Free Darkness Falling: Soldiers and Slaves by R. R. Willica Page B

She closed her hand over the light and it vanished.
    “But,” she added, feeling mischievous, “I can now use it to do this.”
    She waved her hand, palm out, and shot a blast across the room. It exploded and lit a small fire in the dust, which burned away almost instantly.
    “I learned that from your gun,” she smirked.
    “What?” Brosen shook his head.
    “White Energy; I understand how to form it and use it for more than just light and heat. I'm just too tired to do much with it right now.” She yawned, not wanting to tire herself too much.
    Sheyra hugged herself and took in a deep breath, “When you come in contact with energy you can learn from it?”
    Impyra nodded.
    “The Field Energy,” Brosen said thoughtfully.
    “I can make a shield, but I'll need to practice. I don't want to kill anyone the way the Field Energy does.” She frowned at the thought. At least, she didn't want to kill her allies.
    Brosen stood up to pace the floor.
    “How did you know you could survive the Field Energy?” Sheyra asked quietly.
    Impyra stared at her, wondering if it mattered what she told this stranger. “I didn't,” she admitted softly.
    Brosen stopped, his back to them. He turned slowly, deliberately, his blue eyes flaring intensely with the internal light of the Enforcers. “You weren't trying to escape.”
    Impyra lowered her head, her heart in her throat. “It's not easy,” she said, “living without hope.”
    There was a long silence between them. She wished she could sink into the shadows and disappear.
    “I know,” he acknowledged. “Why did you change your mind?”
    Impyra bit her bottom lip, unsure what she could tell him. She didn't remember anything between crashing through the window and waking up in Winifred's hospital.
    “I broke free, I guess,” she didn't know what else to say.
    Brosen searched her eyes before finally nodding, satisfied with her answer. “We need to get out of the Empire, off the continent at least,” he said.
    “Obviously,” Impyra snorted, glad the focus was shifted away from her own personal motives.
    “Or,” Sheyra said, “you could join the Resistance.”
    Impyra raised an eyebrow, curious.
    “Not me. It's pointless,” Brosen's voice edged on anger. “That's exactly what they are expecting us to do, and that's why they want us dead. Don't do it.”
    Impyra glared at him. “I can decide for myself.”
    “I know, but you haven't been outside of a Tower your whole life, trust me, you don't want to go from being a prisoner to joining an army.” Brosen cut his hand through the air, shaking his head.
    “How do you know what I want? Maybe joining the Resistance is exactly what I need to do.” Impyra stood up. He was taller than her but it made her feel more intimidating than sitting on the floor. “You don't know anything about me. And you're only here because Wini wanted you to come with me for some reason.”
    Brosen's thinned his eyes, his expression dark. “If it wasn't for my bike and my gun you'd still be in the city. Maybe you'd even be captured and back in Xander's lap.”
    Impyra felt her face grow hot with anger. “If it wasn't for my skills we'd have been blown to pieces by those helicopters!”
    “Hey,” Sheyra said, also standing. “Both of you need to calm down.”
    Brosen glared at them, running his hands through his hair. “I only helped you because you asked. I should have taken you to East Gate Hospital and been done with it.”
    He turned and stomped out into the growing darkness. The wind picked up, blowing cold damp air through the windows of the barn. Impyra felt a deeper chill than the wind pierce her heart as they watched him go.
    “It was only a suggestion.” Sheyra mumbled, sitting back down. “Do you want to join the Resistance with me?”
    Impyra sat down slowly. “I don't know. I want to find out more about myself first,” it was the only answer she could give.
    Sheyra didn't seem upset. Instead she handed Impyra the bag of