Soon enough, Quintus had clambered up the rusting crosshatch of iron and tied knots between the great hinges and the gate itself. It was enough to keep the gate upright, without their holding it in place.

“Right,” Cade announced as the group cheered and panted. “Now for the next one.”

CHAPTER

10

They had done what they could. With both gates up and tied together with threadbare ropes, it at least gave the impression of a secure gateway. As soon as the new arrivals came close, they would see it could be broken through with hardly more than a solid push.

In fact, the gates would not even entirely close, for in their haste, they were at angles to each other and could not be shifted in the sand. A man could walk between them if he turned sideways.

Still, it put Cade’s mind at ease as they geared up for war, having dragged their sleds to the gatehouse interior. The others were ready before him—and they helped him put his armor on. It was dented and scratched from his battle with the alpha, and the helmet was in such a state that he left it aside. There would be time to try to bang it back into shape later, but for now he shuddered at the memory of the battle.

As they tugged straps and slotted armor into place, Cade was thinking ahead. There were a dozen ways to play this. But a single idea had formed in his mind, a memory of a story his father had told him. He could not shake it. As the last piece of armor was tightened, Cade turned to survey his troops.

They were a sorry sight. Bea and Trix still wore their school uniforms, though patchily repaired with sackcloth and stitching where the cloth had been torn or worn away. Yoshi wore his old blue uniform too.

Grace and the others were clad in their linen clothing from their time in New Rome’s arena, complete with the metal plates that came with it. Yet the cloth had become ingrained with dirt, blood, and grass stains in the months following the last round, which would not come out no matter how often they washed them.

“Now what?” the others panted, weapons ready.

“I’m going out there, alone.”

“Are you kidding me?” Amber snapped.

“I’m the one wearing the armor—if they shoot an arrow, I might just survive it. And if I’m the only one they see, they might think everyone in here is just as well armed and move off.”

Amber muttered under her breath, but said nothing further.

Cade peered through the arrow slit. Now, he could see the approaching figures clearly, though he still couldn’t tell if they were human or alien.

“Bea, Trix, Yoshi. You go up the tower, and take our supplies with you. Stay hidden, but be ready to drop the stones if I call out.”

The trio nodded.

“The rest of you, I need you to dangle a rope from the gatehouse’s window down to the ground outside. Hold on to it, and if you feel me tug, haul me up as fast as you can.”