After Dawn (Book 3 of the Into the Shadows Trilogy) by Karly Kirkpatrick Read Free Book Online

hidden from the world.
    But she would not go quietly into the night and neither would they.
    The ATC guards made the rounds. They muttered as they checked numbers against those on their tablets. While they shuffled through the rows, the PA system squealed to life, the feedback echoing through the courtyard. Paivi winced at the sound, but was too focused at pushing the energy through her body to every edge. Her skin vibrated with it, and she only hoped she wasn't glowing gold like the sun.
    "EOS prisoners, barracks one through five are to report to the new showers at the edge of camp at the conclusion of the workday. You will be testing out the new shower facilities. We hope to have these up and running to help contain the bacteria and lice that have invaded the camp. Meet there directly after work hours. You will receive your dinner after the showers." The ATC agent's gravelly voice rang out from the speakers.
    Rage surged through Paivi.  
    His lies echoed through the courtyard.
    There would be no dinner for barracks one through five. There would be no future for them.
    Paivi directed her rage through her feet and into the ground.
    The earth rumbled. EOS prisoners around her grabbed each other, startled. The ATC agents held their arms out, trying to steady themselves. One near Paivi dropped his tablet and scrambled to retrieve it from the ground.
    Paivi sent another wave of energy into the ground, this time with more force. The ATC agents around the perimeter of the courtyard scrambled toward the giant gate that led out into the desert. They held their guns at the ready and trained them on the rows of EOS prisoners.
    The earth rocked around them. The guard towers swayed dangerously above them. The frightened ATC guards posted high above tried to hold their positions as the bases of the towers shattered under the violent shaking. There were screams from the crowd, from the EOS prisoners and ATC guards alike, as the towers crumbled with a roar. The ATC guards were thrown from the towers and tumbled to the ground. For a moment the entire courtyard disappeared in a cloud of dust.
    It gave Paivi an idea. She pushed a few words out into the heads around her. She wasn't sure how many people she could reach, but she hoped at least some of them. She could use their energy. Her body was beginning to shake and she didn't want to lose the momentum. This was their chance.
    She watched as the people around her grabbed hands, heeding the words she sent through the air. She grabbed the arm of the girl next to her.
    "Put your hand on my shoulder!" Paivi shouted at the dumbstruck man next to her.
    He obeyed.
    The EOS prisoners hadn't dared move in the chaos. Through the dust, Paivi could hear the confused shouts of the ATC agents.
    Paivi felt the heat of the energy racing through her. It was different than her own. She could sense the essences of the souls around her vibrating under her skin. Through the cloud of dust, the rays of golden light that poured out of her skin nearly blinded her. Good thing she had the haze around her to shield it.
    She sucked in a deep breath of dust and dirt, and coughed loudly, but forced herself to focus the energy above her head, raising it up to the heavens like a column of molten sunshine. She did her best to visualize the edge of the lines of EOS prisoners. She hoped none had moved outside of the image in her mind, but she had no choice. The energy must be released.
    The energy sucked in around them, pushing the EOS prisoners tight around Paivi before exploding outward from the crowd.
    Screams were muffled by the dust and dirt, but made it to Paivi's ears all the same. Nearby, she could hear the deafening sound of buildings disintegrating. Wood cracked and snapped like brittle bones. Windows shattered and bits of glass flew into the air.
    And then, there was silence.

Chapter 8
     
     
     
    The large group huddled around her. Some of the EOS prisoners sobbed softly, others shook. Paivi could feel the