They start falling soon after the wreckage of Skyship Altair disappears from our view. Eva’s the first to see one, but soon all five of us are plastered against the windows, staring out at the Surface below.
They drop like regular Pearls, but far more frequently. It’s like Cassius said. Without the opposing force of our bracelets, the floodgates have opened. There are dozens of them at any given moment. Even without seeing it directly, I know they’re everywhere.
Some might be striking Skyships or Chosen Cities. Many will hit the Fringes. There will be Pearls in Siberia, dangerously close to the Academy. They’ll land in Africa. The Commonwealth. The ocean, maybe. They’re blanketing the Earth. And here we are-six of us in a tiny cruiser. Insignificant.
Avery’s shoulder touches mine. I can feel her trembling. “They’re not stopping,” she whispers. “They just keep falling, like a hailstorm.”
I shake my head. “They’re coming too soon. There are too many.”
We did everything we could, I tell myself. We followed the breadcrumbs. We were careful. Would things have been any different if I’d listened to Alkine and stayed at the Academy, confined?
I’m a disaster. One after another, my allies have been ripped away. Killed.
Mr. Wilson. Ryel. Morse. Bergmann. I didn’t listen, and now they’re dead. And I’m sure it won’t be long before the rest of us follow suit.
I turn around and lean my back against the window. I can’t look outside anymore. I can’t watch them land.
I can almost hear Theo’s laugh echoing in the sky. He’d love this. He’d consider it the greatest honor-the son paving the way for his father.
I kick at the floor and let out a deep sigh before burying my head in my hands. Then, allowing tears to spill over my fingers, I wipe my face and stand. “I should go see Cassius.”
But before I can take a single step, the door to the cockpit opens and Cassius walks out. He takes a breath as he scans the cabin. Then, voice trembling, he speaks. “We’re going underground.”
We turn to look at him. Eva crosses her arms. “Where?”
“There are Unified Party bunkers spread all around the Fringes. The closest is in Nevada. Madame has access. We’ll be safe until we can figure out what to do.” His eyes meet mine, pleading not to argue. I sense that he’s already had a difficult enough time talking with Madame up front.
“We can’t stay on the Surface,” he continues. “And we’re not in a position to… ” He stops himself. “We’re going underground. That’s all.”
I expect someone to challenge him, but nobody responds-not even Eva. There’s little choice, really. We don’t have the energy to fight. We wouldn’t know where to start if we did.
All of a sudden, green light filters through the windows, bathing the inside of the cabin in a soft, calming glow. I turn back to the window and see them instantly.
The Drifters fly on either side of our cruiser, encircling us in a protective formation. I can see their faces from this distance, and make out their plain white clothing. They’re here, Sem and Talan and every one I freed on Altair.
I spin around. My heart beats faster, or maybe it’s the energy outside. “Look,” I point. “In the sky. It wasn’t all for nothing. They’re here. They’re following us.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Cassius says. “We’re going underground either way. We can’t do anything like this. We’ll die, and then we won’t be of use to anyone.”
I nod, even though I hate the thought of it.
I am already here.
Now Matigo has his army.
The cruiser lurches beneath us. Skandar rushes to the window. “We’re heading down.”
Avery crosses her arms. “That was quick.”
“The ground’s opening,” Skandar continues. “I see it.”
Cassius sighs. “Say goodbye to all of this, at least for a little while.”
I take a last glance into the sky and watch the storm of red Pearls. Is it defeat? Are we running away? What would my parents want us to do?
I shut off the questions. They’ll drive me crazy if I let them control me. Cassius is right. We can’t do anything in this condition. The world will have to defend itself for now.
The windows darken.
The ground swallows us whole and everything’s silent.