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Back The Infinity Courts Save as PDF
Chapters (52)
  1. Dedication
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  52. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

How could I possibly do that to my little sister? To her future?

My worries settle deep in my gut, with nowhere to go. It doesn’t feel right to burden anyone else with them, or to complain when they’ve all been here so much longer than I have. I’m not even sure they’d understand.

They’re Heroes, and I’m just… not. I don’t have superstrength, or invisibility cloaks, or the ability to create new weapons with my mind. Theo flung two vehicles out of the sky without even losing his breath, and Gil escaped from a literal war zone. The worst fight I’ve ever been in was a mild screaming match with Mei. I have no idea what it’s like to throw a punch—or worse, take one. And I’m certainly not ready to venture deeper into Victory with nothing but a mask I don’t know how to control.

The others have survived this long because they’re powerful. They didn’t shy away from this world and what it offers. And I know if I want to stand a chance in Infinity, I have to find a way to become stronger too.

But if I’m forced to the front lines of a war I don’t fully believe in, I’m worried a part of my soul will die in the process. I’ll become someone I never wanted to be. And I don’t see how that’s surviving either.

It’s an impossible choice. Whether I sacrifice my beliefs or the fate of the Colony, the only way I survive any of this is in pieces. I can’t have it all. I can’t help the Colony, and protect Mei, and save my soul.

In the end, I’m going to have to give something up.

I’m just not sure I’m ready to choose.

I shut my eyes and hope it will keep the tears from falling, but they come anyway, like they’re on a mission of their own. It’s a long time before I move. But when the fog in my head starts to clear, I take a deep breath and wipe my eyes with the back of my sleeve.

It isn’t in my nature to hurt anyone. That single truth radiates through my very core. But I want Mei to have an afterlife, and a future.

I want to be strong enough to survive this world.

Infinity moves too fast for me to keep standing still. I need to take a step forward and make a choice—even if it’s only a small one.

I need to dampen my fear and harden my heart.

Because if I let this place break me, I’m not sure I’ll be able to put myself back together again.

15

I TELL ANNIKA I WANT to learn how to defend myself. That I want to learn how to fight.