Page 47 of Power of Five
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Leralynn
The world around me slows. Each contraction of my heart lasting an eternity as reality lays itself bare before me. It is amazing how clear the truth is when stripped to the bare facts.
The archer will continue firing.
Coal is going to die.
Unless I buy Coal’s life with my own.
My gaze shifts, finding Pyker standing before us, making a show of being a shield against an archer who isn’t aiming for him. Still working on that illusion.
Good. That is the one piece of leverage I have on Pyker—Coal’s ignorance of Pyker’s treason and Pyker’s desire to keep it that way.
“Pyker,” I command from beneath Coal. “Pull me into the Gloom.”
“No,” Coal growls, the fury vibrating through his injured muscles, his precious breath warm in my ear. “Piranhas there.”
Of course there are piranhas there. There must be, if they are spilling out into the Light. But since I’m going to die anyway, facing a few worms seems to little matter. Ignoring Coal’s protest, I lock eyes with Pyker. “Pull me into the Gloom,” I tell him again. “It’s safer for me there.”
Pyker’s eyes narrow. It’s death for me there, and he knows it. But he also knows that I know of his treason. And he understands my request, if not my reason for making it.Pull me into the Gloom, Pyker, and there won’t be anyone to contradict your account when I die.
Pyker’s hand reaches for mine.
“No!” Coal gasps, his breath failing. “Not. Safe. For. Her.”
“I want the Gloom,” I say loudly, grasping Pyker’s extended arm and smiling sadly as Coal’s desperate roar to his quint brothers follows me out of the Light.
With the next breath, I am there. Here. The river, the path, the mountain—it’s all as it was a moment earlier. Except not. The sparkling water is dull, the grass gone, the moss growing on the rock face thick and glowing with a faint blue tint. A washed-out, wrinkled version of the upper world.
“Satisfied?” Pyker says, letting go of my hand.
Ignoring him, I twist about, getting my bearings. Distances are different here—smaller, if I’ve wagered right based on Coal having gotten to me as quickly as he did.
Yes. The mass of piranhas that was a hundred paces off in the Light is less than twenty steps away now, the slithering mass crawling up, up, up into the nothingness that I know is their gateway into the Light. The cavern River opened doesn’t exist here. Interesting.
“Where are all the piranhas coming from?” I ask Pyker. Not that it matters, but I’m curious.
The male points to the center of the crawling worms. “A deeper level of the Gloom. The wards are thin here, it seems.” Pyker’s voice is dull. “They will smell you in a moment, though. You’ll forgive me for not waiting around until—”
He breaks off as the air ripples and the four quint males step—or in Coal’s case, crawl—into the Gloom. Coal is beside me already, the others rushing from where they fought piranhas moments ago. Except it’s all closer now. We are all closer. The quint separated to protect me, but at least that problem is now corrected.
River’s eyes flash with a fury I can see even in the Gloom. “Why the hell are you here, Leralynn?”
Because I knew you’d come for me. Now come closer still. We’ve more to do.My gaze shifts to Coal, my throat burning. Several of the arrows failed to make the trip with him and their empty wounds now bleed freely.
Shade kneels beside Coal, the healer’s face grim.
“Shade, you have Coal,” River shouts as he and Tye step toward me. “Tye and I will take Leralynn.”
A noble attempt to save our lives, but even I know it won’t be enough. Fortunately, I’m about to correct the lack-of-power problem. Careful not to bring attention to myself, I press my foot against Coal’s arm as the other two close in.
River grabs my wrist.
I grab Tye’s.
There.Five. Shade touching Coal. River gripping me. Me pressing my skin against Tye and Coal both.
River’s eyes meet mine and widen just as the first wave of power pulses through our bond.
“I’ve claimed you, River,” I say before he can pull away. Speaking is hard. Not because of pain, but because of a sudden awareness of everything at once. Every sound. Every smell. Every taste. Every touch. “The quint is mine, as I am yours.”
My words falter with the next wave of power. And with it, there is no longer a Lera. No anyone else either. There is only the quint, our hearts beating as a single great force. I was planning to be dead. Instead, I’m more alive than I’ve ever been.
River hesitates only a moment before realizing what he must do. He lifts the hand not touching me and a wave of raw magic ripples before us. If I could choose where to look, I’d turn away from the writhing pile of piranhas splattering into a mass of goop. If I could move, I’d flinch away from the agony of magic searing Coal’s wounds closed. If I could speak, I’d shout about Pyker fleeing back into the Light.
But as I can do none of these things, I just hold on to River and Tye and Coal and Shade, and I entrust my life essence to them forever.They can have it all.The last thought is oddly peaceful, and I smile as the world finally dissolves into darkness.
