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Sparks flew behind me, snapping in the air as they hit soldiers, dropping them to their knees where they shook violently.

It was a nasty way to die, but they were nasty little needlefish.

They deserved everything they got and more.

I aimed my gun at Victrus, firing shots of my own, but he kept using soldiers as human shields while he continued to torture the Overseer.

There was no way to help her–nothing I could do.

As long as Victrus remained standing, her pain wouldn’t stop.

Ace and I dove into the soldiers as we reached them, thrashing and slicing until bodies fell like dominoes as we fought.

I let my magic loose, calming those around me until only a handful put up a fight.

Blood sprayed, coating my jumpsuit and skin as I used the gun as a bat.

I slammed the thing into everyone around me, clearing a path.

Celeste’s guttural scream pierced the air, and I looked back to see her stricken face. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and then suddenly her eyes burst. Blood poured from the sockets and her body rose, suspended at a distorted angle before she was tossed backwards.

Son of a salmon. I was too late.

I shoved the soldiers aside in my determination to reach Victrus, but he was backing up, retreating from the fight. And all the while he kept smiling at me, at all of us, as we fought desperately to get through.

“No!” I shouted, trying to get to the evil dude. “He’s escaping!”

Ace swore from somewhere nearby, but I didn’t look, my eyes fixed on Victrus. I had to get closer and nullify his magic so we could take him out.

I dodged fists and gunshots as I landed my own blows, knocking soldiers to their asses.

My elbow collided with a nose and blood sprayed as I spun and kicked another soldier in the gut.

Ducking out of the way of a shot, I knocked the pulse gun from their hand, catching it and turning it on those around me.

I fired, spraying my attackers with shots that scorched flesh.

It was like a summer tanning session with the amount of burnt skin around me.

“Merman!” Ace barked. He looked like seagull shit.

How he was still conscious, let alone alive, was beyond my noggin power.

The dude was bruised, cut, burned–and they were the visible injuries.

He pointed to Victrus, and my eyes caught on the evil dude.

Soldiers surrounded him and, to my horror, Fallon’s limp body appeared in his arms. “This way!”

I charged after Ace, determined to get to Starfish. I was fighting the soldiers in my attempt to reach Victrus. Now I was obliterating them. Nothing would stand between me and my starfish.

Noah and Kayden drew close, carving a path between the soldiers. They were blood-splattered and beaten, yet they were far from done with this battle. Victrus’ numbers were thinning, and soon there would be no one else to protect him from us.

I tore my gaze from them to where Fallon lay in her dad’s arms. To my horror, he caught my eye again and smirked, as if he knew something I didn’t. Then his wings spread, and I realised what he planned to do. “No!” My own scream repeated back to me as Ace, Kayden, and Noah shouted in unison.

Black feathers darker than the deepest parts of the ocean stretched out on either side of Victrus, spanning so wide they blocked out all the light. They flexed once… twice…

I reached a hand out, stretching it towards Fallon until I was mere inches away from touching that perfect face. Time seemed to slow as I held my breath and pushed my body as far as it could go. Then he launched into the air, taking Starfish with him.

A guttural roar escaped me. My chest felt as though it had been torn open, my heart stolen along with the girl in his arms. I was no longer aware of my movements, my world a blur as I fought the remaining soldiers, tearing them to pieces before I fell to my knees.

Death was all around me, the rest of my pod standing amongst the destruction we’d wreaked.

Not a single soldier remained breathing, yet it hadn’t been enough.

It was all my fault.

I’d been so wrapped up in wanting to help Zuri that I’d kept Victrus’ visit to the academy a secret. I should have told Fallon and the entire pod. Perhaps then we could have warned Celeste and the Masters.

We could have stuck together and not let Starfish out of our sight.

I felt hollow, like an empty clam shell.

She was gone, and it was all my fault.

WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Oh, your poor, na?ve soul. Did you really think we’d wrap things up without a cliffhanger? Bless your cotton socks.

We leave you with four hotties simping for our badass heroine. Will they rescue Fallon in Book 4? Will someone be crowned the monarch of Terrulia? Or will House Jupiter send a nation into chaos?

Find out in A City of Smoke, the next instalment in The Terrulian Trials.

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