Let the Storm Break (Sky Fall #2)(38)

This time the crowd erupts immediately and the sound makes me shiver under the scorching desert sun. But something else in Raiden’s speech was far more chilling—something I want to pretend I didn’t hear because then I won’t have to decide if it’s true.

The way Raiden keeps talking about having “the key” and “the power” he’s been “searching for.”

It almost sounds like he . . .

But he can’t.

I don’t believe it.

I press my hand against my chest, trying to feel the burning pull of my bond—but my heart is pounding too fast.

I can’t tell.

I can’t think.

“Any minute now my long-awaited prisoner will arrive, and then I will show you how we will win this war,” Raiden shouts. “Today we will change the future!”

He throws up his hands and the crowd goes wild. Cheering and clapping and chanting, “Bring out the prisoner. Bring out the prisoner!” Feeding off each other’s energy.

Each repetition crushes me more.

There’s only one prisoner who could grant Raiden that kind of power.

The key he’s been searching for.

The one he’s tried and failed to catch before.

Raiden must’ve finally captured Vane.





CHAPTER 21


VANE

T

his can’t be happening.

I know the Gales have been preparing me for this moment—but as Gus drags Solana and me across the grove, I can’t remember a single thing Fang taught me. I can barely remember my own name.

All I can do is stare at the splotch of blood on Gus’s hand, trying not to think about where it came from or who it came from or how much more of it I’m going to see today.

“Stop!” my mom screams as she chases after us. “Where are you taking him? What’s going on?”

“We don’t have time for this right now,” Gus tells her.

“You have time to explain where you’re taking my son,” my mom insists, grabbing my arm and starting a Vane-tug-of-war.

“Okay, ow!” I jerk away from both of them, wrenching my wrist in the process. “Come on, Gus. You can’t drop the ‘we’re under attack’ bomb and not tell us what’s going on or what we’re supposed to do or where my family’s supposed to go or—”

“Honestly? I don’t know,” Gus admits, staring at the cloudless sky—which seems way too clear and blue for an attack. “Feng sent me a piece of cactus covered in his blood. All the message said was ‘ambush.’”

His voice cracks and he looks away.

My mom reaches for my hand, squeezing so hard it cuts off my circulation.

“Has there been an echo?” Solana whispers.

Gus shakes his head.

She places her hand on his shoulder. “Then there’s still hope. And we both know there’s no better fighter.”

Gus stares at her hand, a single tear streaking down his cheek as he nods.

I never realized he and Fang were so close.

Feng, I correct.

“Anyway, that’s all I know,” Gus adds after a second. “Os took a fleet of Gales up to Joshua Tree, where Feng had been patrolling. The rest of our force is divided between the Borderland Base and the Clear River Base, which also sent us alerts this morning. So Os told me to get you both underground in case Raiden’s next move is here.”

“That’s your big plan—hide him underground?” my mom asks, pulling me back to her side. “Let me take him. I’ll drive him anywhere you want. The car has a full tank of gas and—”

“It doesn’t work that way, Mom.” I cover her hand with mine, hating that I can feel her shaking. “I know you want to help, but if they’re really coming for me, I won’t be able to outrun them. Especially not in our beat-up old Honda.”

I can tell she wants to argue, but all she asks is “Where will you go?”

“Os said you knew a place,” Gus tells me. “Somewhere near the desert’s center?”

My skin itches just thinking about going back to the Maelstrom—and the last thing I want is to spend a few more hours with Arella. “But what about my parents? Someone needs to stay with them.”

“I told you—everyone is gone.”

Solana sucks in a breath and my stomach gets all churney. Suddenly, hiding in the Maelstrom seems like a pretty good idea. Except . . .

“I’m not leaving my family unprotected, Gus. If there’s no one else, then I’ll stay with them.”

“That’ll only put them in more danger, Vane. You’re the one Raiden wants.”

“But at least I can defend them.”

Gus snorts. “You really think you can take on the Stormers by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine,” my mom interrupts—though her voice sounds anything but. “Go with Gus. Don’t worry about me. I’ll just . . . I’ll grab your dad from work and we’ll head out of town again.”

“There may not be time to get far enough away,” I tell her.

“Well, then I’ll . . .” She doesn’t finish the sentence, because there’s nothing she can do. This one’s on me.

“I have to go with them,” I tell Gus, straightening up so he knows I mean it.