Free Burning Stone by Viola Grace

Chapter One
     
     
    The sky was falling and Leyhara had a decision to make. Either she could pretend to be one of the screaming citizens, or she could step up and believe the vid that said talents would no longer be prosecuted.
    While everyone ran away from the dropping ships, Leyhara moved forward to cut them off. When they dared to land on Resicor, she melted their landing gear and turned the ground around their ships into a hot plate with a molten surface.
    Leyhara watched her clothing smoke as her skin heated up with the energy she was putting out. With her concentration on keeping the incursion at bay, she kept the invaders in their ships until she felt folk join her.
    A quick glance showed her that they were citizens in normal clothing. A woman with her hair tied up in a scarf smiled and nodded. “Relax, miss. We have this. You have done enough.”
    Leyhara knelt as ice cooled the ground and the talents of Resicor joined her in defense of their home. It was the first time she had seen this variety of talents out in public. From what history class had taught her, it was the first time anyone had seen it.
    The men who surged out of the ships were large, armed and some had talents of their own. It didn’t matter. They were facing people who were risking their lives for their families. Each time one of the invaders touched ground, he was sent flying and the rest of the talents moved in.
    When other ships arrived, they didn’t land. They hovered and broadcast a message of assistance and friendship. Leyhara got to her feet and pointed to a spot where they could set down.
    Three ships set side by side in a tight formation. The folk who exited the ship were wearing brightly coloured and tightly fitting uniforms, some wore robes and none were armed.
    Leyhara walked over to them, and she stood facing them, ready to melt their feet into the stone if they so much as twitched the wrong way. “Who are you and why are you here?”
    A woman came forward with pale blue hair and a uniform that was terribly familiar.
    “Kiiki?”
    The woman grinned and came forward for a hug. “Hello, Leyhara. They have tried to put one of us on every arrival team to ease things a little. You have done well. We had no idea this pocket had managed to land until someone picked up the psychic energy you are throwing around. We are here to help. Will you let us?”
    She swallowed and hugged her childhood friend. “You can help, but who are you? I mean what are these uniforms, these ships?”
    “This is an offering of the Sector Guard and the Citadel. We study and train for events like today, and I have to say, I am delighted that I made it.”
    Leyhara had been one year behind Kiiki in school, but when she was arrested and thrown in the dome, it had been traumatic for all young talents. Leyhara and others had frantically found ways to control their talents to hide them from discovery. By practising where no one could see her, she had mastered her ability to superheat a surface.
    Her parents’ work in geology had been the perfect cover, as their work took them to volcanic disturbances around the globe.
    “Go do what you have been waiting to do, Kiiki. We will make sure that no one enters the city.”
    Kiiki and three others took flight.
    Leyhara beckoned for the local talents to retreat, and they watched the professionals in armoured suits race into the ships and take care of stragglers. For her first day as an outed talent, she thought things had gone pretty well.
     
    Six days later, she joined a group of Resicor talents who were being shipped to Citadel Iskan. Leyhara was allowed to stay awake and alert for the trip but the others were sedated for the journey.
    The Guardsman named Tend was behind the controls, and his partner, Thunder Struck, was next to him.
    Once they lifted off and Resicor was shrinking behind them, Thunder Struck got to her feet and beckoned to Leyhara.
    “Come on, you look like you can use some tea.”
    Leyhara unbuckled her