Page 113 of Claim the Twilight
“There’s no time. You must leave. Now.”
“Hemlock made it out?”
A shadow passed across her features, and my stomach tightened. “Is he okay? Did he make it out?”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “That was never his plan.”
She faded away, and the cacophony of violent sounds surged up to envelop me once more.
A shadow fell over me, and a moment later, I was plucked off my feet and lifted into the air. “Dammit, Orina!” Kaster’s breath was hot on my neck as he clutched me to his body, my back to his chest, his arms wrapped around me like steel bands.
I looked down at the spot I’d just occupied to find a cold one battling a white wing.
“What were you doing just standing there?” Kaster demanded.
“I wasn’t. I was talking to the echo.”
“Hemlock is out?”
“No…” I looked off into the distance at the black storm cloud that was Loviator, standing still now. “I think he’s going to try and kill Loviator.”
His grip on me tightened. “We have to evacuate. Now.”
“Set me down and give the order.”
He flew me down to the edge of the battlefield. “Stay here. I’ll get Ordell and get you both out.”
He flew back into the fray.
I scanned the battlefield, finding Nyx flanked by Ramiel and Sin, then Lorenzo and Ordell back-to-back.
The white wings descended on them, clearly already carrying Kaster’s evacuation order.
He’d be back for me soon.
I could leave. Just as Hemlock had planned. Just as he would want me to.
Leave and be with Ezekiel, Lorenzo, and Ordell. Leave and forever mourn Hemlock.
But I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t go without him.
You can’t save him…
The echo whispered in my ear, and something inside me tugged. That same sense of familiarity and connection I’d felt around her before.
This is his choice. You can’t stop him.
“Maybe not, but I won’t let him die alone.”
I turned away from the battlefield and dashed in a blur toward Loviator’s storm cloud.
ORDELL
“Evacuate. Now!” the white wings order.
“Where’s Orina?” Lorenzo asks, scanning the terrain while continuing to incinerate critters.
I can’t see her. “She was here a moment ago.” Panic squeezes my chest. “Kaster!”
