Page 18 of Son of a Witch

“Outside for air.” I rolled around her but got caught on some debris and couldn’t get free. “Fuck!” I slammed my hand on the armrest. She moved to help me. “No. I can do it.”

I didn’t need her help. She wouldn’t always be there, so I had to do this myself. I wasn’t a damn baby and didn’t need to be treated as one.

Repeated attempts to get round the rubble almost tipped me over. Frustrated, I rocked from side to side to wiggle the wheel off the stone until I got free. I zoomed out of the hole in the wall into the recreation area outside. Smoke curled in the air still from magical scorch marks on the walls. Sentries with electrified spears guarded the hole at the rear fortification to prevent further escape. Maybe I should attempt to end this.

I gulped down air, not able to get enough. Throat burning, I rubbed it, trying to calm myself.

Supergal’s footsteps crept up behind me. She set a light palm on my shoulder and massaged the back of my neck.

After a few minutes of silence, she asked, “Wanna come back inside and continue? Team Astor. Or Torra. Or Supertor, if you like.”

I chuckled at her cheap attempt at a joke to combine our names. But it didn’t make me feel any better or make everything the way it used to be.

My girl crouched beside me and set her hand on my knee. “I know this situation is shitty. But it won’t last forever, I promise.”

I shut down that thought. “You can’t promise anything, Supergal. This is my life now and I have to accept it.”

She thumped my knee, and I felt a twinge of response. A sign of life in my dead legs and I sat up straighter. “Don’t you dare say that crap again. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I liked it when she got all hot, red, and bossy. It perked me up a little, considering I felt like a sorry ass.

“I mean it, Tor.” She clasped my hand, squeezing it, showing she wasn’t kidding. “Don’t hide behind your smartass remarks. I know you’re hurting. We all are.”

Under her intense gaze, I bowed my head. My girl saw through my pathetic attempts to mask my grief and shame. I couldn’t hide anything from her. She knew me just as well as I knew myself.

“Please don’t let this beat you.” Her thumb stroked over my hand. “We still have options. Don’t give up.”

For all the good it was worth, it didn’t detract from the fact that I was anchored in this chair, unable to walk and most likely grounded from missions. Stuck in this place for another five fucking years until I worked off my sentence.

Still, I appreciated the sentiment. “Whatever you say, Supergal.”

CHAPTER7

Astra

Goddamit,look my way. I was throwing hand signals left, right, and center. trying to catch Knoxe’s attention all day subtly without Tor noticing.

Dogged Knoxe was too involved in his task. Showing off to the new team leader and probably trying to win brownie points with the replacement warden to be reinstated as leader.

When Tor wanted to stay outside in the sunshine, I left him to get some space and went straight to Knoxe’s side.

“I’m worried about Tor,” I murmured to him.

Knoxe might not be our team leader anymore, but he knew Tor better than I did and deserved to be informed one of our own was subdued and defeated.

Fuck. I scrubbed a hand down my dusty face. We were all crushed for different reasons. Pascal blamed himself for Tor’s accident, as did Knoxe. Hell, I could throw myself on that fire too, since I begged Knoxe to take an unwell Pascal back to the Guardians. Not going down that dark road. Been down enough already.

Maybe Knoxe could have a one-on-one chat with Tor. Cheer him up. Boy talk had a way of bringing some guys out of their stupor. I wanted to fill Tor with some hope. For him not to give up. Maybe he’d listen to Knoxe.

“Me, too.” Knoxe’s face reddened as he lugged a massive lump of stone. Every muscle in his biceps and arms swelled and my eyes nearly bugged at his astonishing size.

I scratched my dusty forehead with the side of my hand, careful not to spread more dirt. Germs and all that. “Can you talk to him? You know. Boy talk. I think he’s falling into a depression.”

Stone thudded in the bin as Knoxe pitched it and I winced at the hollow sound. “It’s early days yet. Give him time. He’ll be the old Tor in no time.”

I didn’t have a shred of optimism left. Everything had gone wrong. Karma struck with a vengeance and left the team reeling and decimated.

At least somebody held hope for us.

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