rigid, his guards exchanging uncertain looks as he stared at the scene.

  “DO NONE OF YOU SEE A PROBLEM HERE?” he shouted. “WHAT IS HAPPENING?!”

  Solara straightened her jacket, wiped her mouth with the towel Mynxi had handed her, and took a steady breath like nothing had just happened.

  “I told him this would happen,” she said calmly. “Lucky for that man, he’s got me to turn whatever feral nonsense comes out of his head into something that actually functions.”

  Aurex stared at her, hands spread in disbelief. “At this stage, I honestly can’t tell if you’re all mad or brilliant, but right now I’m leaning toward batshit fucking crazy.”

  “Specialist.”

  Lyra moved before Aurex even finished the sentence, each word punctuated by a sharp slap as she snarled, “Don’t swear at my lieutenant.”

  Solara winced slightly. “No—not that—well, actually, good instincts, but listen.”

  She turned back to Lyra without missing a beat. “Based on your morning report—”

  “The fudge is a morning report?” Elyria snapped. “I’m not doing that.”

  Solara kept going like she hadn’t heard her. “The captain ordered you to take part in this trial. I want the mess in the lower field cleaned up within the next ten minutes. That is an order, Specialist.”

  Lyra’s expression shifted instantly. No grin. No hesitation.

  “Yes, Lieutenant.”

  She reached behind her jacket, pulled out her custom knife-knuckle dusters, slid them on with a soft click, and headed down the tower steps toward the recruits.

  Aurex rubbed his face, wincing. “I don’t think I get enough respect around here.”

  Solara glanced at him, genuinely puzzled. “Well, maybe try doing something for a change.”

  Aurex threw his arms out. “Oh, I don’t know—organised an entire construction and economic system for this region? Gave you a city to live in? Turned a blind eye while you lot slowly monopolise half the local business? Do you have any idea how much it costs to keep you all fed, armed, repaired, and not actively rioting? I should be getting a thank-you card daily at minimum!”

  Solara stepped closer, still smiling, eyes locking with his.

  “What have you done for me recently?”

  Her voice dropped, barely above a whisper.

  “And just so we’re clear—one more outburst like that, and I'll tell Mr Pael.”

  Aurex swallowed. “But… I’m his commander.”

  Solara lifted her hands and stepped away. “Well. I tried.”

  She turned back toward the wall overlooking the battlefield.

  Aurex deflated instantly. “I’ll be quiet, ma’am. Please.”

  Solara didn’t look back.

  “Would you look at that,” she said lightly. “Now let’s see how she handles this.”

  Below, the remaining recruits were pressed tight behind waist?high cover as gunfire cracked through the trees.

  Jett was in full panic, clinging to the ground as he screamed, “PLEASE—I’LL DO ANYTHING—JUST NOT ME—I’M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!”

  Lyra slid in beside the cover, teeth clenched. “Jett, will you shut up? I could hear you from the tower.”

  “Make me,” Jett muttered weakly.

  “Jett, please—not now,” Corwin begged, gripping his shoulder.

  Lyra shook her head and glanced left.

  Artimage was crouched with a small group of recruits, waving his hands enthusiastically. “—so my buddy and I hopped in this small?haul cargo pod, right, and I tell you, that night we got screamed at—”

  “What does that have to do with anything?” one recruit snapped. He started to rise. “We’re completely wasting our—”

  A bullet stopped an inch from his face.

  The man froze, eyes wide, staring as the round hovered for a heartbeat before dropping harmlessly to the dirt. More bullets followed—each halted mid?air.

  From above, Solara’s calm voice cut through the chaos. “You. Yes—you. Come to the tower. You’ve failed. You’ll be safe there until the trial is completed.”

  “Good,” the man snapped, scrambling toward the stairs. “I’m not getting eliminated for this crap.”

  “Funny story actually,” Artimage continued cheerfully, “me and my cousin—”

  Two more recruits bolted from cover. “Nope. Nope. I’m done.”

  “I give up,” another yelled. “I can’t listen to him anymore!”

  Artimage blinked. “Huh. Was it something I said?”

  Lyra crawled over and slapped a hand over his mouth. “Will you be quiet for five seconds?” She glanced around. “Where’s Katie?”

  Artimage pointed just past the bend in the cover line.

  Katie was fully zipped inside her sleeping bag, using the firefight as the perfect opportunity for a nap.

  Lyra groaned and crawled back into position, muttering under her breath. “Oh yeah. Everyone’s taking this super seriously. Like you, Lyra. Great friends. No wonder our incredible lieutenant looks exhausted all the time.”

  Behind her, Artimage started again. “Right, so there was this manoeuvre I pulled once—early days—”

  The remaining recruits fled without a word.

  Only Jett, Corwin, Artimage, Katie, and Lyra remained.

  Lyra turned slowly, eye twitching, staring at Artimage. “You are literally scaring them away.”

  “Have I told you about the time—”

  Lyra turned away.

  Jett clawed toward the tower, sobbing. “I just want to go home!”

  Corwin dragged him back down. “Stop it! We can help them!”

  “Screw them!” Jett wailed. “I’m too important for this!”

  Lyra shook her head, then glanced down at Katie as she noticed her eyes open.

  “Nice of you to join us,” Katie murmured. “Thought you ditched us to slum it with your smiling friend.”

  Lyra looked up at the tower.

  Solara was watching.

  Smiling with absolute daggers.

  Lyra swallowed hard and glanced back at Katie, half laughing, half terrified.

  “Okay,” she whispered, voice shaky. “I am so out of my league. I’m gonna pass out. Is she still watching me?”

  Katie leaned just enough to peek past the cover. “Yeah. Hasn’t moved. Somehow feels closer, though. Don’t think about it. What’s the plan?”

  Lyra let out a breath that was almost a laugh. “No.”

  Katie blinked. “No… what?”

  “No plan,” Lyra admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. “This is my first time in a situation like this.”

  Katie sighed. “There goes my idea of waiting it out. Alright—here’s the problem. They’re all melee now. When the jacket thing happened, they pulled back to protect the main force. And none of the recruits use long?range.”

  Lyra tilted her head, brain stalling. Then it hit.

  “Oh my gods,” she breathed. “This whole thing was just a smoke screen so those two could—”

  A crash thundered across the battlefield.

  A full tree flew end over end through the air on the far side of the field, followed by muffled laughter and Keira’s very audible swearing.

  Another impact shook the ground.

  “Sorry!” Caelan shouted faintly from the forest.

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  “YOU TWO STAY IN YOUR ZONES!” Solara snapped from the tower.

  “OKAY!” Caelan and Keira yelled back in unison.

  Lyra felt dread settle into her bones. “So that’s why she gave me a time limit.”

  “Snap out of it,” Katie said sharply. “You’re lucky. I had time to prep after that walk this morning. Tip for the future—always keep your bag with you.”

  Lyra forced a smile. “You’re going to fit in way too well here. If more people thought like us—and the lieutenant—maybe this wouldn’t be such a mess.”

  Katie grabbed her by the jacket and slapped her hard across the face.

  Lyra stared at her, stunned, as Elyria’s laughter echoed faintly from the tower above.

  “What the hell was that for?!” Lyra hissed.

  “You were spiralling,” Katie replied flatly. “And I would like this over with before we get eliminated. May I tell you my plan now?”

  Lyra swallowed and nodded.

  “If we pull them out of the treeline into the open, I can handle whoever breaks formation,” Katie said. “But it’s one shot. One trick.”

  Artimage crawled around the corner. “So what’s the pl—”

  Lyra clamped a hand over his mouth.

  “Right now,” she said through her teeth, “they have no reason to move. We’ve shown no long?range capability.”

  Artimage pulled her hand away. “That’s literally what I’ve been trying to say.”

  Lyra death?stared him. “Ten words or less.”

  Artimage pointed toward the second tier of the wall. “Look at it. After all that—nothing.”

  “Emerald bars,” Lyra muttered. “Almost unbreakable. Must be layered.”

  “Second thing,” Artimage continued. “No orders from their back line. No supply calls. They’re organised—but stretched. The rear will give soon. Now my idea is—WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

  Lyra turned.

  Katie was standing straight up, sleeping bag draped over her.

  A bullet slammed into her centre mass.

  Lyra tackled her instantly. “LANCE CORPORAL—ELYRIA—PLEASE!”

  “Will you relax?” Katie muttered. “I’m fine.”

  She unzipped the bag.

  Lyra stared. “Is that… emerald Kevlar?”

  “Yeah,” Katie said casually. “Made it years ago. Saved me more than once. Basic rounds won’t do much.”

  “But that doesn’t fix—”

  Artimage grinned. “We give them a target.”

  “Let them waste their ammo,” Katie added. “When they run dry, they either flee or charge.”

  Lyra’s mouth curled into something sharp.

  Artimage and Katie mirrored it.

  “Oh,” Artimage said softly. “I’ve heard about this.”

  “Now this,” Katie said, eyes lighting up, “is worth the effort.”

  All three of them laughed.

  Jett looked over from behind Corwin, saw the smiles, and whimpered.

  “Please,” he whispered. “Not again.”

  Lyra sucked in a breath and slammed her fist down once.

  “Push.”

  Artimage and Corwin didn’t question it.

  They leaned into the barrier together, boots digging into the dirt as the slab of cover scraped forward inch by inch toward the treeline.

  Jett’s head snapped up, panic exploding instantly. “WHY are we going towards them?! I want to go back! I want to go back!”

  “Too late now,” Artimage laughed breathlessly. “Leave cover, and they’ll most likely get you anyway.”

  High above, Aurex watched the chaos unfold, arms folded, unimpressed. “Wow. Truly inspiring. All that planning, all that effort, just to watch five more idiots walk into gunfire. Lieutenant, thank you so much for bringing me out here to see this.”

  “Specialist.”

  Aurex barely had time to grin before Bella’s hand connected with his face.

  Again.

  And again.

  “You’ve spent way too much time drinking with that sarcastic idiot,” she snapped between strikes.

  “What’s the point of security if you never—why are you all drinking tea?” Aurex yelped.

  From the ledge, Elyria tilted her head. “Do you think it’ll work?”

  “No idea,” Solara replied calmly. “But it looks exactly like something we’d do. So there’s hope.”

  Mynxi tugged gently at Solara’s jacket. “Auntie, I’m bored. Can I go watch Dad?”

  Solara knelt instantly. “Of course, my little princess. Just don’t get in his way.” She smiled softly. “You still have them?”

  Mynxi beamed. “Of course, Auntie.”

  Aurex turned—and froze.

  Mynxi stood there cheerfully holding a knife in each hand, a wicked emerald scythe coiled neatly around her tail.

  “HAS SHE BEEN WALKING AROUND VIRELITH WITH THOSE THIS WHOLE TIME?!” Aurex screamed.

  “Shocking parenting,” Hector muttered.

  “Outrageous parenting,” Bella agreed.

  “HEY!” Elyria shouted. “Leave me alone—you two, all day nonstop!”

  Mynxi hopped into Solara’s bag, pulled out two juice boxes, and skipped out of the tower, humming happily toward the forest.

  Solara raised an eyebrow. “They didn’t say you—”

  “Oh, hush,” Elyria said lightly. “If my timing is right, it should be about now.”

  Below, bullets hammered into the moving barrier.

  “I’M NOT DOING IT!” Jett screamed. “YOU CAN’T MAKE ME!”

  “It’ll be a great story,” Artimage said cheerfully. “That reminds me of—”

  Lyra slapped a hand over his mouth without breaking stride. “Do something. Why did you even turn up?”

  Corwin swallowed, then leaned toward Jett. “Hey—hey. It’s alright. What do you always say? Nothing in this world can hit the legendary Jett Rainer.”

  Jett sniffled. “Can I be team captain?”

  “Sure,” Corwin said.

  “LIKE HELL,” Lyra shouted. “I’VE ACTUALLY GOT MY JACKET. I’M TEAM CAPTAIN.”

  At that moment, it was quiet—just the faint sound of empty guns clicking.

  Jett blinked. “Huh. It stopped.”

  He stood up, puffing himself out. “Yeah! What are you going to do now? DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE MESSING WITH? I’M THE FUTURE CAPTAIN OF—”

  A spear slammed into the ground next to him.

  Jett froze. Slowly, panic crawling up his spine, he turned to look at it. Then he turned back to the forest—

  “WE CAN’T LOSE! WE HAVE THE BOSS ON OUR SIDE!”

  They began charging.

  Jett locked up completely.

  Artimage peeked his head up from cover and laughed. “Right. Well, either this is it, or I get to add another story to my collection. Remember—get as many as we can out of the trees. Good luck out there.”

  He stood and sprinted toward the enemy.

  “Isn’t there too many of them?” Corwin blurted.

  Jett grabbed Corwin, shrieking, “What gave that away? Of course there is! No one could—”

  Artimage ran directly into the charging soldiers. The moment he reached the closest man, he pulled his rapier and—still smiling—thrust it forward straight into the man’s chest.

  He didn’t even land the blow.

  But before any of them realised what had happened, a shockwave detonated, blasting a large group of them to the ground.

  Artimage jumped onto the pile and began driving his rapier down into the fallen men before they could even get up—one after another—each elimination bursting into golden orbs.

  Another man tried to attack with a mace.

  As the mace swung, Artimage thrust his rapier into another fallen soldier and threw his entire weight onto it, letting the mace slip past his moving body—only to crash down onto one of the attacker’s own men.

  Artimage swung his legs around the attacker’s neck, dragging him to the ground, the man’s arm locked between Artimage’s legs.

  Artimage laughed. “Come on, guys. There are so many—life’s not going to wait for you.”

  He thrust again and again into the man’s side until the body broke down into orbs.

  Artimage lay there for a heartbeat, taking a quick breath.

  Even then, he flipped the rapier and thrust straight over the top of his head.

  A knife dropped beside his face.

  A body slumped slowly to the side… then broke down.

  Artimage chuckled to himself. “Everywhere I go, haha. I’m starting to see why he enjoys it so much.” He grinned. “Well—back to the slaughterhouse.”

  Corwin, Jett, and Lyra watched in stunned silence.

  Corwin, slightly scared, muttered, “Well… at least he’s enjoying himself.”

  Jett scoffed. “Please. They’re lucky they got him. If I were over there, well—”

  Lyra cut in. “What, you would run away?”

  “Hey, I’m the team captain,” Jett snapped. “I’m busy leading back here, and I’ve not seen you—oh.”

  Artimage was almost completely surrounded at the treeline.

  Large numbers of them refocused.

  Not on him—

  On the barrier.

  They started charging, roaring, straight toward the three of them.

  Lyra stepped forward, jaw tight.

  “Alright,” she said evenly. “You just stay behind—”

  Jett was already sprinting sideways, screaming at the top of his lungs. “I PROMISE I’M NOT WITH THEM! PLEASE JUST LET ME GO!”

  Lyra’s eye twitched.

  “Sorry about him,” Corwin muttered.

  “No, no,” Lyra replied through clenched teeth. “It’s quite all right. I’m honestly surprised he lasted this long.” She rolled her shoulders once. “Keep your head down. I’ll handle the rest.”

  She stood, adjusting her knuckle dusters, cracking her neck as she drew a slow, steady breath. Then she walked calmly toward the enemy.

  Half of them peeled off instantly to chase Jett.

  The rest didn’t even slow down.

  They split cleanly and moved to walk right past her.

  “Push for the tower!” one man shouted. “Ignore the kids for now—we can deal with them—”

  His voice cut off mid?word.

  The wet sound of gargling filled the air.

  A chain cracked sharply.

  Lyra unhooked it from her custom knuckle dusters, the blade dripping red.

  “THE UNDISCIPLINE,” she shouted, voice carrying across the field. “THIS SHAMEFUL ACT. YOUR LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE WIPED FROM THIS WAR. HOW DARE YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAND ON THE SAME GROUND AS MY LIEUTENANT?”

  She tilted her head, neck cracking to the side, laughter spilling out of her.

  “Now,” she said lightly, “I’m going to eliminate you all.”

  Jett crashed into her legs, sobbing. “PLEASE—I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE!”

  “Jett, let go of me!” Lyra yelled, trying to shake him loose.

  The enemy didn’t wait.

  Four of them rushed in at once—swords and spears striking down.

  Lyra couldn’t move.

  Jett yanked her down just before the blades hit.

  Steel slammed into the ground where her head had been.

  Another thrust came—

  Jett rolled.

  Then again.

  And again.

  Every strike is missed by the smallest possible margin.

  Lyra gritted her teeth, panic clawing at her chest.

  “Jett,” she hissed. “KEEP DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING.”

  “I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS!” he sobbed.

  A massive man charged, swinging a battering ram straight down at them.

  Jett rolled them clear once more.

  Lyra ripped her left duster free and hurled it low, the chain whipping across the ground.

  It wrapped tightly around the man’s leg.

  She pulled.

  The blade sliced deep.

  As more men closed in, Jett still clinging to her, Lyra swung her second duster wildly—slashes coming from every angle she could manage while pinned to the dirt.

  “Keep pushing!” someone shouted from the rear. “Spread out! Push the tower! Our orders are to eliminate the Revolutionary Army—not these kids!”

  More soldiers poured from the forest.

  Lyra screamed, “KATIE!”

  “NOT YET!” Katie shouted back.

  Aurex squinted down over the ledge as the wave of soldiers started spreading wider, angling toward the tower.

  “Oh great,” he said. “They’re coming for us now. So what’s the plan now? Or in typical fashion—make a mess and don’t clean it up. Revolutionary style.”

  “Rexybaby,” Solara said, waving a hand like he was background noise, “sit back. It’ll be fine. Specialist, Lance Corporal—keep the lanes tight, please.”

  Hector and Bella stood on the tower ledge.

  “Understood, Lieutenant,” they said together.

  “And don’t ruin the jackets,” Solara called as they dropped. “We’re returning them to Lance Corporal Lumi.” She flicked her eyes to Elyria. “Ha—idiots paid full price on them and everything.”

  “Oh yeah,” Elyria said. “Sorry—forgot to say. Lumi said No way, no how, no refund.”

  Solara waved it off. “Pfft. Like she gets a say.”

  She glanced down again, counting bodies and angles like it was a shopping list.

  “Two minutes left,” Solara murmured. “Do you think they’ll do it in time?”

  “146 are still out there,” Elyria said, calm as ever. “Between them so far, they’ve managed around forty. Bleeding them dry and pulling them into close quarters was their only real option here, but if they pull off what I think they’re doing—easy, Lieutenant.”

  Solara tilted her head, eyebrows lifting. “Alright—seriously. What’s got into you? What are you going to be calling Caelan captain next?”

  Solara laughed.

  Elyria didn’t react at all.

  “We talked,” she said simply, “and well… from a complete idiot, he did have some valid points. So I guess I'd better clean my act up a little before I expect better from him. Only fair, really.”

  Solara bumped her shoulder into Elyria’s, grinning. “Well, don’t take it too easy on him. I think he might actually enjoy it. Plus—he’ll need to bring down a few once we complete this absolute disaster of a fight.”

  “Well,” Elyria said, eyes drifting back to the recruits below, “it’s not been a complete waste now, has it?”

  She nodded toward the field.

  Solara immediately started making kiss noises. “Oh, Caelan, look how amazing you are. Oh Caelan—”

  Elyria’s foot twitched.

  Her fist balled.

  The tower shuddered slightly.

  Elyria turned a massive smile on Solara.

  “Finish that,” she said. “I dare you.”

  Solara smacked her lightly on the shoulder. “Calm down. What, your beloved sister can’t crack a few jokes?”

  Elyria huffed. “Even more reason. And I told you a hundred times—I got my words crossed.”

  Solara slung an arm around her, still grinning, trying to poke Elyria’s cheek. “Sure it was, shortie.”

  Elyria gently kicked Solara’s leg.

  Below, the enemy tried to split wider—too wide.

  Artimage shouted over the chaos, “We need to draw them back in—they’re going too wide!”

  On the left flank, Hector dropped in.

  On the right, Bella landed like a knife.

  Before the soldiers even realised the two of them were there, bodies started flying—punched and kicked back into the killing field where the recruits were dug in.

  “You lot worry about the trial,” Hector called, voice steady. “We’ll keep them locked down.”

  A group charged him.

  “You Revolutionary scum—you’re mine!” one of them screamed.

  Hector took one firm step forward.

  The man crashed into the ground before he even understood what had happened.

  Hector flicked his wrist once, almost apologetic.

  “Well,” he said lightly, “she didn’t say I couldn’t soften them up for you.”

  He landed brutal blow after brutal blow, sending them back into the recruits’ lane.

  “My love!” Hector called across the field, smacking another soldier hard enough to fold him. “Are you doing okay over there?”

  Bella landed in front of two men mid?charge.

  They lunged.

  Bella smiled.

  Her foot was already in one man’s face.

  He crashed straight into the other, both of them tumbling back into the funnel.

  “Of course, my love!” Bella shouted back. “It’s actually pretty calm for a change!”

  Hector drove another soldier backwards with a clean, heavy strike.

  “Play nice,” he called, half amused. “They aren’t here to defend themselves. But—yeah. I totally get what you mean, my love.”

  More and more of the enemy tried to spread.

  And more and more of them were sent flying right back into the only place they didn’t want to be—into the recruits’ lane.

  The man on the ground shook his head hard, trying to clear the ringing in his ears.

  “Screw going around!” he shouted, scrambling to his feet. “Kill those bastards and go straight ahead! They’re only children—COME ON!”

  Artimage laughed as he twisted, rapier flashing as he pierced another man mid-charge.

  “CORWIN!” he shouted. “COME ON, BUD! WE’RE COUNTING ON YOU!”

  Corwin flinched.

  “I’m sorry!” he yelled, voice cracking.

  He grabbed the heavy slab of cover they’d dragged into the field, heaved it upright, and started running with it straight toward the attackers.

  One after another, the enemy slammed into it.

  The impact rattled his bones, drove the breath from his lungs—but Corwin kept moving, tears streaming down his face as he forced his legs forward step by step, using the barrier like a riot shield as bodies crashed into it.

  Behind him, the remaining men poured out of the treeline.

  Artimage was laughing outright now, blood spattering his coat as he danced between strikes, having the time of his life.

  Lyra was still tangled with a feral, panicking Jett, both of them scrambling just to stay alive.

  Katie walked calmly a short distance behind Corwin, hands tucked into her sleeves, eyes half-lidded.

  “I want to sleep for a week after dealing with this many people,” she muttered. “Wonder if they’ll give me time off.”

  Lyra screamed at the top of her lungs.

  “NOW! HIT IT!”

  Artimage dropped.

  Lyra hit the dirt, dragging a shrieking Jett with her.

  Corwin threw himself flat behind the barrier.

  Katie stepped forward.

  Across the field, thin emerald threads lifted silently from the grass.

  Not one enemy noticed.

  Not one of them even looked down.

  Katie smiled faintly.

  She tightened her grip on the bundled threads in each hand.

  And pulled.

  Her arms crossed.

  The field went silent.

  Every enemy froze exactly where they stood—one man suspended above Lyra and Jett, weapon still raised.

  “TAKE HER INSTEAD!” Jett screamed.

  The next heartbeat—

  Everything fell apart.

  Bodies dropped in pieces.

  The air erupted into a storm of golden orbs.

  From the tower above, Aurex’s voice echoed in absolute disbelief.

  “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!”

  “WILL YOU BE QUIET FOR ONCE!” Solara shouted, followed by the unmistakable sound of her smacking him.

  Hector and Bella approached Katie slowly, both of them staring at the empty field where an army had just been.

  Hector blinked. “What… was that?”

  Bella wrapped her arms around Katie immediately. “Please don’t turn into another Keira, pretty please. You can hang out with me and Solara in the tea club—”

  Katie ignored her completely, answering Hector instead.

  “Emerald threads,” she said. “Pretty handy. Don’t like showing them off. Anything else?”

  “But how?” Hector asked.

  Katie sighed. “Pull threads fast enough—well. Bye-bye.”

  Lyra tackled her instantly, arms wrapping around her as she sobbed.

  “You’re amazing! Thank you—thank you—I couldn’t have done it without you!”

  “You can start,” Katie muttered flatly, “by getting off of me.”

  Jett, who only moments ago had been clinging to Lyra for dear life, straightened his jacket and fixed his hair.

  “Don’t worry, ladies,” he said confidently. “Now that you’ve all seen I’m clearly the best choice for future team captain, I hereby—”

  Artimage clapped a heavy hand on his back.

  “Great job out there, buddy,” he said cheerfully. “Where’d you learn to move like that?”

  Corwin shouted, horrified, “No! Please don’t encourage him!”

  Jett threw his head back laughing.

  “ALL WHO STAND AGAINST ME WILL KNOW THEIR DEFEAT WAS FACT, NOT FATE! HAHAHA!”

  Hector leaned toward Bella. “Think he might be broken?”

  “Oh, absolutely,” Bella replied. “He can work with the idiots. I’m keeping these two.”

  She tightened her hold on Katie and Lyra.

  Jett puffed himself up again. “Right! All of you—on your feet! Onwards to my victo—”

  BOOM.

  The sound hit like a cannon.

  The tower shook as something slammed directly into Solara’s floating barriers.

  Lyra looked up, eyes wide.

  “Who… who could have done that?” she whispered. “That’s impossible.”

  A figure slid slowly off the shimmering pane.

  And dropped.

  Caelan hit the ground in front of them.

  Solara didn’t move.

  “Of course,” she said quietly.