“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
-T.S. Eliot
SynopsisThe Outers.
They've always been there, hiding in the shadows. Lurking about behind a mask of darkness. Waiting. Some say they're mutations. Some say they possess magical powers. Everyone wants them gone. Seventeen-year-old Sidara is part of an elite group of soldiers, who call themselves The Venators. Dedicated to the protection of an underground city, New Southampton, they patrol the dark passageways of the Cavern. When tensions rise between The Venators and the Outers, things turn violent. But when Sidara comes face to face with them, she gets more than she bargained for. The Outers hold many secrets. Sidara discovers a past long forgotten, and a present some people would rather she forget. |
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PrologueWe stand back to back. I can feel his heavy breathing as he takes in the scene before us. Eight of them, two of us. Him with his gun and me with my bow.
We don’t stand a chance. I feel him shift behind me and I throw back a glance. His eyes are locked on a point in the distance. I don’t have to look to know exactly what he is staring at. His eyes sweep across the rest of the barren landscape. The charred trees, their bark a dull gray mirroring the sky above. They lay in heaps on the brown earth. Where houses once stood, lay piles of rubble, the embers glowing faintly. They slowly burn everything away. His eyes finally find mine, and for a moment everything is peaceful as we gaze at each other. Each of us trying to hide the pain that we feel from the other. His eyes, deep blue, remind me of the clear sky I still long to see. They pull me in and immerse me in warmth and happiness. They put out the fire burning in my veins. But the moment is broken. There’s a flash my right, one of the men has taken a step towards us. I disengage from his gaze and whip my attention back to the men surrounding us. I pull my bow string back and hear the familiar sound of the rough cord as it stretches over my fingers. I can’t help it as the corners of my mouth turn up into a sly grin. If we’re going out, we’re going out with style. I take aim, my gaze sweeping around the circle. I lock onto the man who moved. My eyes narrow and I can feel my heartbeat quicken as he grins back at me, his yellow teeth jagged and uneven. I've never killed anyone before. But this is different. These aren’t people. These are bloodthirsty animals sent to kill me. To kill us. “Ready?” I hear him breathe behind me. I can detect the smallest undertone of fear gnawing at his voice. The edges beginning to fray. “Ready,” I say, trying to keep my voice even. My hands are shaking. I tighten my grip on my bow and take a deep breath, the smoky air filling my lungs. This is not at all how I imagined it would be. After all we’ve been through. Everything that we have done to get away from them. To avoid their all seeing eyes, they have still found us. It is all going to coming to an end right now. He presses his back into mine and I can feel the heat radiating out of him, coming off in waves. “Stay close,” he says, his voice now clear and strong. “Always.” And I let the first arrow fly. |