The Diatous Wars 1: Rebel Wing Read Free Page B

Atalanta is strong indeed.”
    Aris wished the Ward had sounded more confident when he’d said
strong
.
    Applause filled the pause as he drew breath. “To all of those brave young men who wish to volunteer for Military sector, you have my respect and thanks. We need your strength, your heart, and your perseverance to overcome the challenges of this difficult time.”
    A shiver shook Aris. Even Calix’s arm around her couldn’t protect her from the chill of Ward Nekos’s words.
    He ended his speech with a smile. “I offer you my congratulations on this important day. Blessings and best wishes.”
    The vid went black and the room filled with more applause as the curtains opened, spilling sunlight across the people packed into the room. In the center, those participating in the ceremony milled in small, tight groups, whispering and laughing with their friends. Their families sat on long benches at the back of the room, colorful in their best clothes.
    And below the giant vid screen, officials stood behind five tables, one for each sector. In a matter of seconds, the vid would brighten once again, with a listing of all the students graduating and the sectors for which they’d been selected. Then they would all line up to receive their sector-specific brands—a key for Technology, a twisted green vine for Environment, two stylized wings for Health, a blue barcode for Commerce, and that harsh black rectangle for Military.
    Aris turned to Calix and wrapped her hands around his waist. “Your father’s friend,” she said, “the one who works for the Council. He said you’d be selected for Health, right?”
    “Right.” Calix dipped to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “There’s no need to worry. I’ll join the Health sector, and tonight we’ll Promise. This is it. This is when it all begins.” No fear clouded his gaze. He smiled down at her, confident that their lives would proceed as planned.
    She tightened her arms around him, pressing closer, as if this one embrace could somehow cleave them to their hopes, to each other, and bind them to the path of their shared future.
    But her hands kept shaking.
Oh holy, please let Theo be wrong.
    A hush fell as the massive screen blinked white. Aris’s throat closed. When the names appeared, she didn’t waste time looking for hers. Her eyes darted across the letters, all meaningless, until she saw it.
    Calix Pavlos.
    And there, beside his name . . .
    Military.
    Her legs wobbled and her vision blurred with tears.
No.

Chapter 4
    Despite the war, the World Council was held in Atlanta as planned. Panthea’s soaring, needle-thin glass capitol building gleamed in all the news vids, as reporters and the people of Atalanta speculated on whether this year’s Council would put an end to the conflict with Safara. No one was allowed in the building, no vids were released from within the opulent Council chambers, just terse statements read by Panthea’s mayor. This was protocol to protect the political process.
    It was also to hide the fact that this year, the Council was not held in the capitol building, but deep below it.
    Seated at a round table in the firebomb-resistant room, Galena Vadim remained quiet as the four other Wards argued. Their voices fought like an angry flock of birds above the woodpecker tapping of the mediator’s gavel.
    Besides Galena, the only other woman in attendance was Sera, the Ward of Castalia. Thick gray hair was piled atop her head, bound with heavy gold ropes in the traditional Castalian style. Her cobalt and cream robes were bleached pale by the bright solar light that illuminated the room.
    “While I sympathize with the plight of Atalanta,” she was saying, “Castalia has traded peacefully with Safara since before Ward Balias was elected. In good faith, I can’t support a move that would jeopardize the mutually beneficial relationship that exists between our dominions.”
    “And you’re up for election this year, are you not?” Hal,