ARI

“How did you find us?” Baylie asked.

Luna wrung her hands together and then froze when the dehaians made cautioning noises, tightening their grips on their guns. “The judges sent out warnings about dehaians. They said to avoid Santa Lucina because it wasn’t safe. We knew you were traveling with dehaians at the canyon, so, you know, we decided to risk it.” Her shoulders twitched in a tiny, helpless shrug. “We got lucky. We saw you come out of the water.”

I stared at her. They got lucky. The dehaians had SUVs. We’d driven on highways, on country roads, all the way up into these mountains. And they’d gotten lucky.

But the strakirin were fast.

“The judges lied to us,” Luna said, her voice choked. “They claimed we’d be defending our people from attacks, not murdering children. Not babies.”

Behind her, the dehaians looked ready to kill the two of them where they stood.

She cleared her throat. “But we heard the rumors, the resistance broadcasts, where they said it wasn’t dehaians at all—”

“It wasn’t.” Baylie’s voice was cold.

Luna nodded quickly. “I know. We didn’t believe the stories, not before. But when the judges sent us down there…” She looked ashamed. “We didn’t mean to start a war. To erase ourselves so that they could start a war.” She turned to the dehaians. “We know our apologies will never be enough, no matter how… how horribly sorry we are. But we are so, so sorry, and that’s why we want to help you.”

“How can you help?” I couldn’t stop shaking. This was insane. Wrong. These monsters—

Except they weren’t monsters. No more than I’d been when I let the judges connect me to the Beast. When I’d doubted what little I’d witnessed of Noah, and believed instead that the Judiciary were right and honorable and honest, because they had to be. Because I was a ruanir, and they’d been our trusted leaders for centuries, and everything I knew proclaimed they were a force for good.

Rather than a bunch of megalomaniacal lunatics hellbent on crushing anyone and anything in their path.

“You’re like us, but different too,” Luna said. “You haven’t… you don’t hear it like us, either, do you?”

Her question was nonsensical. And it sounded rhetorical too. “What?”

“The song.” She tapped her temple, watching me.

Song? Oh. “The drone?”

She blinked, like she couldn’t believe I described it that way. “Y-yes. I guess. It doesn’t sound the same to you as it does to us.”

Clearly not.

“It’s changing,” Luna said. “He’s changing it, and we can hear that, which means we can help you find him.” She looked uncomfortable. “He’s hurting people. We can hear them screaming. He has to be stopped. But we can guide you. Help you find the others, and the judges, and even him.” She stepped forward, trying to take my hands even as her eyes darted warily to the soldiers. I flinched away, and dismay flashed over her face. “You’re not like us, but the strakirin need you, now more than ever. You’re the key, and if you don’t—”

“What does that mean, the key?”

Luna hesitated. “We think it means you can save the world.”

READ NOW IF YOU LIKE:

• Chosen one
• Forbidden love
• Touch her and die
• Hidden magical powers
• Hurt/comfort
• Dark pasts and redemption

WARNING: Contains a story you can't put down. Once you start reading, you won't want to stop.

Heat Level:

• Mild (kissing, etc.)

Page count: 402

Series status: Complete

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