harder from here. The rebels know we exist now. We won’t have surprise on our side anymore.”
“No. But for the moment, isn’t it enough to enjoy this victory while we can? We were able to save some of the civilians and escort them back to the sector, stop the rebels, and prevent them from gaining more supplies. It’s good to look ahead and be cautious, but it’s also important to remember what’s been accomplished.” Jay smiles softly like he’s the mind reader. “Don’t worry, Lai. Everyone’s doing their best.”
“Yeah. I know.” I return the smile, but I just can’t relax. Erik’s position is going to be more precarious after this. I’m worried about his safety. Nothing will be as easy or seamless as this first strike, either, and as much as I want everyone to take confidence in this victory, I don’t want them to think it’ll always end this well. I have to keep everyone safe. I need to be better, make sure I lead perfectly. No matter what, I will see an end to this war.
TWO MONTHS LATER
14
LAI
NIGHT COVERS EVERYTHING. Without the goggles Austin supplied the Order, it’d be almost impossible to see anything Outside. I wait with the Order’s counterstrike team in a shallow depression overlooking the location of the rebels’ next supply truck ambush. They’ve gotten much more cautious now that we’ve intercepted them six times—and more dangerous. They know to expect us now, though they still haven’t figured out how we’ve been nailing down their exact battle plans. Tensions are running high over there, apparently. I ask Erik if he’s okay every day, but his responses are always short. I can hear the thoughts he isn’t trying to convey to me, the anxiety, the constant hunger, the fear, but I leave him alone. If he doesn’t want to talk about it, I won’t force him. I just hope he’s safe.
Our team tonight is small but powerful. Between me, Al, Jay, and Peter, I feel like we could take anyone down. It was a serious debate with Fiona, Trist, and Syon on whether or not to bring Peter along. No matter how much time passes since Paul’s death, he’s still distant and distracted. He glazes over in meetings. Trying to distract him from his grief with more work just ends in mistakes the rest of us then have to fix. He needs to be back out in the field—he needs to remember what we’re fighting for. And that people are fighting. Life is going on.
My grip tightens around my double-headed spear’s shaft as the ground starts to shake. The truck is coming. Jay and Al tense on either side of me in preparation for the upcoming fight, but Peter is staring up at the stars. I give him a telepathic poke.
Focus, Peter.
Yeah. I know. He shakes his head and grips his daggers.
I don’t have time to convey anything else. The armored truck passes our shallow hiding space. Rebels spring out in front of and behind it—six of them, just like Erik said. One of them lifts a hand. Vines break out of the ground to jam the tires. The truck screeches to a stop.
Then we’re moving. Al heads our formation, sending her fire scattering in front of our charge, but the rebels are ready. They must all have Gabriel’s neutralization crystal, because the fire doesn’t affect anyone it touches. The three rebels in back turn to face us while the three in front start trying to break into the truck. Shouts sound from inside of it.
Of the three rebels coming to meet us, Al dispatches the first easily with her halberd and keeps running to take care of those in front. She makes it look so effortless, so graceful, I’m almost jealous. She doesn’t even need her flames to dominate a battle. Jay and I tag-team the second rebel while the third goes for Peter.
Our opponent is thick with muscle and armed with a spear. She swings low, trying to trip up our footwork, but Jay throws one of his knives at her chest and she has to sidestep quickly to dodge it. I come in from her other side. She swings again, this time aiming for my stomach, and I fall back. Jay throws another knife and she deflects it with her spear shaft. But he’d already started running at her as soon as he’d thrown it. He gets in close and thrusts one of his knives just under her rib cage. When she lifts