Page 222 of Star Bringer
Chapter 99
Kali
I stare up at the sky where the huge ship floats like some bloated slogg. I can see the weapons launcher situated at the front. It’s aimed right at us.
I can’t believe we’ve come so far, done so much, just for it to end like this.
Five minutes.
Less, now.
I don’t want to die.
I look around at all the devastation, then at theStarlight.It can’t end here.
Ian slips his hand into mine. “We can surrender if that’s what you want. They probably won’t harm you—”
“We’re not surrendering,” I snarl. Because they may save my life, but all my friends will die. And I could never live with that.
There has to be a way. I just have to think of it.
My gaze settles on the heptosphere. I did say I was going to test it out here in the Wilds, but that idea requiredfewerpeople. Not dozens of innocent people relying on us for their survival. Still, we need something big. Something drastic.
I didn’t want the danger that comes with being the Star Bringer. But maybe—just maybe—it’s time to embrace it.
I take off running toward the heptosphere, glancing back to make sure Ian is still with me. He is—and so is everyone else. They’re all behind me.
I skid to a halt in front of the orb where it hovers only a meter from the ground, and I have to rethink my idea. An Ancient artifact with the power to create and destroy suns. Maybe it’s not such a great idea to just fire it without knowing what it can do.
But then I look up at the sky and realize the warhead in theRavenol’s weapons launcher is glowing. We really are almost out of time.
“Go ahead, Kali.” Merrick is standing next to me, a confidence I’m far from feeling on his face.
But something strangeishappening inside me. It’s like the thing is calling out in my head, asking me to touch it. Before I make the conscious decision to do so, I’m walking over there, my feet moving of their own accord.
And then it’s right there in front of me, and every ounce of my body yearns to touch it.
I turn to Ian, one last question in my eyes. But he just nods, and so I raise my hands and press them to the curved side of the heptosphere.
It’s warm, and there’s a soft vibration deep within it. But that’s all I feel, all there is. Until a shudder runs through it—runs through me—and my head is filled with whirling iridescent lights.
It’s awake.
But what now?
I don’t even know what it does, let alone how to get it to work.
I glance up at the sky and see that the weapons launcher is glowing red now, preparing to fire.
“Do something,” I plead with the giant orb. “Please don’t let all these people die—”
I break off as another shudder slams through me, bigger than the first. And then the orb is rising and turning slowly on an invisible axis. A beam of light shoots out of it,but in the opposite direction of the battle cruiser.
Shit! This is why I wanted a chance to practice! I’m terrified to look, terrified to see what the heptosphere is aiming at.
But then Ian mutters, “Holy shit,” behind me, and I have to look.
I glance at him and realize he’s staring at theStarlight, his eyes wide. The beam from the orb is hitting her straight on, and she’s coming to life, lights flashing all around her as she, too, lifts off the ground and turns so that she’s facing the sky.
