into their Ghost and him into their next weapon. I think of Corian, his eyes turned up to me as I take his life so that he will not walk this land as a Ghost. I think of my mother as we huddled on the other side of the cliffs, watching refugees fall into the abyss as the bridges collapsed.
This is what the Federation does to us. It plants these horrifying memories in our minds until our hearts have turned hollow.
I clench my teeth at the sight, my heart burning from Red’s fury, then crouch lower against my steed’s back as we surge toward the fight. The rest of the battle around us dims into the distance. Even now, my Striker companions don’t make a sound beside me. My mother stays silent. We ride as a phantom team, accompanied by nothing but the pounding of war hooves.
Mara will fall. But maybe we can take the Federation’s Premier with us.
Through our tether, I reach out to Red. You’re not fighting alone.
His attention flickers to us. Our eyes find each other through the chaos and hold for a precious moment. I linger on him for as long as I can. It might be the last time we ever get to see each other.
Then I narrow my gaze on the closest Ghost and pull my gun out of its holster. My other hand yanks out one of my blades.
For a moment, I think I can feel Corian’s spirit riding beside us, his smile fierce and his hair wild. It’s as if nothing had changed since the day we headed out together into our first battle.
See you after the carnage, he’d sign to me, then vanish into the melee.
I hurtle toward the Ghost and then jump high into the air. I aim at its neck and fire.
The bloodlust in me blinds my concentration to anything else. I am death now, steel and sword and bullet. I am one with my weapons. The world blurs around me—I see Adena and Jeran throw themselves into the fray, aiming at the other Ghosts. My mother has her teeth bared as she fires arrows into a nearby Federation soldier. And overhead, Red clashes with another Skyhunter, their wings a maelstrom of death as they spiral and spin.
Ahead of me is the Premier.
The Ghost I’m attacking claws for me, shrieking. I arch out of its way, hit the ground and roll, and then dart underneath it, moving as quickly and silently as I’ve ever done. I have to get close to the Premier. He has his own weapons out now, pointing his gun at Maran soldiers nearby. His weapon swings to where Adena is cutting down one of her Ghosts. He fires.
The bullet hits Adena hard in the leg. I bite my tongue at the sight until I taste blood in my mouth, but I don’t dare scream out. All I can do is watch as my patrol leader cringes and collapses to one knee, losing her balance. She topples from the Ghost’s shoulders, blades still spinning as she goes. Even now, she doesn’t cry out or utter a single sound.
I force my attention back to the Premier. He’s going to fire again. He doesn’t see me coming.
Another Ghost lunges for me. I skid beneath it, roll, and keep going. Another horse runs past me—I grab its saddle and swing myself up onto its back, forcing it to turn toward the Premier. Closer, closer.
All I need is one good shot. The gun in my hand tightens as I aim for him.
This is for what you’ve done to Red. To his family. For what you and your father have inflicted on every nation you’ve conquered and brought under your fist. For my mother. This is for everything and everyone and all of us.
I fire.
At the same time, the Premier sees me.
One of his soldiers lunges forward, knocking him off his horse. My bullet hits the sacrificial soldier in the chest.
The Premier lands on the ground—hurt, but alive.
Guards swarm to him, hiding him from view.
I’m forced to swerve away as they point their crossbows and guns at me again. As my horse gallops underneath a Ghost, I throw myself off its back and land in a roll. I have to try once more.
Then pain explodes through my body.
I glance down, dazed, to see a thick arrow protruding from my side. The angle of it makes me turn my eyes up. There, I see a Skyhunter bearing down on me, his eyes