A hand grabbed my arm, pulling me forward, and I stumbled over what felt like a threshold suspended in midair. My feet found solid purchase, and then my body collided with another and we fell to the floor in a tangle.

I looked down at my reflection.

Two hands came up to pull off the visored helmet, and Blade grinned at me, tempestuous green eyes shining.

"Welcome to Rillingate."

Somewhere behind me something rustled. "I see you made it through."

I rolled over onto my back to see Aaliyah standing in front of a dark opening, and looked back at Blade.

"A conveyor?"

Her grin widened. "We have a number of them scattered throughout the city in various locations."

I nodded. "For emergencies, I'm sure."

"Of course."

"So our jaunt to the market was just to..."

"Get rid of your beacon, yes." Blade pushed herself up off the floor, extending a hand to me. "We had to throw off Janis' guard dogs before we brought you here."

I took her hand, pulling myself up. "Why?"

Her turbulent eyes searched my face, scrutinizing me for a moment. "To get you out, of course. That's what you were trying to do, yes? You weren't just going for a thrill ride in the canals?"

It wasn't just that they had rescued me that convinced me. It was recalling the look on Blade's face during the council session, and the way she had spoken to Rellic and Janis.

"Yes."

She nodded, her face softening a bit, as if I'd passed some critical test. "Good. Then we're on the same side, it would seem."

"Good thing," I half joked. I wouldn't want this girl as an adversary, that was for sure.

Her eyes flashed appreciatively. "Yes, it is."

Aaliyah brushed past us. "If you two are done, we should keep moving. The others will be wondering where we are."

Others?

I quirked an eyebrow at Blade, but she said nothing more as she motioned for me to follow Aaliyah.

If we were 'on the same side,' I could only assume I wasn't the only one trying to get outside of Selecon before Janis raised the shielding. I knew why I needed to get out. So the question was why did others want to? Did they know something about what was happening, or were there additional motives playing into things?

It was impossible to know.

All I could do for now was follow along and hope that whatever plan of escape Blade had it was better than mine, and that whoever else was in on it had reasons that wouldn't conflict with my own.

At least there was safety in numbers. If more than one councilor were arrested, it would be much harder for Janis to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why. It would also be more difficult to remove us. Already we were three.

Would there be more?

And if so, who?

On the other side of the room a door slid open, revealing a lift.

"All of our conveyors come to this room," Blade explained as we stepped into the small space, doors whooshing closed behind us.

She pressed the wall and a small panel opened with a soft click. Blade pressed one of the buttons and the lift began to move.

I turned to look at Aaliyah, who lifted her slender brows at my inquisitive glance.

"What was that you did to me back there, in the duracraft?"

"Soothing."

"Yes," I agreed, "but what was it? You healed my wounds."

She smiled, as though I were a small child. "It is called soothing. My ancestors call it 'suntalorn.' It means 'to soothe' or 'to aid.' It allows your body to heal itself, but at a faster rate than it could otherwise."

The lift brightened, the wall behind Blade replaced with glass as it moved above ground and through a chamber that was apparently situated on the outside of the building.

I was surprised at how exposed I felt.

"Should we hide?"

"Only you," Blade grinned wickedly. Then she snorted a chuckle and waved her hand. "I'm kidding. The glass is mirrored. One way. We can see out, but no one can see in."

I cocked my head. "Your family is very... prepared."

"Yes," she agreed, chin lifting proudly, "we are."

Around us, the city moved and went about its business as if nothing at all were amiss. Transports zipped past on various levels, going to work, or school, or whatever destination filled their day. They seemed oblivious to the shadow that covered several buildings and streets, thrown by one of the enormous hover-barge vessels drifting high above the city like a predator waiting patiently for its prey to come close enough.

I stretched my neck to look up at it, the breadth and width of it so great that it looked like an island suspended in the clouds. Only the maze of dark openings that I knew were weapons gave it away as anything more.

"Formidable, aren't they?" Blade's voice was respectful, possibly even a bit awed.

"Dangerous."

She nodded.

"The vessel they shot down..." I asked without asking.

"We were unaware of it," Aaliyah answered. "For all we know, it could have been renegades, as Janis proposed."

It was my turn to snort. "Not likely."

The lift slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open.

My eyes were drawn immediately to the three people waiting in the room beyond. They nodded as we exited the lift. One woman, a carbon copy of the woman beside me with her flaming red hair and eyes the color of a troubled sea, hurried forward. She had eyes only for her daughter.

"All went well?"

Blade nodded. "We left the guard with the duracraft."

"Excellent." The woman turned to me. "Welcome, Bana Riftkin." Her eyes were warm. "I knew your parents well. They are sorely missed."

"Thank you," I dipped my head in respect.

"Aaliyah." She gave a warm smile. "Your skills and aid are most appreciated."

"Freely given," Aaliyah responded with a nod of her own.

"This is my mother, Arrow Rillingate."

They were like mirror images, one a slightly older reflection of the other. Maturity had added grace in a way that left her still quite lovely for a woman with a grown daughter.

Arrow turned, motioning for us to come farther into the room, where plush couches waited. I sank gratefully into the pillowed softness before looking at the other two.

"D'hana Tor," I gave the woman a smile, "I am not surprised to find you here." I turned slightly. "But you I did not know to expect."

Thoris Gazen grinned, his braided beard rustling.

"What's a good adventure without a Dwarven, eh?"

I couldn't help but grin back at him. "And what is our adventure to be, exactly?"

"We're getting the blitz out of here," he said gruffly.

I let my eyes touch on each of the other faces, settling finally on Blade's.

"Yes," I said, "but how?"

Her brows quirked. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet?"

My silence was an answer.

"Think, Riftkin." Her eyes were like twin beams, boring into me. "How would our parents know each other?"

Our parents?

I glanced back at Arrow, but she sat calmly, hands folded in her lap.

"How might our houses be linked?"

I hadn't known they were. This was a day filled with surprises.

"What might your namesake mean that is of import to us?"

My namesake?

Then it struck me. She'd called me by my surname. Riftkin. A memory surfaced like a bit of debris in the turbulent water of my mind.

"Riftkin," my father's voice echoed, "became our name because of our unique skill."

I'd asked, but never found out what skill he referred to.

Now, the conversation replayed in my head with new meaning. There was a reason Blade had brought me here. The air and water were guarded, and definitely the ground. Probably even any underground tunnels that might exist, but there was one exit that they could not patrol. One way to travel that they could not guard.

"Figured it out, have you?" Blade's raging green eyes burned like twin lamps.

I heard the echo of her words from council.

"There are ways to ensure the safety of those who travel through."

She'd better be right about that. Otherwise, we would all wind up in the nethers. Regardless, a slow excitement began to build in my chest. I'd always wondered about it. What it was, how it worked... it seemed I would get my chance to find out.

"When?"

"As soon as you're ready."

"The sooner the better," Thoris added. "It's only a matter of time before Janis puts together the pieces."

My gaze never left Blade's face. I wondered if my eyes looked as feverish as hers. "Then let's go."

Blade's grin was feral.

"To the rift," she growled.