Page 56

A cool breeze tugged at my skin, and the pale moonlight illuminated a mostly empty deck.

My lips curled into a reluctant smile, body buzzing with excited energy.

We'd made it. We'd actually fucking made it!

The final step was to survive the jump to the waters below. Then they just had to swim to the shore.

"I hope the others get here soon," I whispered. Our luck couldn't hold out forever …

Silence was the only response.

Confused, I turned to see my team staring wide-eyed at the moonlit Isle.

I followed their gazes, and my stomach sank.

A familiar wild, beautiful, red rock coastline stood just ahead. Tall, jagged formations jutted proudly towards the moons and starry sky above.

It was Dragon's Peak. And yet, it wasn't …

Metal structures covered it like some sort of macabre costume — hiding the beautiful cliff faces thathad once held windows and balconies carved into the stone.

And between the rock formations — where dragons once flew and villagers walked — giant walls of black metal loomed, heavy and foreboding, hiding away the rest of the ancient city.

The harsh glow of greenish-hued light drew my attention below those grotesque structures — to what looked like a port — half-finished and filling the entire coast.

Iron structures and stone paths in various stages of construction covered the beach that had once stretched along the coast like a curved ribbon of pale sand.

And shapes moved along a new road that wound up from the beach to the looming fortress walls — people dressed in the dark uniforms of the Empire.

"Fuck," I gasped.

A prisoner dropped to his knees, while others whispered worriedly.

I looked from him, to Liam, to the other villagers who'd gathered. Several other groups had appeared, all in various states of dismay and panic.

"We need to keep moving!" I hissed.

Liam didn't move.

"My home." His voice broke. "What have they done to my home?"

His hands gripped the railing, knuckles pale in the moonlight, and for a moment, he almost resembled the old Eli. So young and vulnerable.

My heart gave an uncomfortable lurch …

"It's going to be okay," I said, voice raspy. "We need to keep going, though … for Gram and Mirrim."

That broke his daze, and he tore his focus from the cliffs to look at me.

"I can't fail them." The fear burning in his gaze melted away — replaced by a firm determination. "Not again."

Mr. and Mrs. Harlsted's group burst from another stairwell nearby, and more groups beyond them. Tears and horror filled the villagers' eyes as they too took in the sight beyond.

"Don't stop now," Mr. Harlsted said after a few seconds, his voice rough. "We knew this was possible, and we can't do anything about our home tonight. Everyone must get to safety first."

I met his gaze and nodded, then turned to help the villagers get moving again. We needed to get them out and over the ship's railing as quickly as possible.

While planning, they'd considered jumping and swimming to the nearest shore immediately, but that would be the first place the guards would look. And they'd be easy targets under all those port lights.