Novels by Deborah

The red numbers on the screen dropped to 02:59, and the silver tablet began to sizzle against the control desk."The magnetic lock is melting the ports," Amina said, her hands already moving across the backup wires beneath the console. She did not panic, but the tight lines around her mouth showed exactly how bad our situation was. "Tariq's father did not just start a timer. He sent a high-frequency pulse to destroy the core memory so nobody else can read the structural codes of the inner city."I threw my weight against the heavy steel security grille that had just blocked our only escape door. The thick metal bars did not even bend. My strength stat was high, but this bunker was built to withstand artillery strikes from the outer wars."Can you trace the pulse back to the central tower?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at her."I already did," Amina said, pulling a wire loose with a sharp snap. A spark bit her palm, but she did not blink. "But that does not help us if we are turne

The iron wolf lunged straight at Amina's throat.It did not make a sound as it leaped through the dark air, its heavy metal paws aiming to pin her to the dirt path. The green acid dripping from its metal teeth sizzled where it hit the wild grass. Amina did not freeze or fall backward. She pushed the silver master tablet behind her back with one hand while her other palm burst into a bright white ball of pure light magic.She thrust her glowing palm directly into the metal chest of the beast.The flash was blinding, sending a wave of hot light through the thick trees. The iron wolf let out a harsh mechanical click, its front legs buckling under the sudden force as it dropped back to the stone road. But the monster was a high-tier wild beast, far stronger than the low-level creatures inside the sector dungeon. The white light only scorched its outer shell, leaving its red optical eyes glowing brighter than before."Kofi, don't touch the mouth," Amina said, her voice fast and sharp as sh

Amina was running for her life because she chose to protect my home.The weight of Jalo’s words pressed flat against my chest as I stood in the smoking courtyard. She had fooled an A-rank commander using nothing but a stolen radio and a massive gamble. The high-ranking guilds in the inner city did not tolerate liars, especially not a light magic user kept as a prisoner for her power. If Tariq caught her with that stolen master key, he would not just lock her in a cage anymore. He would drain her completely."Kofi, leave me," Jalo said, his voice dropping to a rough scraping sound. He pushed my shoulder with his weak hand. "The neighbors are returning to put out the fires. The guards are gone. If you stay here, you waste the time she bought for you."I squeezed his hand once, picking up my dragon-scale blade from the dirt. "Take care of yourself, old man. I will bring her back."I turned toward the main road and ran.My agility stat was working at its peak, making the ruined buildings

Captain Vance did not move his sword. The yellow light from the blade cast long, dancing shadows over old man Jalo’s pale face."I will say it one more time, rat," Vance said, his face totally calm. "Drop the weapon and cross your wrists behind your back. If you take one step away from that old man, I will slide this blade through his chest."I looked down at Jalo, who was barely breathing. His hands were still clutching my ripped shirt, his fingers shaking against the fabric. If I dropped my sword, Vance would take me to Tariq, and we would both die anyway. If I fought him, Jalo might catch a stray blow from an A-rank warrior."Do not do it, Kofi," Jalo rasped, a fresh line of dark spit running down his chin. "Run. You have the bloodline now. You can survive outside the walls. Do not let them take it from you.""Shut up, old man," Vance said, stepping closer. The heavy gold plates of his armor clanked together. "Your life is worth less than the scrap metal you collect. Kofi, your thr

Running down the steep hill, I did not care about the sharp thorns tearing at my clothes. The only thing I could see was the bright orange fire consuming my neighborhood.Tariq was not waiting for me to come to the inner city. He brought the war straight to my doorstep.I hit the flat dirt road of Sector 4 at a full sprint. The air was thick with gray smoke and ash that made my eyes water. All around me, neighbors I had known for years were running in terror, carrying whatever small belongings they could lift. Behind them, guild soldiers in black leather armor walked casually, kicking down doors and throwing small fire glass spheres into the wooden houses.These fire glass spheres were cheap magic items used by high-ranking families to clear out old structures, but here, they were using them on living people."Find the scavenger's family!" a large soldier shouted, pointing a iron spear toward the end of the alley. "The Young Master wants them brought to the central square alive. The r

"You cannot bury a scavenger," I said into the radio.The speaker static-hissed as I squeezed the black plastic casing. Tariq did not reply. He cut the connection from his end, leaving me in the flashing red light of the emergency alarm. The heavy steel barrier had slammed completely flat against the stone floor, sealing the cave entrance with six inches of solid metal.I walked over to the barrier and pushed my hands against it.D-rank Iron Skin activated.My palms took on a dull, metallic sheen as I shoved the steel wall. I grunted, straining my back, but the barrier did not budge. The gate was connected to the core power grid of Sector 4. To open it, I would need a strength score over two hundred, or a high-grade plasma explosive."Great," I spoke to the empty room. "Burying me alive is your best trick."The two fainted guards lay in the mud behind me, breathing slowly. They were safe from the monsters, but they were also stuck here until someone came to open the gate from the outs