Starlight (Book 1)

16: Never Mind, I Still Hate the Mall

It all happened before I could react. Diamond grabbed me and practically tossed me underneath her shoulder. It was great to see Aunt Nia again, but I hadn't exactly thought it would be like this.

Diamond's boots slammed against the glass beneath her feet. I was holding my breath, trying to quell the sickness rising in my throat.

The roof of houses flattened underneath me, extending far below where I could see. I kept my hand balled into Diamond's pants, hoping that her grip wouldn't slip.

"Where are we going?" I questioned nervously, watching the city whirl past my nose as Diamond's steps increased in speed until she was bent double from running.

"Almighty's orders," replied Diamond breathlessly, hoisting me up by the chest. The path made of glass forged ahead of us, building itself up as she went. "This is a dangerous time, and he doesn't want you anywhere near it."

My stomach began to backflip, and I tried to avert my eyes away from the cityscape below. The wind whistled in my ears. I was getting tired of being treated like a child, especially when I knew I could help. On the other hand, at least I didn't have to come up with an excuse to leave the mall early.

"You're not worried about all those people seeing you?"

"Not really," Diamond admitted, hopping off her glass path for a moment to the roof of another building. Her boots rapped against the grille as she leaped to the next roof and carried on. "Why the hell do none of these places have workable fire exits!"

We'd reached what I knew was the center of the city: I could see the tallest building, the Capitol Building, jutting out from all the rest of the competition edging around it. There was a door there, that I could see, so Diamond deposited me down there.

"Just stay here," she said, speaking so quickly that I could tell she was rushing to get back to wherever Orion was. "I'll be right back, I promise."

She was gone before I could reply, but I figured I could easily head towards the door and make my way down to the road again. I walked the length of the building, idly thinking about how Orion had jumped from this same height many years ago, and pulled on the exit door.

It didn't budge. I tugged a second time, putting a bit more effort into it, but still nothing happened. Of course it would be locked from the outside; that was just my luck.

I resigned to my fate, waiting for Diamond. Be right back...

"Where do you think you're going?" a voice taunted from behind my back.

I didn't want to admit it, but I recognized that voice. Slowly turning around, all the courage pounding through my veins drained away as I was met with the face of Phantom Shadow.

Great. I realized I'd never seen him this close unless you counted the posters on Jax's bedroom wall. I stumbled, my back hitting the exit door as I tried to escape. With nowhere to go, he'd trapped me until Diamond returned.

"Figured it out, have you?" he said calmly, sweeping his hands out to his sides. "That little sidekick cretin led me right to you. I can't imagine ever being that stupid. Well, it'll be easier for me to take control of this city by force, once that old geezer is gone."

Anger flared up in me as his words drove the knife deeper into my chest. "Oh, Orion is coming," I said, trying mighty hard to keep my voice from betraying the confidence I didn't have. "You bet your ass he's coming. If you even think of touching me, he will flatten you."