The silence that followed the end of the world was surprisingly peaceful.
There were no sirens. No synthesized Board announcements echoing from the street-level speakers. The deafening, mechanical roar of the Nullity Armada had been replaced by the gentle, unfamiliar sound of wind blowing through the shattered glass of the Citadel’s penthouse.
I lay on my back, staring up at the stars. They were so bright they almost hurt to look at. For twenty-four years, the sky above Coldwater had been a toxic ceiling of smog and neon light pollution. Now, it was a canvas of infinite, glittering possibilities.
A shadow leaned over me, blocking out the constellation of Orion.
Dax. His breathing was heavy, and a thin line of blood trickled from his hairline, tracing the edge of the scar on his jaw. Bu
