Page 60 of When Monsters Rise
Mygaze drops to her for a beat, noting the dark smudges beneath her eyes, the only indication of the toll channeling took on her.Shehealed me in a matter of moments and fed all the watchersMorningstarpower in the process, yet she’s on her feet.Walkingon her own steam.Sheshould be more hurt, more damaged, because the expulsion of power…Well,I’msurprised the sentinels haven’t found us by tracking it.
Butit’s more than that.MorethanRue’sstoic reaction to opening the channel.There’ssomething in the air that’s different.Thesky is coated in a fine dark mist that came through with the razor beaks, and the distinct stench of sulphur lingers in the air even now.
“Whatwas that?”Ruewhispers. “Shem, what the fuck just happened?Thosethings came out of thin air.”
“I’mnot sure.Weshould wait to discuss this.Yourpeople are already frightened.”
“Goodpoint.”
“Doyou think the sentinels will have sensed the power?”Bastianasks.
“Thechannel was open for mere moments.”Whichcould be enough, based on the amount of power, but they hadn’t found us yet so… “We’llbe fine.”
Zaqwhizzes back. “Woodsending.Fieldup ahead.”
“Great, open ground,”Ruemutters in an uncharacteristically cranky tone.
Ican hardly blame her for being upset.Ourplans, our safe haven, our home, have all gone to shit in the past few hours.
Thewatchers close in, tightening their net on the humans as we exit the woods onto a moonlit field.Thesky is filled with stars tonight, but they seem muted as if a veil hangs between us and them.
“There’ssomething in the air,”Bastiansays. “Whatis it?”
“Idon’t know.”
Rueslows her pace and presses her fist to her chest.
“What’swrong?”BastianandIask at the same time.
“Ifeel weird,” she says. “Mychest feels hollow and warm.”
“TheMorningstarpower?”
“No, this is…It’ssomething else.”Sheexhales. “Andit’s gone.”
Myconcern is echoed onBastian’sface.
Couldchanneling have done a deeper damage?Onewe can’t see?Ineed to getRueto safety fast so we can check her over.Ifanything happens to her…Ican’t lose her.Notfor the world.
* * *
RUE
Thestrange hollow feeling inside my chest was a consistent flutter now and not wholly unpleasant.Itwas the kind of feelingIassociated with nerves of excitement or anxiety, butIwas far from excited, and anxiety was too tame a word to describe howIfelt about our situation right now.Hypervigilantwas more apt, but this sensation inside me…it didn’t quite fit.
Shemhad his gaze fixed on the terrain.Hewas in watcher mode, attention split between the sky, the road ahead, and the fields on either side of us.
Wewere less than an hour away from the safe zone where we’d spend the night before heading to the church tomorrow morning and an eerie silence had settled over the world, raising goosebumps on my skin and making the hairs on my nape quiver with foreboding.
BackwhenI’dbeen a scout and we’d been in dire situations,I’dfocus on whatI’ddo once the shitty situation was over and we were back at base.I’dfocus on something good and solid, like being inJamie’sarms or hanging out withBee.I’dfocus on a treat thatI’dgive myself, and right now, the image of being snuggled betweenShemandBastianwas my reward.Mytreat for surviving.
I’dbe safe, and warm, andI’dsleep…I’dfucking sleep so deeply with them both watching over me and—
Animage ofGabrielfilled my head, sudden and unexpected, followed by the poignant memory of the pressure of his lips on mine when he’d bonded with me in theGoldenCity.Thememory dissipated just as quickly as it had flooded my mind.Whatthe heck?ButnowIcouldn’t stop thinking about the auburn-haired celestial.
Wherewas he now?Whathad they done to him?
Hewas alive…Hehad to be.Wewere bonded, so surelyI’dknow if he was dead.I’dfeel it, right?Something…
