Page 77

With a great groan, a whole section of the wall begins to collapse. As hunks of rock and clouds of dust rain down, I release my hold on the element and grab one of the golden spires. The thunderous avalanche of stone drowns out the sound of my panting. Sienna covers her ears, crouching beside me.

But we’re not done yet. I join with Air and scream, “AIR!” my voice swooping over the girls below.

Air is ready and eager to help. Sienna watches as we lift chunks of stone and rubble, heaving them into the remaining parts of the wall, clearing the way for the fighters standing by in the Bank. I see Indi raise her hand and then a wave of water bursts up out of the ground, pouring over the opening we made, a vast river clearing away the royalty’s main defense.

The wind picks up a faint cheer rising from the other side of the wall. I release my hold on Air as the cheer grows louder. People climb through the opening, braving the water, which slows at their entrance. I catch glimpses of white fabric tied around arms.

I look for Ash but there are too many people and I’m too high up.

But I do see Sil turn and shout something. I follow her gaze—at least a hundred Regimentals are swarming out of the Auction House as a volley of gunshots rings out. Men and women fall to the ground and don’t get up.

“We have to get down there,” I cry. Sienna and I quickly climb down the ladder, jumping the last several feet onto the landing. Then back down the spiral staircase until we reach the first floor of prep rooms. Regimentals are everywhere, streaming down the hall to the fight. We crouch in the doorway as they rush past us. Sienna’s lighter is gone, so we can’t use Fire as a distraction again.

But I am one of the Paladin. And I am not afraid.

I take a deep breath and join with Air, gathering it to me in a gust so strong it blows the hats off the Regimentals’ heads. Then I push it out, more forcefully than I ever have before, toppling them like dominoes, and Sienna joins with Earth so that the ground shakes and pieces of the ceiling cave in. We crash out into the hall, climbing over prostrate Regimentals, dropping more pieces of the ceiling on them with Earth and throwing them back with Air. Sienna is stronger than she was, too. It’s as though bringing the wall down imbued us with more power than we ever thought we possessed.

The doors to the lawn have been blown off their hinges and we dive through them, into the fray. The rosy façade of the Auction House is pockmarked with bullet holes. A bullet whizzes by me and I deflect it, still connected with Air, into the leg of a nearby Regimental.

Bodies litter the ground, staining the green lawn a dark, rusted red. Regimentals, Society members with white armbands, Paladin . . . I see little Rosie Kelting’s body, her eyes vacant in death. Indi is swirling water this way and that, blasting the enemy out of the way, while Sil tosses huge chunks of rock with Air. Garnet has tied a band around his arm and is leading a group of rebel Regimentals fighting hand to hand with Jewel Regimentals, Raven by his side, holding her own, her body strong and fluid as she fights. I search for Ash desperately in the melee, but there are too many people and too much chaos.

Rye is a black-and-white blur. He moves so quickly it’s hard to keep track of him. A few other companions are fighting with him, also dressed in tuxes, looking beautiful and terrifying. One has gotten his hands on a sword and he slashes the throat of an enemy Regimental, a bright red spray splashing across his tuxedo shirt.

More white-banded rebels pour through the opening in the wall, forcing the Regimentals back toward the Auction House.

One of them points his gun at Sil and Indi hits him with a blast of water so forceful he slams into the Auction House wall.

Suddenly, a shot rings out. It’s one of so many I’m surprised I can identify it specifically through the din. I feel it, more than see it, as it speeds across the lawn toward Indi. In a flash, I push a gust of Air toward it, but I’m too late.

I can’t make sense of the way her head tilts backward, or the spray of red that explodes out of her beautiful blond hair.

She falls almost gracefully to the ground, her tall, lithe body twisting and swaying. She lands with a thump and doesn’t get up.

“Indi!” I scream, pelting across the grass. Bullets are flying but my anger makes me strong and with a wave of my hand, Air sends them all shooting in another direction, scattering into the wall and Regimentals behind me.

Indi’s eyes are open. She stares up at the clear blue sky with a slightly surprised expression, lips parted, hair tumbled about her face. A pool of blood begins to ooze out from the back of her head, turning her golden strands crimson.

Twenty or so Regimentals are approaching me from the Auction House. I stare them down with a fury unlike I have ever known, one that grows with every pulse of my heart.

“BURY THEM!” I shriek. My rage is white-hot fire. I join with Earth so quickly and completely that I feel as if I have been built into the very foundation of this palace, into the roots of the grass and down below, to where this island meets the ocean. I will destroy each and every one of them.

I feel Sienna join with Earth as well, then another girl, and another. Clicking into place like puzzle pieces, our power increasing as more of us are focused on the same thing. The Auction House makes a strange groaning sound. The Regimentals are bewildered. One shoots another girl connected with Earth in the chest and as she falls I feel the loss of her, her bright light snuffed out so quickly.

Bury them, I think again, and the entire south wall of the Auction House collapses.

The Regimentals have a split second to run. Not nearly enough time. The rose-colored stone crashes down on top of them, glass windows shattering, so that an entire side of the Auction House is nothing but a gaping hole. I can see the remnants of the amphitheater where I was sold. It’s been broken in half, the fancy chairs and chaise lounges toppled, ruined. There is nothing left but dust and bodies.

And still the members of the Society swarm through the open wall.

Sienna runs over to where I’m kneeling beside Indi.

“No,” she murmurs. She cups Indi’s cheek in one hand, a remarkably tender gesture. Other girls are gathering around the bodies of their fallen friends, some crying, some rocking the dead back and forth as if it will soothe them, as if they could be soothed. I watch numbly as a squad of handsome young men splashes through the ruins of the wall, through the river Indi made only half an hour ago.

Then I hear a voice, so achingly familiar, it’s the only sound that could reach me in this well of anger and despair.

“Violet!”

“Ash?” I gasp. I’m on my feet and running, pushing people out of the way to find him.