Chapter 1

The transport ship to Neo-Haven was overweight.

Mom avoided my eyes, glancing quickly at her three other children. Then, she suddenly wrapped her arms around me, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Amber, sweetie, we can't throw away any more bags. Those are the supplies Toby needs for his new school in Neo-Haven. And Chloe has her big audition coming up; her custom sonic lyre cannot be left behind."

Dad patted my shoulder. His tone was heavy, laced with a layer of fake guilt.

"Amber, you’ve always been the selfless one. Just stay in the basement of the Dustlands for a little while. The filtered water down there is enough to last you a month."

"I promise, as soon as we get our relocation allowance in Neo-Haven, we’ll rent a private cargo ship and come right back for you!"

The howling dust storm stung my eyes. I forced a smile onto my face.

"Okay, Dad, Mom. I’ll wait for you. You have to come back quickly."

I cleaned the basement every single day, keeping it spotless, waiting for the roar of an airship engine.

But my family never came.

Instead, while scavenging in the junk piles one afternoon, I pulled a giant, fierce-looking black cat out of a discarded pipeline.

He was huge—bigger than the heavy cargo carts they used in the Dustlands.

His fur was the color of the deepest midnight, and several bone-deep gashes tore across his body, dripping a strange, glowing blue blood.

I was dragging a tattered burlap sack filled with a few dead metallic batteries I’d dug up that day.

The moment I saw the giant beast, I scrambled back in fear, my boot scraping against a piece of rusted sheet metal.

The creature struggled to lift his heavy eyelids, his golden, slit-like pupils staring at me with freezing coldness.

"Do low-life humans raise their runts in trash heaps now?"

"You're nothing but skin and bones. Not even enough to make a decent snack."

I froze.

His jaws hadn't moved, but I had heard his voice clear as day.

It wasn't the wild roar of a beast, but a slightly weak, arrogant male voice echoing directly inside my head.

I dropped my sack and took a cautious step closer.

"I wasn't raised in a trash heap,"

I whispered in protest. "I'm waiting for my parents. They went to Neo-Haven, and they're coming back to get me soon."

The massive "cat" widened his eyes.

His fluffy ears twitched twice, a flicker of disbelief crossing his golden eyes.

"You can hear me? A psychic mutation?"

I didn't understand what "psychic" meant. All I could see was the blue blood pouring from his stomach, soaking the dirt beneath the pipe.

"You're bleeding. You're going to die."

I unbuckled the dented steel flask from my waist.

It was the only thing Dad had left me.

Inside was the most precious commodity in the Dustlands—clean, filtered water. I only allowed myself two small sips a day.

I unscrewed the cap and held it close to his dry, cracked snout.

"Drink some. It will help with the pain."

The black beast flinched back warily, but his parched throat betrayed him.

He extended a rough, spiked tongue and lapped up a mouthful of water.

"Ugh, this tastes like heavy metals and pollution. Is this what you humans actually drink?"

Despite his fierce complaining, he licked the flask completely dry.

After drinking, he seemed to regain a bit of strength. He struggled to stand.

But his hind legs were too badly injured. The moment he put pressure on them, his massive body collapsed heavily back into the mud.

Frustrated, the black beast slammed his paw down, shattering a nearby concrete pipe into dust.

"Damned space pirates! How dare they ambush me! Once I recover, I'll tear them to shreds!"

He turned his head, his golden eyes scanning me up and down.

"Hey, kid. Since you gave me that water, I'll give you a chance."

"Get me to a safe place. Once my people find me, I'll take you to Neo-Haven. You'll live like royalty and have all the premium nutrient solutions you can eat."

I shook my head.

"I'm not leaving. I have to wait here for my mom and dad."

I strained, grabbing a handful of his thick scruff.

"You're too heavy for me to carry. Can you limp a little? The basement is just ahead."

The black beast rolled his eyes.

"Another brainwashed brat."

He forced himself up and limped slowly behind me.