The Starlight Lancer

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Black Tower's Peak

"You wanted a building that stood higher than the clouds. You never considered what would happen if it fell."

—Azdrogaw the Builder, to the Prince of Parason

The bike lurched forward—the three wheels all turned at the same time, and they whipped around toward the exit. Reida ducked down as they darted through the system of back alleys. They came to what appeared to be a dead end—Reida maintained speed while closing in on a concrete wall. Zaina shouted—at the last second they swerved, pulling out into the main road.

Reida sharply turned the bike's steering bars, barely dodging another grounded vehicle on seven wheels. All Zaina could do was hold on for dear life as Reida weaved in and out of traffic with reckless abandon, her hair whipping onto Zaina's face.

Mercifully, their ride came to an end on the main road. Reida stepped off and helped Zaina, who was shaking, to dismount and stand. The noise was amplified here, as was the size of the crowd surrounding them.

"I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you drive like you're trying to kill someone," Zaina said in a shaky voice.

"I only hear it from the ones that survive." Reida winked. "Come on, let's go."

"Where are we going now?"

"To the highest point in Otmonzas," Reida said. "Agrilan Tower."

"What—why?"

"I'll explain on the way. Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time. Come on, let's get going."

Reida walked into the ground-floor door of a nearby skyscraper. For a second, Zaina lingered behind, turning back—there, in the not-so-far distance, was Bilvane's black tower, looming over almost everything. Both buildings extended into the foggy layer of the sky.

"Hey!" Reida called out from inside. "Come on! We are on a schedule, you know."

Zaina hurried inside. The first floor was devoid of people; with all the desks, glass panes, and seating, she guessed it was some sort of reception area. Reida darted toward the elevator in the back, a black capsule in a sleek, white tube.

"What is this place?" Zaina asked as she stepped into the elevator.

Reida pushed a button and said, "It used to be the headquarters of one of Bilvane's rivals. Now it's rented out for office space by Bilvane—but the rooftop is usually used for parties. That's where we're headed."

"To a party?"

"That's right. So be on your manners."

The door closed, and without a moment's delay, the capsule rocketed upward—Zaina's knees almost buckled, but she kept her legs under her.

Most of the elevator's tube system was hyper-glass, giving an excellent view of the city's infinite lights stretching out, growing smaller and smaller as they ascended. The gray smog clouded their view for a few seconds, but then they emerged above it, and it was unlike anything Zaina had ever seen. Her jaw dropped. There above the clouds were only two peaks—theirs and the black monolith. None of the light or noise from below was present. For the first time since she'd gotten here, Otmonzas was quiet. Here above the world she felt like she could pluck a star right out of the night sky.

The capsule came to a stop and popped open. Zaina's eardrums nearly exploded as bass-boosted music blared into her ears, and she closed her eyes to keep strobe lights from flashing in them. This wasn't like any party she'd ever been to—not that she'd been to many.