Julian Bless
Her simulated breaths stopped.
"What next?" This can't be. She can't die, not like this, not now, not after every she and Bless had gone through.
The color left her face, and she went limp in her arms.
"What can we do?" He hugged Citizen close, cradling her to his chest.
"She had no power," said Athan.
Julian looked into her face. She had sacrificed herself for Elysium, and for him. He wiped away a tear. "Call Zemira. Get her here right away. There has to be a way to fix her." He laid her body down.
No pulse. He listened for a heartbeat or respirations. Nothing. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Athan was comforting him.
The clank of Sid's metal nails approached, and he let out whine from his speaker.
"Look." Nox pointed to the skyline. All around the city, the refracted light of the top edge of the dome wall moved. The entire wall was coming down just as planned.
It was beautiful. Bless wished Citizen could have seen it.
He looked down at her again.