Kris:

  She’d never felt so strong—so in tune. Her body, or the game, or maybe the whole world around her? All of it felt perfectly in sync.

  Something had happened before the match began. A sort of thrumming in the air that only she seemed to react to. Kris had felt energized by the shift. For some reason, nobody seemed to even bat an eye at the feat of incredible acrobatics she had pulled off. The mid-air spin that had scored the first point had been an unusually smooth motion.

  And the strangest part was how the pain in her thumb was gone. She hadn’t trusted it. Kris would never take a moment of feeling better as a sign she should take risks during an entertainment match. Despite her hesitation—even having given up the first serve out of fear for her injury—she was growing steadily convinced that her thumb had somehow healed in the moments prior to the match.

  She needed to confirm it.

  The next point, she paced herself. She didn’t do any flashy moves or anything that would burn her energy too fast. Then, when pressured, she let Cleo score a point.

  It became her serve.

  Kris closed her eyes, focused on the injury, and felt for any discomfort or pain.

  Nothing.

  Emboldened, she hefted the ball and put a spin on the serve. The moment it hit the field around her glove, the momentum carried over and Kris whipped her hand into a corkscrew motion focused on the wrist. In that movement, she hooked the curving sphere so fast that it rocketed away from her grip.

  She braced for the pain to kick in.

  Still nothing.

  A moment later, a stunned Cleo was looking behind himself. Where the ball had already settled onto the ground after scoring the point against him.

  “Point—Krissanine. 2 to 1.”

  From then onwards, she must’ve resembled a monster. Her pivots felt more firm, her gestures sharply meeting her will with barely a conscious thought. She almost felt like a stranger in her own body. On top of her having skimped on practice while Mari was in her coma, it made no sense at all.

  “What in all the stars is going on?” She muttered under her breath as her chest rose and fell in exhilaration, sitting down during the half-time break of the match. She cast her eyes up at Mari, sitting nearby next to her mother. Her heart quivered at the sight of the girl she loved smiling warmly and cheering her on. That was what felt different. She was on cloud nine over Mari.

  This must be another reason why Kilthien retired from the field around this age. If they all feel so alive from making this connection, it’s no wonder why they’d be taken off the games.

  The score was in her favor at five to two. She hadn’t even really had to pace herself, either. She just felt good.

  Meanwhile, her mother was giving her suspicious looks. After taking a moment to get her feelings under control, she rose and approached the pair.

  “Having fun?” Kris couldn’t help but ask Mari about that, since her lover had never really been able to follow the intensity of a Magball match before.

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  “Yeah, I really am. Cool move for that first point. Been practicing?”

  “Not really,” she admitted, “I’ve been in your hospital room quite a bit for the past two months, actually. I’m not totally sure what’s going on, but I felt this warm energy at the start of the match, and now I feel lighter than air. Mother, is that normal for Kilthien in my situation?”

  Karin clearly sank into thought, not responding for a few moments. “I did not have anything this extreme. There is a warmth that comes from a partnership, but that is all.”

  “Then what’s going on? I should be out of practice. If this is what taking a break does, I should’ve taken more of them.” Kris’ chuckle was interrupted by a few others trying to approach to speak to her.

  Mari rose from her seat. “We can think about it later. Get ready for the last five points.” Then she turned towards the approaching classmates-turned-spectators and intercepted them. “Not right now, alright? Kris needs to get ready for the second half. I’m sure she’ll find time to chat later.”

  How thoughtful of her. Since when was she so perceptive?

  “Who asked you, hu—” the one at the head of the group stopped mid-sentence and paled.

  When Kris turned around, she saw her mother glaring balefully at the four people who’d gathered. “I am certain I was not about to hear any racial slander out of your mouths, right? Especially not from those who got to live their lives without the oppression of such remarks being aimed at them in return.”

  The air turned practically frosty under her unwavering displeasure.

  “O—of course not, Councillor Karin.” The foursome bowed slightly, but the leader of the group glared at Mari hatefully.

  I bet they’ll stir up trouble for her later. Assuming I don’t get to them first.

  “Please, before there is any lingering animosity, allow me to clarify.” Mari didn’t leave things at Karin’s implied threat. It was a major departure from the usual script. “I’m not responsible for any of the suffering of you or your parents. I was nothing but a cruel experimental test subject to the Sylpharians. The person they cloned me from wasn’t from this planet at all, and that’s why I grew up so weak and frail. My homeworld had less potent gravity. I hope this is enough that your anger doesn’t need to be wasted on me.”

  Somehow, with Karin in the background nodding along silently, none of the four looked angry. Each of them just looked shocked or confused.

  “That is true. Assumptions about her origins have done more than enough damage to her. There is no need for you all to take things any further.” Karin supplied the final words before waving them all off.

  Mari settled back into her seat. “Thank you, I appreciate your lending credibility to my statement. I’m sick of being treated like I’m the one who personally killed their parents or something.”

  “It was always going to be best for you to stand up for yourself.”

  Kris just worked her jaw in amazement at the pair. “Seriously, since when were you both so close?”

  “Actually, it’s a bit nice to have a mother.” Mari shrugged off the question like it was nothing. Kris shook her head incredulously, turning back towards the match, working her arms in small circles to keep loose.

  Then, the chirps of incoming emergency alerts rang from several bracelets and watches among the seated spectators. Notably, every recipient was an official that worked in The Citadel.

  “Alert. Security breach at the Citadel. This is an all-call warning. An attack has been launched by unknown insurgents.” The warning system rang out in Alynne’s voice from the Citadel-issued bracelet around Karin’s wrist.

  Almost lazily, Kris’ mother rolled her eyes and stood.

  “Attention, everyone. I need all non-combat individuals to get to safety. There are several safehouses in and around the school building. Go to them in groups, divide yourselves into squads and escort the children.” Karin then turned towards Mari. “Well, Captain, what do you plan to do?”

  Kris froze as she watched Mari settle her eyes on her.

  How did I miss how beautiful she looks today?

  “I’ll stick with Kris, no matter what she decides to do. Kris?”

  Their eyes fell on her as the bustle of spectators headed towards the school entrance to take shelter.

  “Mari’s gear is in the lab. We can’t let anyone near my research, either. Can we make it there?”

  “I can do that much.”

  “Then, we fight.” Kris’ words were filled with conviction.

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