Apolonia

“Ask him. Ask Hamech if I overheat the canister’s core to destroy the warehouse, will he spare Earth?”

Cy shook his head. “No. You wouldn’t be able to get out in time, Rory.”

I offered a small smile. “I’ve told you…I can’t die.”

Apolonia’s eyes lit up, and she spoke to her father.

Cy became desperate. “No! Get in the ship, Rory. You’re coming with us.”

Hamech responded to his daughter.

“What’s he saying?” I yelled.

“No!” Cy screamed back. “Apolonia, no!”

Apolonia let go of her father and walked over to me, cupping my shoulders with her elegant long fingers. “Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked.

“Apolonia, no,” Cy said, his voice low and stern.

“I’m sure,” I said without hesitation.

Apolonia turned to her father, speaking the beautiful words I had fallen in love with, just as I had fallen in love with Cy and even Apolonia.

Hamech looked toward the edge of the roof just above the courtyard from where the shrieking could be heard, even louder than the roaring flames that were now a hundred or so yards away. Then, his eyes settled on me, a fatherly look of pride on his face.

He nodded.

“No!” Cy yelled. He reached for me, but Hamech’s guards held him back.

Apolonia picked up the canister, manipulated its insides with little effort, and then handed it to me. “I see now why he feels so fond of you. It’s been an honor, Rory.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek.

“Rory, no!” Cy said, his voice breaking.

“Would you give him a lift?” I asked Apolonia, gesturing to Benji. “I know he didn’t want to take him back to Yun. But just take him far enough away to keep him safe.”

Apolonia nodded to her father’s men. Just before they grabbed Benji, he pulled the canister from my hands and then shoved me into the arms of one of the soldiers.

“What are you doing?” I said, watching him pull his gun on the Amun-Gereb. The soldiers immediately pulled their weapons. “Benji!” I screamed, struggling in vain against the man holding me.

Benji smiled at me with so much love in his eyes that it made me choke back tears. “You were right, Rory,” he said. “You can’t die because I won’t let you.”

He turned on his heels and ran for the elevator that led downstairs.

“Benji!” I screamed so loud that my voice broke. “You promised you’d never leave me!”

Benji paused for just a moment, waiting for the elevator. He looked at me one last time and then stepped in. The doors closed in front of him.

Hamech gave an order, and the soldiers followed his daughter and her betrothed back to the ship, pulling me along with them.

“Benji!” I sobbed, fighting with every last bit of strength I had.

At the edge of the open door, the ship moved away from the warehouse and then sped off, quickly leaving it behind. The cold wind whipped around us, but I couldn’t feel it. I wasn’t sure I could feel anything. Within moments, the structure was engulfed in a huge ball of fire, dwarfing the inferno that was Helena.

The soldier finally let me pull away, and I fell to my knees. The ship slowed and then came to a stop, maybe ten miles from where the warehouse once stood.

Apolonia kneeled beside me, holding me, as we watched the warehouse burn.

“He died an honorable death,” Apolonia said, touching her cheek to mine. “You were lucky to have him in your life.”

I wiped my cheek. It felt gritty and cold. “He was the one I needed,” I whispered. My lip quivered. “I should have known I would lose him.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

HAMECH’S SHIP LOWERED just a few feet above a field, and I walked off the bridge to the grass below. A few days ago, my days consisted of being a bitchy, self-absorbed college student whose worst problem was an overenthusiastic admirer. Now, more alone than ever, I was left mourning that boy. The one who I had once foolishly wished would leave me alone…had.

Apolonia hugged me and returned to her father’s ship.

Cy stayed behind. “I know it’s not enough, but I’m so sorry, Rory. You’ve had to give up too much.”

I stared at the fire and then looked to Cy. I offered a half smile. His gold eyes narrowed as he smiled back.

“Thank you for everything,” I said, hugging him.

He hugged me back, kissing my hair. “You must know that they’ll be checking back here for the parasite. If they detect it—”

“They’ll blow us out of the sky? Now that I’m not sure I can survive.”

Cy touched my cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll come get you first.”

“Good-bye, Cyrus.”

“Actually, if you’re going to embarrass me with my full name, it’s Osiris.”

I nodded. “Egyptian god. Dr. Z would have loved that.”

Cy’s face compressed. “You wouldn’t give up two years ago, Rory. So, you can’t now.”

I lifted my chin, knowing why he was worried. He was leaving, and everyone else I cared about was dead. Everyone. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I think someone up there enjoys watching me suffer.”

“You can still come with us.”

I shook my head. “I have to make sure people know what Benji and Dr. Z did here. How many people they saved.”

Cy nodded. “Good-bye then. I will miss you terribly, Rory Riorden. You are my favorite human.”

“You’re my favorite Egyptian.”

He hugged me once more and then returned to Hamech’s ship. He watched me as the vessel rose, and the door shut. Then, they were gone.

By the time I reached the first pieces of smoking debris, the morning sun was high in the sky.

The gel fire from Hamech’s warship had burnt itself out the moment they left, not scorching even a single blade of grass outside its existing area. But the main pile of warehouse rubble was still burning in some places.

I sat on a large piece of concrete about twenty feet from where the warehouse once stood, touching my fingers to my hands. Dr. Z was gone. Benji was gone. It was one thing to say I wouldn’t give up, but at the moment, I was likely the only living person left in Helena. The sole survivor. Again.

I stepped over body parts and wreckage, half-hoping and half-dreading that I’d come across Benji’s body, wondering if I would be able to recognize him if I did.

“Don’t cry,” I said to myself. “Don’t you f**king cry,” I said, sniffing anyway.