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Aspen’s eyes—wild with fright—locked with Travis’s.

Every city in all of Terra had a Control Tower—it was where the power came from. The core of every grid. Yveswich’s tower was what Travis searched for now, his head swiveling about.

There it was. Standing proudly in the rain-veiled heart of the city, the sleek panels of cristala gleaming like liquid silver. The beam of magic that shot out of the pinnacle of the tower like a laser was beginning to change color, the base shifting from acid-green to bright red. From way out here, it was barely a faint line. To mortal eyes, it would have been completely invisible.

It was times like these when Travis envied them—the mortals. Ignorance was indeed bliss.

Early. The forcefield was being assembled early. Minutes, yeah. But every last second mattered right now.

Red rapidly began to dominate. It climbed the beam, chasing and devouring the vibrant green he was so used to. Shooting straight for the storm-addled sky.

Malakai squinted over his shoulder with black eyes. Judging from the look on his face, the way his eyes widened and his jawclenched, he saw it, too. He twisted back around and tried going faster, but the engine was at full throttle.

Travis was going to throw up.

Roman was going to kill him.

If he managed to survive this, Roman was going tokill him.

“Oh gods, oh gods,” Jewels chanted, her head tipping back as she watched the forcefield change color. “Oh gods. This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening, this isn’t—Malakai! FASTER!”

“I can’t go any FUCKING faster!”

The forcefield shimmered just ahead—still green. But not for long.

The boat skimmed over the waves, saltwater soaking the deck.

Travis sucked in a briny breath and held it. “Come on, come on,” he mouthed. The boat dipped and splashed. Dipped and splashed, the navigation lights barely cutting through the gloom. “Comeon.”

They were almost there.

Too soon, the red light curving over the urban sprawl of Yveswich reached the coast and headed straight for them. It spread across the water like spilled wine, capping the surface waves in blood-red instead of white. Within heartbeats, it had reached their boat, passing over their heads as it formed a new enclosure—an impenetrable cage—above the city. Down it came, heading straight for the sea level horizon.

They had almost made it when Jewels’s timer went off.

Travis’s stomach fell out of his ass. “No,” he exhaled.

The forcefield came down, cutting through the water with such immense power it generated a massive tidal wave that pushed the boat back.

“NOOO!”

Jewels screamed, clinging to the handrail with both hands as the ocean began to rise, gray water threatening to swallow them whole.

Travis’s hold slipped.

He slid, taking Jewels down with him as he toppled over the seats and slammed into the back of the boat.

Jewels hit the rail screaming. Flipped over the edge.

“TRAVIS!”

He grabbed her by the arm, grunting in pain as his shoulder nearly dislocated, Jewels’s feet just barely missing the propellers.

The tide pushed them back.Back?—

He barely had time to suck in a breath as the boat was overturned, and they were consumed by the frigid, monster-infested waters of the Ceto Ocean.

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