Page 108 of Of Flame and Fury

Lucian screamed. Though he had a strong, stocky build, he wasn’t able to break free of Coup’s steady grip.

Kel took a heavy step toward the cell’s open door. “Come on! Let them go—we just need to lock the cell behind—”

A tall shadow glided through the door before she could reach it. A muscled woman with dark eyes locked Kel in place, arms raised. A sleek, silver rifle aimed high.

A sancter rifle.

The weapon that practically shot lightning, far too lethal to point at anything but a phoenix or the sky.

Kel’s stomach filled with dread. They were so close.No no no—

“Kelyn,” Coup panted. “What’s wrong—”

“Hands up,” the guard grunted, aiming her weapon straight at Kel’s head. “All of you. Now.”

The room quietened. Slowly, Bekn and Dira rose, their arms raised.

The guard shifted her sancter to face Coup, who was still grappling with Lucian. “You too. Let him go.”

Slowly, reluctantly, Coup released Lucian. The seven of them stood motionless, watching each other.

Kel’s entire body tensed. Cold shivers wracking her spine.

The guard with the sancter tilted her head, indicating back out the door. “Lucian, Pike, get out of here. Canen wants—”

She never finished her sentence. Instead, a loudclangrang through the room, and the guard stumbled forward to her knees. The sancter rifle clattered along the ground and Kel winced, half-expectinglightning to fill the room. Coup dashed forward a moment before Lucian did, grabbing the dropped weapon.

The woman fell motionless to the floor, and someone stepped around her. Coup raised the sancter as a lean figure entered the cell.

Chest heaving, Rahn lowered the wooden bat clutched in her hands.

“Come on,” she said. “We don’t have much time.”

FORTY-SEVEN

“That was a quick change of heart,” Coup muttered, once the three guards were locked inside the cell.

Kel stuttered an agreement. But they didn’t have time to question motives—not when Savita was caught so keenly in Cristo’s grip.

Rahn glanced between Kel, Coup and Bekn, before looking at Dira. There was an unfamiliar hardness to her features.

“We need to move,” she urged.

Kel glanced down the pearly hall, wary of taking her eyes off Rahn. The corridor was empty, but she imagined others might soon stumble across the unguarded cell.

Dira shifted forward. “Tell us why, first.”

Rahn swallowed. “I thought I was doing the right thing. But seeing you locked down here…” Her gaze flickered to Dira, then Kel. “I couldn’t just leave you.”

Rahn shook her head. “I don’t know what’s right—killing phoenixes or letting people die. I trust you, and I trust Cristo. But I’ve made a decision, and that’s the end of it.”

She stared at them. Willing them to challenge her.

No one said a word.

Rahn flipped the bat in her hand. “I know how Cristo plans to induce Savita’s rebirth. If you want to stop it, we don’t have much time.”

“How?” Kel demanded.

---