Page 128 of Echoes of War

I spun around, sitting on their torso, dropping Wrath at my side in favor of my fist, connecting with their face until the light left their eyes.Who’s next?I smiled to myself. If Covert Province wanted to take my home, they’d have to do better than that.

Scanning the battlefield for my next victim, I was pleased to find two idiots running right at me. A gun drawn in one hand, knife in the others. It would have been slightly intimidating had I not seen this happen the night before. The one on the left’s gun was jammed, he just didn’t know it yet.

Light fucking work.

I charged them head on. A silver ball landed at my feet, courtesy of the buffoon with the knife. There was no opportunity to side-step. I kept my calm as Wrath flew from my hands. My vision hadn’t shown me using my blade. Bare hands would do just fine, for now.

A few jabs and an elbow later, and the knife was knocked free. He scrambled, trying to come up behind me while his partner initiated the assault from the front. I weaved, ducking in time to land a hard blow to a kidney. Spinning around, I elbowed the one with the gun in the throat.

Whirling around, I kicked at the same spot, collapsing his airway. He’d be dead soon enough. The remaining one barreled toward me but Wrath was already back at my feet. Chuckling, I grabbed onto her, jutting her out at the base of my stomach. He rammed right into it, my action too swift for him to slow down.

Wrath grated through him, I turned my Katana, making his insides ribbons. A vision flickered as I pulled her out. I needed to go to Reina, and I needed to gonow.

I glanced around, trying to find her location or a giveaway of the general area I’d seen her in. All I saw in my quick glimpse of the future were treetops and Seth, but none of those details helped me scout her out. I was supposed to be headed toward our second location, an area that had no trees, which meant … she hadn’t yet made it there.

There was only one place she could be.

Stumbling into a sprint, I didn’t let myself stop to think about the choice I would have to make once I found her.

The minefield was a dead zone. Bits of the earth were blown out, scattered limbs around them. Chunks of dirt and human meat lay in clumps in tree branches. Piles of flesh littered the ground. It was mostly Covert soldiers. I said a quick prayer, wishing the few of our fallen a peaceful return to the earth.

Some of our field medics had made their way over, mending the people that had a shot of being saved. My vision wavered again, another option of the future washing over me.Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Reina. I need Reina right fucking now.

Riley was here, and if I didn’t get Reina to him soon …

“Abel!” a voice croaked nearby. “Amaia! Abel! Get off me, I need to get to them.”

As clenched as it was, I knew that voice. Relief washed over me. There was still time.

Following the voice, I jogged over to Reina’s mentor, Henry. He crouched over Riley, hands pressed to his side, the glow of the healing power nearly faded. Riley clutched onto something but I couldn’t get a clear view of it. Henry turned at my presence approaching from behind him.

“I’m … my magic’s almost gone, but it’s not enough,” Henry whimpered, exhaustion all over his face. “He won’t sit still, and it’s making it worse. It’s not enough. It’s not enough.”

He repeated himself, lost in a trance of despair. I kneeled beside him, my hand pressing against Riley’s cheek. His eyes were wide with panic; he stared around me, behind me, through me. Riley wiggled, inching and writhing under Henry’s touch. Dirt kicked up beneath him each time he slammed his body to the ground.

“Abel! Amaia! I need to help. I have to get to them,” he mumbled.

Riley’s skin was clammy, a greenish hue underneath his usual deep brown. His pupils were dilated, gums blue. It didn’t look good and his panic wasn’t helping shit.

I didn’t know how to help. As far as I knew, both he and Abel were supposed to be at Amaia’s side. If he didn’t know where either of them were, then neither did I.

“Abel was taken back to a med tent,” Henry said, breaking through his trance. “He was stable enough to move despite his arm.”

My nose scrunched up at that. “His arm?”

“Yeah, what he’s holding in his hand. Can’t get him to let go.” Henry pointed to what Riley was holding.

I focused on keeping my composure. To my horror, Riley held on to Abel’s hand, his arm tucked on the other side of Riley’s body. His knuckles were white at how tight he held onto it.

“Can it be saved?” I asked on instinct.

“Depends,” Henry answered, “if he lets it go and we can get back to a sterile location in the next six hours, then yes. Hopefully,” he added, his demeanor lacking the proper confidence to reassure.

I nodded, gripping Riley’s free hand. His eyes landed on mine and he fell one step closer to reality, “I’m going to go find Reina,okay? She’ll come back here and make sure you live and shit. Stay calm. When she gets here, you have to give her Abel’s arm too.”

“Reina?” he asked, his pupils dilating.

“Mhmm, Reina. Let’s make this the last time we meet on the battlefield under these circumstances, bud. Getting tired of saving your ass.” I winked at him, pushing to my feet.

---