Page 78 of Restored

“You okay?” Cam asks, and he waits for my nod before turning and getting lost in the chaos.

I swipe my dagger from the air and pull myself to my feet ignoring the pounding in my head. I take a steadying breath and try to calm my racing heart.

Ledger’s fighting off two huge Kerolu to my left. He slashes and stabs, dodging their serrated claws. His movements are lithe and agile, practiced and nimble. It is impressive to behold.

My heart leaps when another Kerolu catches Ledger in its sights. It runs at him full speed. Ledger’s back is turned to it, oblivious to the danger.

I jump into action, my feet pounding off the ground as I run. I fumble for my powers, knowing I won’t be able to make it to him on time.

My power purrs to the surface and I send it out towards the sprinting creature. It glides along its body and sinks inside.

The Kerolu’s organs are different from a human’s, unfamiliar as I search for anything that will stop it. Terror floods my veins as it nears Ledger, its claws drawn.

A scream tears from my throat a second before I find its heart. I grip the organ and squeeze, commanding my power to stop it. The creature is mid-flight when its eyes roll back,and it drops to the ground, twitching. Its chest ceases to move as death claims it.

I stumble as I reel my power back in, feeling the depletion of the action. Ledger’s eyes meet mine, his shock apparent as he realizes what I’d done. I attempt to wipe the terror from my face, giving him a slight nod. His focus returns to the Kerolu in front of him.

Moaning draws my attention. I turn to see a man on the streets, blood freely flowing out of his abdomen. I sheath my dagger and dart over to him. I grab his shoulders and drag him to a few feet from the mayhem.

White light seeps from my palms without me having to call for it. I rip the man’s already tattered shirt, exposing his wound.

I find a deep gash, a part of his intestine showing. He seems in and out of consciousness as I speak to him, “It’s okay, you’re going to be okay.”

The adrenaline in my veins makes it difficult to focus, but I take a deep breath and close my eyes as my hands drift over the wound. I’m relieved when there’s no trace of venom; It must have been from one of the wolves.

I picture the wound closing, the skin knitting back together. I picture him healthy, returning to his family.

I open my eyes to a thin scar and pink, freshly healed skin. The man is unconscious as I slap his cheek. “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”

Sounds of the ongoing fight assault my ears as the man’s eyes flutter open.

“You’re okay. You’ve got to move; go somewhere safe, please.” Awareness registers on his face as he looks down at his abdomen. His mouth falls, clearly shocked, as I grip his arm, hauling him up.

“Go, now,” I demand and turn my eyes, scanning the streets. There is a woman waving her arms. “Over here, help us!”

I can’t help myself from seeking out Ledger again in the chaos. He is slicing and stabbing at a Kerolu, dodging its sharp claws, the other he had been fighting dead at his feet. I breathe a sigh of relief, turning back to the women.

I smell it before I feel it. A musky, rotten smell fills my nostrils a second before I am slammed to the ground.

My body is engulfed by rough fur and a muscular, incredibly strong body. I see a familiar-looking curved horn just as sharp teeth puncture my shoulder. A scream rips from my throat.

The Kerolu is incredibly heavy, so much so that I can’t get my hands underneath me to grab my daggers. My head is turned to the side, my cheek smashed into the dirt beneath me.

The creature tears at the skin of my shoulder, its teeth leaving new puncture wounds in their wake. Pain lances through me. Blue blood pools on the ground beneath me, and I realize it’s from the Kerolu. It is missing both arms.

I wriggle beneath the massive creature, trying to suck in air. Realizing I won’t be able to roll the beast off me, I call on my powers.

I send the energy roiling through its body, clenching onto its lungs and throat. The creature struggles against me, short, ugly gasps leaving its mouth.

I squeeze harder, and my hair clings to my neck and shoulders. It feels like an eternity before the beast stills with a sick gurgling noise.

I flounder beneath the dead weight above me, a sense of hysteria overtaking me. The irony of seizing this Kerolu’s life only to be suffocated beneath it. A laugh bubbles in my throat, one that very well would have escaped if I could suck in an efficient breath.

Seconds later, the weight is lifted off me. The Kerolu’s body thuds on the ground next to me. I roll onto my back, gasping down air. I hear the sickening crunch of a sword and turn my head in time to see the metal yanked out of the beast’s head.

“You okay, blondie?”

“Never better.” I give myself a moment to recover before Ledger helps me to my feet. “Thank you.”

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