Eluni turns to us. “I’m going to work on changing the programming after this so no New Order can portal through these shields.”
“What about your uncle?” A guard asks. “This is his ship.”
“Was.” Eluni motions everyone out. “We must show the universe that any who infiltrate us will die, traitors included.”
“Ruthless,” Jorusk hisses. “I’m glad Aura found me and not you.”
Eluni gives him an apologetic glance. “You were not a threat to the well-being of our people. My uncle, Ijor, and the self-righteous Elders were. I’ll deal with the bodies later.”
We head for the main hangar but are stopped by a string of rapid Denarso gunfire that chars a wall beside us. Eluni holds us back, pushing our group around a corner.
“They’ve got Aura,” she says, peeking around the corner.
“Denarso?” I ask.
Eluni twists and steals another glance before a bullet makes her whip back behind the wall. “Not the Denarso. His father, King Azrim. And the Denarso aren’t touching them. Something isn’t right.”
“That’s for sure.” A dark voice leaves the hallway behind us. “This is for Catalina, for stealing Aura from her.”
An arc rips out of someone’s hand in the darkness before a portal opens and swallows the man.
Jorusk dives for me, opening his wings. Tal tugs on my arm, drawing me back. But even as I turn and throw my gauntlets together, I know I’m going to be too slow.
The arc slams into my shoulder, crawls over my bodyweb, and disburses into Tal’s, then Eluni’s hand, which clutches his side. I can see her scream, but I can’t hear it over the crackling pop in my ears.
I am the fastest path to ground. I take the majority of the hit. And while my harness works, my flesh burns from the heat. Electricity flows through my body. I feel it prickling my muscles like sleeping limbs.
My legs give out. The world blurs, and I fear I’ve gone blind.
“Jojo!”
I lose the world for a blink.
“Stay with us, girl.” Tal is with me, picking me up, carrying me. Running.
Somewhere nearby is a flash of green light from another portal. Eluni is gone.
“Allele!” Tal shouts at the top of his lungs.
“It’s okay,” I mumble.
I am so tired. My body is on fire.
“Let me go, Tal. I found what I wanted. I got a taste of a dream.”
“No.” Jorusk’s dark red silhouette moves closer. His red eyes find mine. “You must resist. Fight, Jovie—for both of you.”
36: Aurelius
One moment, I’m tackling three Denarso with one body slam inside a hangar on Deck Eleven. The next, I’m taken to my knees by the electric Storm ropes of Royal guards.
They weave a suffocating net around me that takes me to my knees. My arms are cinched to my sides. The draining arrestors ignite green, siphoning the strength I have left.
Storm powers can only legally be wielded and displayed by Royals in public. But this is war. And the faces that glare down at me are a mix of Royals, Rogues, and commoners.
I recognize a few. Some are from the mothershipKeohiit. Others fromEvalar. Several I don’t know, but none wear a green stripe.
My father’s prized guards take outtheirdaddy issues on me. But I’m pretty sure I’ve got them beaten.
