I never thought the sky could be so beautiful on the day the world ended. The familiar blue had long since vanished, replaced by streaks of silver and violet that bled into each other like the brushstrokes of some alien painter. The motherships, massive and silent, hung like gods in the heavens, their shadows crawling over the ruined city below.
I stood on the roof of an abandoned bookstore, my arms wrapped tightly around my slender frame. The cold air bit at my cheeks, carrying the metallic hum of alien drones sweeping the streets below. My brown hair, usually a mess of waves, was pulled back in a loose ponytail, a futile attempt to keep it out of my face. My clothes, a simple dark jacket and worn jeans, were more for function than fashion, blending me into the urban wreckage.
"Maria."
The sound of my name made me spin around, my heart leaping into my throat.
Eli stood there—tall, lean, and unmistakably not human. His figure was like a shadow against the dying light, a branch that had been thrust vertically into the ground. His skin caught the faint light with a subtle silver glow, and his molten-gold eyes fixed on me as if I were the only thing in this fractured world worth looking at.
"You shouldn't be here," I said quickly, glancing toward the sky. "If they see you with me—"
"They won't." His voice was calm, steady, and far too certain. He took a step closer, his boots crunching against the gravel. "I came to warn you. The harvesters are moving to Sector Twelve tonight."
My stomach knotted. "Sector Twelve?"
He nodded. "You need to leave before sundown."
"That's where my sister is hiding," I whispered, a desperate plea in my voice.
"I know," he said softly. "That's why I'm here."
My eyes narrowed. "You know? How long have you been following me?"
Eli's gaze didn't waver. "Long enough to know you'd try to save her… even if it kills you."
I took a step back, my pulse racing. "And why do you care? You're one of them, aren't you?"
Something flickered in his expression—guilt, maybe. "Not like the others." He hesitated, then added, "I can get you to her. But you'll have to trust me."
I let out a sharp laugh that sounded more like a breathless gasp. "Trust you? You invaded my planet."
"I didn't choose this war," he said quietly. "But I can choose what I do now."
We stared at each other for a long moment, the cold wind cutting between us. Somewhere above, the mothership's engines rumbled, a deep vibration I felt in my bones.
"I don't trust you," I whispered. "Not yet."
His lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. "That's fine. Just walk with me anyway."
And for reasons I couldn't explain—reasons I didn't want to explain—I did.