Chapter 25 · The Ash Marshal's Salute

The northern battery died with a sound like a mountain breaking.

White fire folded inward across the Seventh City's shield line. The cannon's barrel split into six glowing petals, then collapsed through the platform in a rain of molten metal. Shock waves punched through the command chamber. Kellan hit the deck shoulder-first, his breath leaving him in a hard, bruising cough.

For three seconds, there was no war.

Only the shriek of overloaded circuits. The smell of scorched copper. Sable Quinn's hand gripping the edge of the tactical table as the entire room tilted beneath them.

Then the city alarms began to scream.

"Report!" Brom Hark shouted.

He had one arm clamped against his ribs, blood darkening the torn fabric beneath his jacket. His face was gray with pain, but he stayed upright through sheer spite. The lower-deck mechanic glared at the tactical display as if he could intimidate it into giving better news.

A dozen red districts flickered across the map of Seventh City.

"Northern battery is gone," Sable said. Her voice was raw, but steady. "Shield integrity dropped to thirty-eight percent. Power routing is compensating. Civilian evacuation corridors remain open.