I’m not going to make it.

That’s when I see the giant storage shed ahead, one of the ones that we’d passed. The door to it is still ajar, but this time, I’m at an angle where I can see what’s inside.

This one doesn’t contain the giant turbine gears that the others did.

Instead, it contains the artifact that I’d seen loaded onto the train near Newage.

Hadn’t those guards said they needed to move it somewhere where it couldn’t cause significant harm? Of course they would store it here, in the prison district. Of course they would allow prisoners to work on dismantling the object, let them absorb the dangers of working near that thing. No significant harm if it’s happening to these people.

My gaze hitches on the exposed belly of the artifact.

I make the decision in a split second.

Everything seems to happen in slow motion. I put Talin’s mother down behind Adena. “Get down, as low as you can!” I shout to Adena. “And protect her at all costs!” Toward Aramin, I wave a hand at him, telling him to do the same. Jeran glances at me, meeting my eyes once.

Then, without looking back, I take off at a run toward the storage shed.

I feel the slash of blades against me as I go. I strike out with my wings. I don’t stop to think. I just shut my eyes and charge straight through the lines of soldiers until I near the shed. They’ve been dismantling the interior of the object, which is composed of hundreds of smaller cylinders. In its core, it emits a faint blue glow.

If you are going to die in a final stance, take this out with you.

So I skid to a halt and lift the gun I’d taken from a soldier. I aim it straight at the core of the object.

As I approach, I see the remaining soldiers standing near it scatter in all directions.

I fire, then turn and hurtle back to the others. My wings stretch out, ready to shield Adena and Talin’s mother where they stand. Nearby, Jeran sees my move and throws himself flat to the ground. “Aramin!” he screams out.

The word is cut off by the blast that follows.

The explosion rocks the ground.

The heat of the flame is so hot that it looks white.

I feel it scorch my back and throw me forward. My wings bend from the force of it, and I shriek in agony as the pain lances through my entire body. I hit the ground and tumble over and over again. The world spins all around me, a blur of orange and white and blue fire. I force myself back onto my feet, then throw my wings open as far as I can and shield the crouched figures of Adena and Talin’s mother.

Rubble hits my back, tearing against my body. Everything blurs around me. The pain sears me, white-hot, and I think for sure that my back must be on fire. I squeeze my eyes shut and scream. I’m going to die.