“What’s happening?”
“Isn’t it obvious, Nazirah?” she says. “The revolution has started!”
Smoke fills Nazirah’s lungs. Silver and gold bullet shells litter the rooftop coast, treasures of war, relics of a dream. Nazirah peers over the edge, dizzy with height. The skytowers around them are thick with fire and ash. Sirens blare throughout the city, sounding horns in warning. Nazirah turns around, sees a flash of blonde. Lumi embraces her, handing Nazirah back the dagger. She wears a bulletproof vest and there’s an excited spark in her eyes. “I don’t have another gun,” she cries, “but I kept this safe for you!”
“Get down!” Ileana shouts, crouching.
The explosions around them continue as Medi helicopters barrage the roof with bullets and fire, army soldiers descending by ropes. The rebels retaliate, trying to bring the choppers down with cannons. More insurgents flood onto the roof from inside.
“Stay here,” Ileana yells, “until you can find a suitable weapon! I have to get Solomon into the control room!”
They watch her crawl away. Nazirah sobs, “I never thought I’d see you again!”
Lumi smiles, glances over her shoulder. “A promise is a promise, right?”
“How is this possible?” Nazirah asks, still in shock.
“I took the train back to Krush like you said!” Lumi yells over the whir of the chopper blades. “I hid in the one that smelled like rancid fish and hoped it was right! When I returned to headquarters, it was absolute chaos! Ivan’s troops were destroyed, all fallen and dead on the ground. Aldrik and Adamek were already there. They knew something was wrong when you didn’t show up to the meeting! They tried to find us, but we were already gone!”
“But –”
Lumi scoffs. “What do you think Niko has been doing for months? For years, even? He and Solomon have planned this for a long time, Nazirah! Your kidnapping set everything in motion. The rebels were up in arms when they heard you had been kidnapped!” A helicopter crashes through a nearby skytower, sending a huge fireball into the sky. “Niko contacted our allies throughout the territories, told them what was happening. We rode the trains to Mediah this morning!”
“How did you get in?”
“It was kind of brilliant!” she says. “A few of us used MEDIcine to disguise ourselves … just enough to overtake the guards lining the city walls. Then we broke loose, marching through the underground tunnels and storming the trains! Some came here, to besiege the capitol building. Mobs of intermix are protesting! Cayus is leading riots in the streets with firebombs! Deathland mercenaries are battling the army, charging the Medi armories. They may have better weapons, but they’re the unprepared minority! We’re taking over!”
“Lumi, watch out!”
A soldier hurtles towards them. Lumi shoots him without hesitating. She looks at Nazirah, a little proudly. “That was for Taj!” she cries, shaking.
“I’ll get his gun!” Nazirah shouts. She glances around, crawling from safety into the bullet storm. Nazirah has barely moved when she hears a bloodcurdling scream. She turns, watching a man barrel into Lumi, intent on pushing her off the roof. Thinking quickly, Nazirah stabs him in the ankle. He shouts, grabbing for her. She kicks her feet into his chest, knocking him over the edge. Nazirah clambers over to Lumi, who’s hanging on by her fingertips. Nazirah stands up, ignoring the gunshots, ignoring the vertigo, laser focused. “Grab my hand!” she yells.
“I can’t!” sobs Lumi, terrified.
“I won’t drop you!” Nazirah screams.
Lumi shuts her eyes and reaches for Nazirah. Straining and sweaty, Nazirah pulls Lumi from the ledge. Lumi slumps onto the roof, hugging the ground, coughing and sputtering. Just then, another Medi spots them, grabs Nazirah’s fallen dagger.
Nazirah hunches over Lumi protectively. He’s a foot away when he collapses on top of them. Nazirah pushes him off, revealing Cato with a gun, furious. They lock eyes and the battle falls away. Nazirah is only vaguely aware of the explosions lessening, of the rebels cheering as the last of the Medi troops and choppers are either captured or destroyed. Cato pulls her into a deep, rib-cracking hug. Nazirah is unable to believe he’s really there, afraid to let him go again.
“I’m so sorry!” she sobs incoherently, into his chest.
“No, Irri!” he cries, face full of dirt and tears. “I’m sorry! I was so awful, and you were just honest.”
“Even, then?”
“Yeah.”
Nazirah half laughs, half cries. “I think we won,” she says, not fully believing it.
“I think so too.”
Lumi tries to stand, but her ankle is twisted. Cato helps her up, supporting her weight. Fists of every race and color pound triumphantly in the air as the rebels raise their victory flags in the skytowers across the city. Nazirah looks around the roof shakily, not truly comprehending. It’s a bloodbath, rebel and Medi alike.
Nazirah sees Cander through the mist, hunched over a fallen intermix from the slums. Cander shuts his eyes gently, sleeping corpse, says a prayer. Healers scatter, sifting through the dead. Even Bilungi is there, tending the injured. Several recruits cry over a lifeless Anzares, warrior until the end. Nazirah feels sick. She was ready to die. And now so many have taken her place.
Death is not racist.
Death welcomes all.
Nazirah stands over Gabirel’s body. Relief floods her. But there’s incredible sadness too. That it has to come to this. Adamek is now an orphan, just like she is. So many people are dead. And more will follow.
Because although they have won, for now, Nazirah has no idea what happens next or what the future holds. “Beautiful morning to die, Chancellor,” she whispers.
“Irri.”
Nazirah whips around. Nikolaus sits a few yards away, slumped against the broken platform. Bilungi and Aldrik bend over him somberly. There’s a bullet wound in his chest.
“No!” Nazirah screams, crumpling before him. She tries frantically to staunch the flow of blood with her hands, desperate.
“Nation …” Aldrik gently grabs her shoulder.
Nazirah snarls, wrenching her arm away and returning it to Niko’s chest. “What are you doing?” she screams at them. “Why are you just standing there? He’s your Commander! Save him!”
“MEDIcine won’t work,” Bilungi says sadly. “Bullet’s too deep, hit too much.”
“Just try it!” Nazirah yells.
“Irri,” Niko says calmly, voice hoarse. “I don’t want them to try.”
Cato watches; Lumi sobs into his shoulder. Nazirah’s vision blurs from salty tears. The rain has stopped, streaking the roof in sunlight. Nazirah doesn’t feel it. “Don’t say that!”
He touches her face. “It’s too late. Only God can save me now.”
“Niko …”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been a better brother.…”
“Stop, please!” she chokes, grabbing his hands. “You’re the best brother I never wanted.”
“We both know that isn’t true,” he says sadly, breathing shallowly. “I’ve been distant … for a long time. I couldn’t handle everything … and shut down. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me most.”
“Then be there for me now!” she cries. “Don’t give in!”
“Seeing how much you’ve grown,” he wheezes, “I’m honored to call you my sister … to call you a Nation. Riva and Kasimir would be proud … they are proud. You’re the light Irri … you give us hope.” He coughs. “And you need to be strong now. The war is over … but our fight has only begun. Do you understand?”
“Okay.”
“Tell me you understand.”
“I understand!”
He nods. “There’s more.”
“Don’t say anything else!” she weeps. “It’s too hard.”
Nikolaus untangles their hands, touching her heart, touching the pendant. He smiles in recognition, looks at her. “I took a vow,” he whispers, “but there’s something you must know.”
“What is it?”
“The conditions of Morgen’s pact.”