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Her bare feet cascaded through fresh dirt. A soft smile unfurled on her lips as she wandered through a beautiful garden. The tips of her fingers brushed along petals of colorful flowers that smiled back at her.

If she’d ever lived on the surface, Khalani imagined she would’ve had a garden just like this.

Laughter, bright and carefree, echoed through the air, drawing her gaze. A little girl with two brown braids ran past her, waving and giggling under the sunlight. Khalani waved back, but the girl suddenly turned toward the distant city that was filled with towering skyscrapers.

Then, a streak cut through the clouds, like a fallen star tumbling from the heavens. Khalani’s gaze snapped to the city.

One moment, everything was normal. The flower petals continued to brush against her skin, and the pleasant smile remained on her face. A split second later, blinding white light eclipsed her vision.

She covered her eyes, but the flash was so intense, so overpowering, that the bones in her hands became visible.

When the light died down, she uncovered her face, and hermouth gaped open. A massive mushroom cloud billowed from the city, like an abomination reaching out to swallow everything in its wake.

Khalani scrambled backward as the little girl vanished into thin air. Panic clawed at her throat when she realized the once-vibrant garden was now engulfed in flames.

Someone came to stand beside her. Tall. Masculine.

Her body froze in shock when Governor Huxley gazed upon the destruction with her.

“You know you can’t stop it from happening again,” he said.

Her heart dropped as the flames crept closer, the heat expanding and stretching toward her legs,burningher skin…

Khalani gasped and sat up, her hands trembling as she rubbed them up and down her thighs furiously.

“Hey.” Takeshi was in the corner of the cell, sleeves rolled up. His brows pinched together as he saw the panic in her eyes, and he immediately moved toward her, crouching down. “What’s wrong, Kanes?”

Just a nightmare.

Just a nightmare.

Khalani’s chest heaved with each shallow breath, desperately repeating the mantra.

The alarm shrieked throughout the barracks. With a whoosh, the clear door to their cell opened. Prisoners began filing out for morning inspection, and she tried to stand, but Takeshi tugged her back down, his stormy gaze piercing through her.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,” Khalani emphatically stated, nearly convincing herself it was true.

But Takeshi’s scowl deepened, not buying a single word.

“Let’s go!” one of the Dealer’s yelled.

With a curse, Takeshi helped Khalani to her feet. Just as she turned to leave, he spun her around, leaning down.

“Don’t push yourself today.”

“When do I ever do that?” she attempted a light laugh, but Takeshi’s hard gaze narrowed.

“I mean it, Kanes.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll try not to stab myself with a pickaxe.”

Khalani thought she heard Takeshi mutter something about tying her up in the cell and leaving her there as they exited the building.

In the expansive cavern, they took their place in the long line of prisoners awaiting inspection. The Dealers prowled through each section, occasionally striking out with their batons or activating the shock cuffs around the inmates’ wrists.

After several minutes, the high-pitched alarm blared, and everyone around her stiffened as Dr. Strauss appeared.

But this time, he wasn’t alone.