Page 118 of Blightfall

Dayan sounded decidedly less relieved about that than I’d hoped. “But Amphi, there are—there are people pouring through the gate from the nowhere.”

“What?” I said. “What do you mean, people?”

“Warriors,” Dayan said.

“Your gladiators?” I asked. “Are they returning your people to you?”

“I don’t recognize them,” Dayan said. “They’re armed and armored. The other gladiators and I have retreated, but some of the scions are still alive. They’re disoriented, so we’re avoiding them for now. Oh, crabs, the warriors—they’re attacking the civilians. And shouting about Elysium.”

My heart sank into my gut. Not a happy reunion, then. Something was very, very wrong here. “Hang on,” I said. “We’re coming.”

“Should we hyperjump in?” Alanik asked. “I can ask Bob for permission.”

“You and I will be no help down there without a ship,” I said. “Gilaf, convene over the arena. We need to provide air support. Dayan, make sure your people are clear of that gate.”

“We’re clear!” Dayan said.

I soared into the coliseum, aimed, and fired. The ceiling over the gate caved in, collapsing on the incoming army, leaving a gaping pile of rubble and gore.

“We’re baiting the scions up the ramp,” Dayan said. “We’re going to use them to create confusion for the warriors.”

“I can hear Ivy again,” Alanik said. “She’s ordering the varvax to close the portal.”

Stars, Sadie and Nedd were in there. We couldn’t let them get locked in, and we had to know where these soldiers were coming from.

“Gilaf,” I said, “if more soldiers come out of that gate, fire on them. Careful not to hit the gladiators, the scions, or the civilians. You’re in command out here.”

“What?” Gilaf said. “Where are you going?”

I had an idea. Stars, it might be a terrible one. “I’m going to do something very stupid,” I told Alanik. “Do you want me to drop you in the arena before I try it?”

“If you’re doing something stupid,” Alanik said, “I am coming with you.”

“So am I!” Suki said.

I surveyed the battlefield below. Stars, Dayan had climbed into the branches of one of the scions and was riding it straight toward the ramp full of warriors, with the other gladiators running along behind, spurring it forward.

I accelerated past them, skimming over the incoming warriors.

“Amphi,” Alanik said. “Are we going to—”

“Hold on!” I said, and I flew my ship directly through the rubble of the gate, narrowly missing the heads of the warriors who were shoving their way out of it. The opening was just big enough for the fighter to pass through without shearing off my wings—and thankfully I’d gotten the aim dead on. For a moment, everything went black, and then we emerged on the other side.

Forty-One

Sadie

The varvax dragged us up a set of stairs into a large room with windows that overlooked the enormous warehouse. The room was full of strange-looking equipment, including a row of gurneys and IV poles, a tank with a large hose attached to it, and several trays with hypodermic needles and various metal implements. One of the walls was dominated by what looked like a refrigerator with glass double doors, while another was lined with many large monitor panels, all of them dark. Two varvax hoisted each of us onto gurneys beside each other and used small light-lines to strap us down by our wrists and ankles. They’d taken our pistols and packs, and I wasn’t sure where the taynix had gone to. The slugs could all change their appearance to hide in the nowhere, so I hoped they were hidden nearby, not captured or harmed.

As I lay on the gurney, strength began to return to my muscles, and my mouth was finally able to form words. “I thought you were taking us to your leader!” I shouted at one of the varvax, who leaned over the tray of medical implements.

The varvax didn’t respond, only strode over and stabbed me in the arm with a syringe. I thrashed in protest, but only succeeded in causing myself more pain while the varvax depressed the plunger and injected me with the full dose of whatever fluid it contained.

“Which one of you is Ivy?” Nedd asked, craning his neck to see as one of the other varvax gave him the same jab. He didn’t get an answer either.

The varvax chattered among themselves and then left us alone while whatever they’d injected us with began to take effect. At first I felt nothing, only an ache in my muscles from the electric shock. Then the ache subsided, and my fingers and toes began to tingle.

“Oh, stars,” I said. “I think they’re preparing us for cold storage.”