10. Mad Dash

Ducked low, I led the way through the forest, socked feet helping to quiet my steps. The last rays of the sun made the light fuzzy, a blurred gray. White flashed ahead. I raised a hand. Leaves rustled. A branch cracked. Momentary chaos faded to silence.

Twenty or so feet ahead, a pair of white-clad figures walked through the forest. In the low light, they floated, dark trousers swallowed up by the twilight. They walked slowly, heads swiveling.

I hunkered, frozen, half-hidden by the brush.

One figure paused, staring at me. I held my breath, hand tightening around Cher.

The leader turned back and said something. The figure turned away, jogging to catch up to his friend. They faded into the forest.

I dropped my hand. We crept forward again, ever onward.

Ahead, the trees thinned. I lengthened my stride to a jog and came up to a chain-link fence before I knew it. I curled my fingers through the fence, squinting out the other side. Open desert awaited us, broad, wide open, visible for miles and miles.

“We’re trapped,” Rose breathed, on the verge of panic.

“I’ve got bolt cutters. No, the problem is that.” I pointed at the very, very visible hills rolling away from us, the total lack of cover.

Rose squinted. “What?”

“Exactly.” I turned to Ace. “You have anything that would help?”

He looked at me, then at his hands. Slowly, he shook his head.

Didn’t expect so. He’s combat-oriented. As young as he is, I doubt he’s got more than one or two tricks up his sleeve, let alone a technique for a niche situation like this. Hell, even I don’t have anything to produce cover in an open field. I nodded and took a deep breath. “Alright. This might get interesting.”

A few snaps of the bolt cutter later, I stepped through the fence. I stood guard while Rose, Edmund, and the kids came through. No threats jumped out at me. Well, of course. They won’t reveal themselves until we’re too far from the forest to fight back.

I sucked in a breath. “Shit. I don’t like this.”

Ace looked up at me and nodded. He plucked at his robes. “Should I take them off? It’s black underneath.”

“Not yet. The lighter color blends better with the hills.” I cast the forest one last distracted look and tucked my hair back over my ears, resettling the hat on my head. Reassuring, the weight of the hat-band pressed down on my crown. Better now than never.

“Ace, take point. Kids next. Adults in the rear, then me,” I ordered.

“I should—” Edmund started.

“Now isn’t the time. Behind your wife. Thanks. Single file.” Alright. Limit a shooter’s options. It’s not great, but it’s better than nothing.

I glanced over my shoulder. No motion from the forest. “On my mark, everyone run. No matter what, run and keep running. No one look back. Ready?”

“I know it sounds crazy, but it’s all true,” Grim laughed, breaking the silence behind us.

I whipped around.

Out of the forest, each arm looped around an Elgan soldier, Grim stumbled along, rosy-faced and grinning. One of the Elgan soldiers took a swig from a bottle, then gestured at Grim. “So you got dumped and fucked at the same time? Good going.”

Grim snorted, while the other soldier guffawed. “Not the fun way, I didn’t. Yeah, just ditched me to you guys, totally fucked me over. That’s why you can’t trust beautiful women, you know?”

“Damn. If you weren’t a damn poacher, I’d almost feel bad about taking you to the brig,” the soldier said, shaking his head. “You’ve been punished enough.”

“Right?” Grim shook his head, chuckling.

I met Grim’s eyes. His widened. The drunken expression fell off his face, grin shattering, blush paling. What are you doing here? he mouthed.

Escort mission! I mouthed back.

“Huh? What’s over there?” The second soldier swung around in our direction.

“Run!” I shouted.

“Holy shit, is that the poacher from earlier? Stop right there!” The second soldier brandished a bottle at me, jumped, dropped it, and fumbled for his gun.

“Look past her! The fugitives!” the first soldier shouted, raising his gun.

I stretched out my legs, racing over the dust. Ahead of me, the others ran. Ace drew ahead of the other kids, while the adults pressed close behind them. I glanced over my shoulder, already clutching Cher.

Grim lifted his harmonica.

“Plug your ears!” I shouted at the others.

“Huh? Why?” Milton asked.

The first notes of a gentle tune swirled around us. My muscles relaxed. My eyes dipped shut. Exhaustion gripped my limbs, urging me down, to give in and rest.

I shoved my fingers into my ears and grimaced, wrinkling my face to resist. Awake, awake, awake! We’ve got to run!

A gun went off. I glanced over my shoulder. The soldiers slowly slunk to the ground. One lifted his gun and squeezed the trigger again. The bullet whistled into the sky. His hand snapped back from the force, limbs too weak to hold the gun. The gun clattered to the ground.

Thanks, Grim! I shot him a grin. He dipped his head in return, fingers flying over the harmonica.

At the front of the line, Milton faltered. Belatedly, he reached for his ears, but missed, too drowsy to make the reach. Head dipping, he stumbled over his own feet, then toppled.

Behind him, Rose reached for him, only to sag herself as soon as her hand left her ear. Edmund pressed his ear to his shoulder and caught her before she fell.

“Ace!” I shouted, hoping he’d hear me past his fingers.

The boy turned. He caught sight of the fallen Milton and nodded. Breaking out of line, he spun back. In a few quick motions, he removed his hands from his ears, snatched up Milton, and clapped his hands over his ears again, elbows hooked around Milton’s body. Slinging Milton over his shoulders like a sack of flour, he sped off into the desert.

As he passed her, Vi craned her neck and looked back.

Rose bucked in Edmund’s arms. Her eyes snapped open. She shoved away from him and shoved her fingers into her ears. Stumbling, she ran for the crest of the hill.

“Go, go!” I shoved Edmund. He chased after the others.

Bang!

A bullet sparked off a stone in front of me. I ducked and dodged, dancing across the dust. C’mon, aim at me!

Bullets riddled the ground around my feet. One burned past my calf, close enough to feel the heat, but not close enough to hurt. Ace vanished over the hill’s crest, then Vi, the parents following quickly after. I ran after them the second they dropped out of view.

At the top of the hill, I paused and lifted Cher, chambering an ordinary bullet. “C’mon, Cher, play nice.”

Low mana.

I fired. The bullet stood no chance of finding a target with Cher in a mood, but it had the desired result: the firing halted, if only for a moment. I dove over the hill.

Ahead, Ace and Vi charged down a gulley. Edmund and Rose hugged, motionless.

“Keep running! Now isn’t the time for PDA!” I snapped, pushing them on.

Edmund turned to me. Darkness stained his hands, blackened his shirt, poured from Rose’s side into the thirsty desert. “She’s—she’s been hit.”

I took Rose from him. He didn’t resist. She hung from my arms, eyes rolled back, whole body limp. Blood ran from her side to her ankle, a black hole cut through her lower abdomen, just over her hips.

I winced. Kidney. She’s gone.

Something clenched in her hand. I pried it open. The token.

Fire-red eyes gazed into mine, a warmth in them that had nothing to do with the flames. Wood and resin, grain on one side, smooth on the other, a flicker of that same heat captured deep within. “Remember your promise. Forever and ever, okay, Kit?”

I grabbed the token and pushed Edmund on. “Go. Go.”

“Rose, you, you have to—”

“She’s gone. Go.”

Edmund staggered down the hill, stunned. A few steps in, he started to run, limbs jerky. I hesitated one moment longer. Closed Rose’s eyes. Eased her to the dry earth.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, and bowed. I’m sorry. I failed you, again.

Why couldn’t you be here? Why is it always me, alone? Where did you all go?

Shouts from the forest. No more time to waste. I turned tail and chased after the others.