Page 116 of Of Flame and Fury

“Move, or I’ll make you,” he roared.

Rahn remained motionless.

Kel’s knees wobbled. The phoenixes behind Sav grew more agitated, gaining more momentum. A larger phoenix lashed out at thesmaller spinel phoenix to its left. Its beak came away dripping with crimson.

“Rahn!” Kel called, her throat cracking.

Rahn either didn’t hear or didn’t acknowledge Kel. Kel didn’t know what she would have said, anyway. Rahn was the only thing keeping Cristo from restarting the race. But the fear making Cristo’s words sharp and clipped hitched Kel’s breath.

From her position, Rahn couldn’t see the phoenixes beginning to stir.

Blue sparks leaped from Sav’s collar. The phoenix’s head jerked up. Sav shook her head, as if fighting some invisible force.

“I’m sorry, Rahn,” Cristo cried.

Dira turned back to Rahn, arm outstretched, gaze darting between Sav and the technician. “Rahn, I think you should—”

A symphony of unholy, agonized shrieks filled the air.

Five phoenixes—all but Savita—were yanked off the ground, wings thrust up in stiff, controlled movements. They catapulted forward, down the hall, along the track.

Toward Rahn.

Dira screamed and lunged for the technician. Rahn lurched to the right, toward Dira. But neither was fast enough.

A hurricane of claws and stiff wings collided with Rahn; the phoenix furthest to the right caught her with a sharp slice.

The familiar, acrid smell of burned flesh filled the hall. The world began spinning too fast. Rahn fell to the ground as the five phoenixes shot past. Her skin bubbled and bled as Dira bolted to her side. Savita screamed and more sparks flew from her collar, melting and charring around her neck. Kel’s phoenix thrashed her head, fighting Cristo’s burned circuitry.

Bekn, Coup and Kel helped Dira lift Rahn farther from the track,as gently as possible. Dira threw off her jacket and covered Rahn’s slashed shoulder, thick, open marks torn through flesh and muscle. The technician was lucky only her shoulder had been caught—but the right side of her face, neck and torso had been burned away, reminding Kel so clearly of Coup’s burns in his last race. Too much blood pooled around her head.

Rahn whimpered as Dira cradled her. Kel felt hot tears trail down her cheeks.

“We need to get her out of here,” Dira sobbed. “Maybe the Fume hasn’t hit Cristo’s medical wing yet?”

“They hadn’t when we ran past,” Bekn managed, voice low. “I don’t know if there’s anyone still there—but it’s her best chance.”

Rahn whimpered again. Phoenixes raced along the other side of the hall, their combined heat still not as overwhelming as Sav’s. The smell of burned electrics grew stronger. Savita spread her wings and craned her head toward the other phoenixes. Her eyes glowed, ready to claim a victory, whether or not Cristo forced her to.

If they didn’t figure out a solution soon, Sav’s rebirth would beat the blight to Kel’s heart. It would kill them all.

Dira winced as she tried to lift Rahn from the ground. Kel glanced down to Dira’s hands. They were almost as burned and charred as the right side of Rahn’s body. Dira had been too close to the phoenixes when they’d blazed past; she was lucky that only her hands had caught aflame.

“Let me,” Bekn said gently, and lifted Rahn from the ground, cradling her close. “We’ll get her out of here and regroup.”

“Savita won’t have that long,” Kel whispered, doubting anyone heard her.

Bekn shifted closer, toward the door. Rahn jerked in his grip, groaning as she lashed out a hand to Kel.

She gripped Kel’s sleeve with her left arm and fluttered her lashes. “Canen wasn’t meant to build a window to watch,” she croaked. “It was… he didn’t trust everything to go right unless he couldsee it.”

Adrenaline seeped back into Kel’s bones. She glanced down at the glint of silver at Coup’s hip—the rifle she’d given him. The same weapon that was used to signal the start of CAPR races.

Kel turned toward Cristo’s window, and embers of an idea collided with her adrenaline. She didn’t know how large the room was on the other side of the window—but it was near the edge of the building. Perhaps with another window, facing the outdoors.

She glanced between her teammates. “Go—but I’m staying. I can get Sav out.”

“Kel,” Dira breathed.

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