Page 148 of Stardusted

I felt them before I saw them, but I turned anyway, shuddering.

Past Sky, two sets of green orbs appeared at the far end of the hallway.

“Go!” he yelled, breaking into a sprint.

I was already whirling, darting for the exit into the common area. Hauling ass as fast as possible because there was no freaking way I was sticking around for another round ofthat?—

I’d only made it two steps before something warm and hard slammed into me. I shrieked as strong arms clamped around my waist and yanked me tight against a solid chest. Sky snatched me to him, and we hit the wall.

Just in time.

A searing pink beam sliced through the space where I’d been a second before.

I knew that light. That was the same weapon from the lab. The Enil had just shot at me with that laser beam.

As if robot claws and teeth weren’t enough.

“Run!” Sky shouted, bodily spinning me and giving me a solid push toward the hall. “Go, Raven! I’m right behind you!”

And so I ran.

My shoes slapped tile, but it felt like wading through molasses, like one of those dreams where you couldn’t move fast enough to escape.

The floor lurched, and the ceiling groaned above me. The creak and squeal of mechanical joints cut through my gasping and the distant alarm. The Enil were giving chase.

Meanwhile, my palm glowed like a miniature sun.

I didn’t look back.

The common area loomed ahead. Almost there.

Faster.

I rounded the corner and hurtled into the open space. As soon as I did, I risked it, throwing a glance over my shoulder, checking to make sure Sky was there?—

Bad move.My foot caught the leg of a fallen chair. With a cry, I pitched forward and slammed into a table. Pain lanced through my thighs as I hit the edge, and I barely caught myself on my palms.

I cursed, shoved free, and struggled through a tangle of fallen chairs.Too slow. I was moving too slowly.

But I was almost there. The exit was ahead.Sunlight shone through the wall of windows. I was so close,I could make out the trees, buildings, and concrete sidewalk beyond. People. There were people out there, though I could see them scattering as the building gave another mighty quake.

The Enil—this fight—was going to bring the whole thing down. We had to get out of here.

“Rae!”

My name. Sky was shouting it, just like he had that day in the lab. Heart stopping, I stumbled and twisted in time to see it.

His body tumbling from the hall.

A metal arm had flung him off his feet, launching him halfway across the room. He flew through the air. His limbs were limp. His spine bent in a way thatcouldn’tbe right?—

He crashed through a table. The surface split apart beneath him, cracking in half. Wood splintered and metal twisted, and he disappeared beneath the broken pieces.

He didn’t reappear.

“Sky!” The scream tore out of me, raw and jagged.Get up.He had to get up. We had to go. We were so close to being out of this, to escaping.

Any minute now…