Page 129 of Border Control

His grip on me tightens as we settle onto gravel. A warm breeze brushes over us, bringing with it the smell of Ellen’s farm: heady soil, rich hay. It smells fresh and alive.

“Law-rah, we’re…” He lets me go, stepping away as if burned. “I’m deeply sorry. We’ll be seen, your first order will be violated.”

The breeze turns cold where his body had pressed against mine. I reach out to him. “Dom, I don’t care about that anymore.”

He frowns, a flicker of hope dancing in his eyes.

Then the air turns hot. Choking. Ashy.

I turn, and confront Ellen’s entire legacy burning.

The farmhouse is a skeleton of charred beams and crumbling stone, flames licking through its hollow heart as smoke coils into the blood-red sky. All around, the fields are blackened wastelands, nothing left but scorched earth and smoldering stumps.

I cough. The air is thick with ash and ruin, the silence broken only by the hiss of fire.

Through air thick with smoke, Nevare steps forward. The scales on his chest shimmer with residual power, his body scorched, trembling. Blood streaks his hands and chest.

Dom stumbles back as if struck. The color drains from his face, his focus locked on Nevare, who sways in place, arms limp, covered in ichor and soot. He stands before us like a collapsed star: brilliant once, now devouring himself from the inside out.

“Nevare? Where’s Arik?” Dom’s voice breaks. He staggers forward. “I can’t hear him, only you. Where?—”

Nevare lifts his head, his eyes wild, unseeing. “Dead,” he snarls.

THIRTY-TWO

DOM

His anguish screamslike static on my skin. Memories flood to me: taking my wave brother’s burdens, smoothing Nevare’s scales, guiding his mind back, making sure he ate and drank. Younger and younger still, Arik wrestling me and laughing, myself holding a too-small blanket over both their shoulders, murmuring lullabies.It will all be well. I’ll protect you both.

The Apex in front of me is barely Nevare. His form sways with the heat of his fury, scales splintered and blackened, eyes glowing with a molten madness. The psychic fire rolling off him punches into my mind with wave after punishing wave, threatening to hollow me out.

I stagger back, reaching out with everything I am.

“Youleft me!” His voice howls, a sonic burn lashing across my brain. “You let me burn! You let Arik die! While you—while you clung to yourfemale?—”

His burning gaze turns to her. My beautiful female, a tiny, scaleless being, delicate and yet fierce.

I have to protect her. She’s in danger.

The hatred in his gaze turns razor-sharp. “She’s the weakness. The reason we’re broken.”

“No,” I snarl, putting myself between them, my whole body shaking. “Don’t touch her. You don’t evenlookat her like that.”

I know what I have to do. Nevare’s fate only has one outcome. He's gone nova, and must be euthanized immediately. He’s a threat to Law-rah. He must be destroyed.

My hands will be the last comfort he receives before death.

A stray thought intrudes. If I follow my ingrained training and euthanize Nevare, my duty will be over. I will be free to choose Law-rah.

But i't’s too high a cost. Tears springing in my eyes, I stand. “Nevare, come here. I can soothe your pain.”

Law-rah touches my back. “What are you doing?”

“My duty,” I tell her. In a tight band, I send my orders to her: to euthanize my Apex if he ever loses control, in order to protect Oloria.

She flinches. “No!”

‘I have no choice, but, when it is done, I will be free to love you.’