hair again. A rush of blood flushes his cheeks. “You have to take him back to the island, Fulton.”
“We can leave within the hour. I will have everything arranged.”
“I can’t go with you,” I reply.
“What do you mean? I believe the city will be unsafe for you for the near future.”
I’m confused about what to say—what to tell him. “I’m going to be hunted, Fulton. If I go to the island with you, they’ll kill both Kyon and me. His only chance is if we split up. They’ll follow me. That will give him time to recover.”
“Who are they?”
“There are other males like Kyon who survived Excelsior. They’ll be fighting for their own supremacy soon. I will be seen as in the way of that. I will have to run.”
“We can protect you on the island—”
“Think about it, Fulton! A bunch of angry men with abilities just like Kyon’s will have an ax to grind with me. I have a sister. They follow her. I threaten her reign. It’s a fight I can’t win.”
“What will you do?” he asks.
“I plan to travel,” I say evasively.
“He’s going to be impossible to live with when he wakes and finds you gone.”
“Just as long as he wakes up,” I say.
“You love him.”
“Don’t be silly, Fulton. He’s a ruthless killer.”
“He’s your ruthless killer.”
“I’m giving him back,” I reply.
“He’ll never let you.”
“I gave him what he wanted most. Maybe he can be happy with that.”
“Which was?” he asks.
“Revenge.”
“I don’t think that was what he wanted most.” He stands. “I will take him to the island within the part. I make no promises for what he’ll do when he recovers.”
“The Tempest will be too busy for a while hunting me and establishing their government to care too much about him. But be careful. They’re dangerous.”
“You’re speaking about Kyon Ensin. I fear for these other men and for your sister.”
“Don’t. They’re really not worth your time.”
“You are, though,” he replies. “You’re worth it.”
I have to bite my bottom lip to keep it from trembling. “I have to go too, before they find me.” I stand and give him a very brief hug before I turn and run from the room.
I don’t stop running until I make it to Phlix’s room. Pounding on the door until she answers it, I fall into her arms when she opens them to me. “I thought you were dead,” she says as she rests her cheek against my head.
“Me too,” I whisper.
“I watched it all—everything. Your crowns worked!”
I ignore her and say, “We have to go now.”
“Are you sure?” she asks. Her trepidation is clearly etched on her face. “I think that all the Brothers are dead. We don’t have to run—”
“We’re in more danger now than we ever were.”
“Danger? From who?”
“I have another sister. Her name is Astrid. She wants to be empress. She has males who she saved who are our genetically enhanced brothers—they have our abilities—and they want revenge. I will explain everything later, but we have to leave right now before they arrive.”
“I am ready. Shall I get the gear?”
“Yes,” I reply.
She goes to her closet and I shed the black lab coat. I don’t feel like I have time to change. I will have to do it when we get to the trift I plan to use to take us to the basin near the Forest of Omnicron. If all goes well, we won’t need any of this gear, but I can’t rely on it. So many things can go wrong.
Phlix hands me one of the two backpacks and a flipcart. The backpacks have special straps on the outside of them that hold the flipcarts secure. When the backpacks are on, we look like snowboarders heading to the mountains.
Leaving her room, we enter the overup and take it down to the garden level. Exiting the lift, we walk toward Kyon’s study. I slow when I near the fire snapping in the grate. Someone is seated in the green chair, sipping on a fat tumbler of amber liquid. I drop my backpack, because it will slow me down when I run.
“Greetings, Kricket. Your father was proud of you. You killed Excelsior just as he always knew you would.”
“Yeah? Well, tell him I said he’s welcome. And tell him good-bye for me.”
“Good-bye? You think you’re leaving us?” he asks, setting down his drink. His golden dreadlocks shine brightly in the glow of the fire. “But I’m here to take you to see him. I just have to kill your