Chapter 25 #2
Fall back. They can meld their shield.
Not as in a physical shield, or even as a magical one. As in a person. Someone belonging to a Quarter.
They can meld their Shield.
Do the other kingdoms have Shields, then, if the captain saw me for what I was? Are we the only city who has hidden this information on purpose?
Even more of a reason to fight against Central Command.
They messed with my life. With my training. With whatever I ever thought of myself. They ruined my life and who I was supposed to become.
Anger like I’ve never known before bubbles in my blood, in my chest, and I begin to scream. In pure, blinding rage. I pick up my pace, making my way towards the centre of The Citadel.
Who gave them the right to mess with my life? They need to fall. Right now. Them, and their stupid system.
And they think they can force me into a marriage with someone random? They need to think again.
‘Stella,’ I say, shaking with fury, ‘who did Central Command pair me up with?’
‘I’m afraid you don’t have the security clearance for me to tell you that,’ Stella says. ‘The partnership contract is confidential until it comes into effect.’
I know it’s stupid and useless, but I punch a wall. A dome of power forms around my hand by some reflex, preventing me from hurting myself.
Sparks fly. ‘I thought you were my friend,’ I rage. ‘How do I know you’re not delivering me personally into the hands of Central Command right now? That you’re not playing their games? You answer to them, after all.’
‘You know that’s not true,’ Stella says, with more fire than I expected her to.
‘You have seen the way I’ve been programmed to make choices.
Do you think that I want to overextend myself every time I need to find ways to circumvent some of Command’s choices?
I might not be human, but I can analyse their decisions, you know.
I can see the consequences. I realise how far this city has strayed from the safe haven that it was meant to be. ’
I snort. ‘Of course you’d say that.’
Stella opens another door for me. ‘This way.’
‘Is Team Gold with Central Command?’ I say.
‘They’re heading for debriefing, currently,’ she says. ‘They’ll be summoned by Central Command soon enough.’
Good. For all I care, Stella should be leading me to Central Command, because at least that’s how I can find Team Gold again.
And how come Central Command hasn’t summoned me yet, anyway?
They only need to ask, and Stella will give up my position.
I suppose Central Command will have to come to the conclusion that Stella is hiding me, first.
I guess my team could earn a bit of time by lying. Command surely has more to concern themselves with than the Test Mission Teams. But for how long?
I rush through the next maze of tunnels. After what seems like an eternity, Stella opens a door to my left, but it leads to a room, this time. The access to the next tunnel is sealed by a closed door.
I peer into the chamber.
There’s a simple bed to one side, a table with two chairs on the other. There’s also a bathroom at the back. The walls are polished metal – like most of the Citadel. There are a few sandwiches on the table and a jug of water.
Does she really expect that I’ll be a sitting duck, waiting for Command to summon me?
She is wrong.
I don’t care about being safe, staying in hiding until the storm passes. The storm will never pass. I’ll be the storm, if this is what it takes to wrench back a bit of control over our miserable lives.
I turn away from the room and towards the last closed door.
‘Any chance you’ll open that for me?’ I say.
‘No, Ellie. Mace’s orders were clear.’
‘Fine, then,’ I say.
I stand ten feet from the door, my legs planted wide. I take in a deep breath. And then I start throwing everything I have at it. Pulse after pulse after pulse of power.
‘Ellie, stop,’ Stella roars.
I can barely hear her. Power whooshes in my veins, aching to be released. Whoosh after whoosh after whoosh, and deep dents appear in the door.
More, I need more.
I feel the storm brewing inside of me. The call of thunder.
There’s a ringing in my ears and I keep throwing blasts of power, concentrating on a single point now.
I’ve carved a huge bowl-like crater in the face of the door, and maybe – maybe – if I push through hard enough, I’ll be able to get to the other side.
Do they think they can tell me to sit tight and wait for someone else to decide what will happen to me?
No. No.
I’m so done.
Do they think they can lump me in with whichever guy they found for me, and make me live with him? The power inside of me bellows. The current of magic is so strong that it makes my arms glow.
A sweep of my hand, and I release it.
It blows the door cleanly off its hinges with a deafening bang. The door clatters to the floor.
My ears are still ringing.
I step on top of the demolished door, surveying my surroundings. I’ve landed in another tunnel, but it’s one I recognise. I’m in the Inner Circles of The Citadel. I take off at a sprint.
Team Gold was heading to the Command Centre, and that’s where I need to go. ‘Any chance that you’ll give up my team’s position now, Stella?’ I ask.
I’m met by silence. Well, I guess I can’t blame her if she’s angry with me, after the stunt I pulled.
The ringing in my ear goes on and on. Allen, says a voice.
Shit.
He must have re-activated my bean. I pull on my earlobe, and Allen’s voice explodes in my ear. ‘Ellie! Finally. You need to come to the Barracks right now. We need you,’ he says urgently.
Allen. It’s Allen. They’re okay.
‘What happened?’ My heart is pounding, and I pump my legs, hurrying towards the Barracks. It’s going to be a long run, but I’ll manage. I had weeks of physical training during the Test Mission.
The tunnel widens into a rectangular plaza that’s almost deserted. People are screaming or heading into the smaller tunnels. Something is awfully wrong. Whatever it is, I have the feeling that it’s something big.
‘They had us cornered, love, even if we lied through our teeth. Central Command was about to give the order for Stella to fetch you and bring you to them. So we needed to act.’ Allen breathes heavily.
‘I told them we should get you. The others said that they can pull this off without you, but they’re wrong,’ Allen says.
‘Mace is in trouble. Come to me so I can show you, but be prepared to fight.’
I hurry, drawing air into my lungs in huge gulps.
Fight. Fight.
‘Allen, I’m coming, but you’re not making much sense. What’s wrong?’
Allen sighs. ‘We did the only thing we could think of to stop them from getting to you: our team challenged Central Command for leadership. We’re trying to take over, so Stella shut down, as per the protocols we never ever knew existed until three days ago.
Mace and Xandra and Julian are out there, fighting, and I’m coordinating.
I told them we can’t do this without you, that we don’t have the manpower.
Mace is surrounded. Ellie… It’s happening. ’