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It was over. He had done it. While I was nauseous and uncomfortable, I still sighed in relief. But the illusion didn’t end. Talon grabbed the dagger from my unmoving hand, lifting it high and letting out a ferocious scream before bringing it down into my still chest. Again and again, Talon stabbed my corpse, blood splattering him. Soon, I was unrecognizable, just a mess of flesh and bone and death.
All at once, the illusion ended, revealing Talon alone within the dome. Silence had become another onlooker, a sentient being stealing our voices as we watched. And it seemed to disappear as the Zade heir stood, claps erupting. But I remained still. Alone once more as Talon’s father pulled him in for an embrace and clapped him on the back.
While I was lost in the sight, someone yanked on my hair. A shriek snuck from between my lips, my legs slipping and allowing me to crash to the ground. Looking up, I saw that it was Captain Zade who held me, her scowl deep as she began to drag me toward the dome. “Your turn, filthy akhata.”
Pointless as it was, I struggled in her grip, kicking and thrashing with the hopes of getting free. Captain Zade was strong, though, and soon I was being dropped at the feet of the intel. They didn’t bother to help me up, instead reaching down and clawing at my face. More screams were torn from me, theintel carelessly attacking every corner of my mind, shredding every facet of my being.
“Ready, Captain,” they stated, revealing their dingy, raspy voice. Captain Zade nodded, and then the intel lifted me by my stomach and unceremoniously tossed me through the dome. My wrist hit hard on the ground, a snap indicating the broken or fractured bone. This time I only cried softly, wishing I had somehow been capable of fighting off the elites so I could have entered with some semblance of dignity.
The first person to appear was Celeste. She stared at me with terror in her eyes. The grey of her irises were bright with unshed tears, her clothes bloody and ripped. “Don’t let them do this to us. We have to fight back.”
With open arms, my sister walked toward me, practically begging me. My heart jolted, a stutter that made me fear it might never beat again. It did though. Which somehow was worse, because I knew exactly what I needed to do.
On my right, the sound of Dad’s chair came out of nowhere. My head flung his way, seeing blood dribble from his mouth as he attempted to push the wheels. “My Nova, please, help me. The stars have punished me. We must destroy them.”
“The cores want us dead, Nova,” Mama cried out from my left. She was grabbing her stomach, blood escaping from the spaces between her fingers. Slowly but steadily, they surrounded me, every inch my way a thunderous demand to take action. To do something other than stand there and watch them die.
“Kill them all, Starlight,” they said in unison. My head felt like it would explode from the pressure of their pleas.
This isn’t real. Do what you need to do just like Talon did.
They fell to the ground, Dad’s chair disappearing. “Please,” they begged.
“I love you all,” I whispered, sobs overtaking me as I willed magic into my hands, the movement seeming to slowly heal mybones. Unnervingly bright wisps of silver and terrifying dark swirls of black coagulated in my palms, and I let my head fall back with a scream as I ordered my magic forward and out. Three blasts soared free, my eyes not needing to see them to know that their chests were being torn apart.
Bodies fell. Silence gathered. The illusion ended. Cheers never came.
I had completed the black phase.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Azazel
“Mother says that real love is reserved for the stars. We will never know love on Dajahim unless we give our lives to our sacred deities above.”
-From the journal of Azazel Altair, 9244 AS
Tershetta’s illusion had been difficult to watch, but it was necessary to understand what Father and Captain Zade were looking for.
It didn’t take a genius to see the truth. They were testing our loyalty to the stars. With Tershetta, I was also pretty sure they were testing her loyalty to the core families. That was something to think about. Our line moved far quicker than normal today, giving me less time to consider all the possibilities.
Even worse, no one was leaving. Every time a trainee finished, they moved to the back, eager to see the illusions of others. With each passing test, I grew closer and closer to losing my calm.
What would they show me? How would they see if I was loyal? Would it be Father that appeared? Silently, I begged to the stars that the intels had mercy on me. If they showed everyone my father beating me, I would never live it down. My only saving grace had been my ability to remain quiet during every illusion.But now, that didn’t matter, because they would all see and hear everything that I did.
Dutifully I stepped forward, watching as the line shortened to thirty. Twenty. Sixteen. Twelve. Six.
Dove went. Then Quinn. Next Priya. Finally, Cal stepped up. Each of them faced their parents, each beaten senseless. None of them fighting back until they were told to get up and defend the stars. Our shame on full display. When Cal was done, only one remained.
Me. I was all that was left.
Father did not walk out. Did not greet me or demand I impress him. I was not encouraged or put down. He only nodded as I stepped forward, the intel gripping my head with claw-like hands. When they dove into my mind and seemed to begin tearing it to shreds, I didn’t scream or flinch. With all my strength, I willed a stoic expression on my face. And when I was released, I willingly stepped forward, welcoming the grasp of the silver dome and embracing the coming illusion.
To my surprise, buildings began to form. No, houses. Ones I faintly remembered. Each was close to one another, chimneys cracked and paint chipped. Lawns were overgrown, windows bordered up with planks of wood. Then came a small home with a candle shining from within. The door remained closed, but I could hear others whipping open, the sounds of terrified screams echoing so loud across the ever-reaching black sky that I swore the stars above and the three moons felt their pain.
An odd vibration began beneath my skin, like my magic was building up for something yet to come. Everywhere around me, eadi began converging, all of their eyes trained on the house I stood in front of.
No. They all stared atme.
