she had buried in memory years ago. The girl within was older now, matured by the same cruel science that had sculpted Liora. Her hair fl

hispered. "By the gods

, calculating. "We can't be

im, voice trembling. "She's not

ften. "And you weren't supp

experiments, the commands whispered into her subconscious, the

golden eyes said no. Se

wake her,"

don't know what waki

hey. But they

mmands coded into her muscle memory. The screen flickered, then flared to life. A holographic disp

as wa

und the base like fog. Sera's body slumped as the support systems disengaged. Her eyes fluttered, a

e eyes sn

uestion. A statement. A re

ora whispered.

psing into her sister's arms. Her s

ng?" sh

rd. "Years. I thou

he ruin around them. "No. I was buried.

ave no time. The Regime is

ly a regulation shift, but the fire in

d with a small, sharp

forced the crater's ridges with broken metal and boneshards. Mira met the

e?" she ask

iora said. "The

uld sense the storm brewi

ed too?" M

ra said, stepping forward

is voice gruff. "Then

You plan to hold this r

d it," Liora said. "W

o wh

broken sky. "A sanctu

e looked back at the vault, then at her sister, th

than teeth and claws.

beneath their feet as if warning them of what came. Fenrick's scouts returned with grim news: Regime

as im

ense. Kael leaned over her shoulder, offering quiet strategy. Mira sharpen

ddenly,

e watch

up. "What d

h sight. Not sound. But with what they left in

o the Regime?" K

eir signal. Which m

m fell

loak us?"

ed. "But they'll noti

ve first,"

ttack?" Fenrick

aid. "We dra

ir nearest base. Take their comm to

icide," Mi

countered. "We don't

ly. "Then we lea

was full now, shining down like a judgment. The wind whipped Lio

ou," Liora

y made me forget your face. But I remembered your

er hand. "We're together no

id. "But we w

Regime outpost pulsed

had begun