Page 34 of Detonation
Zedd leaps into action as I run after Luke, watching as the witch narrows her eyes on us. Her lips move with a chant and her palms raise.
Oh hell no. Whatever she's doing can't be good for us.
I drop to the ground, resting my hands on top of the dirt-packed floor, letting my energy mingle into the particles in the ground that I feel calling out. They're mine to command.
"Luke, Zedd, out of the way!"
Trusting them to comply, I waste no time looking up and breathe in deeply, lifting my hands and then slamming them into the ground, picturing the ground beneath the witch giving way.
The ground splinters like an earthquake hit it and breaks apart, the crack following to her feet. I run towards my family as the floor beneath the witch’s feet caves in, throwing a cloud of dust and dirt into the air.
Did it take her down?
Zedd strides forward, his eyes narrowed, and a gust of wind clears our path so we can see. No witch in sight.
We couldn't have been that lucky. She's powerful.
Luke lets down his ice dome from around Serenity and hisses when he sees her laying on the ground, seemingly unconscious. He drops to his knees to inspect her wounds. "Whatever those shadow men did to her, it's spreading. Black veins are spreading under her skin, stretching from each wound point. Her hand is almost completely black now. Her shoulder isn't far behind."
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
We have no idea what we're working with here. How are we supposed to combat unknown entities and powers?
Serenity's wounds could be fatal and we can do jackshit about it right now.
Frustration creeps into me and I realize that no amount of training could prepare us for battle, besides an actual battle. There are too many moving parts—the adrenaline surging, heart racing, fear for your loved ones.
A deep chuckle and a light breath of air sounds by my ear, startling me. Zedd yells for me to watch out but he’s too late. Pain like I've never felt before explodes from my head, dropping me to my knees.
A large foot slams into my back, sending me sprawling to the ground. I choke on the dust that rises from the impact on the dirt.
My head feels like it’s being stabbed by a million needles, making it hard to concentrate on anything around me. Voices begin to swarm, prevailing over any noise from the battle.
"Do you think she could love someone as weak as you?"
She loves me.
A portal appears over Serenity, Zedd, and Luke. Zedd whirls towards the purple light with his hands raised, ready for a fight.
"You aren't fit to lead any team."
I’d give my life for them.
Lilli appears through the portal, scanning the arena. Zedd’s shoulders visibly drop as he pulls Lilli to Serenity, where Luke is trying to slow the spread of the wound with his ice.
"Youkilled Beth. You could’ve saved her."
No! There's nothing I could have done.
Lilli drops to her knees in a rush by Serenity and motions for my brothers to step back. The most beautiful, iridescent orb encircles both of the women, sparks fly inside of it like the fourth of July fireworks we used to see.
"You were given up by two sets of parents because you'll never amount to anything of worth."
Screw them all.
Two shadows appear behind Luke and Zedd, making my heart race for fear of their lives. I try to push up from the ground but the foot on my back slams me back down. I open my mouth to try to shout out to them but a hand at the back of my head pushes me face-first into the dirt, a white-hot burning running through my cheek where the shadowed hand touches me. I can see his hand flickering in the corner of my eye.
Hot tears stream down my face as I lay there, paralyzed, begging for a reprieve from the stinging pain. A feeling of helplessness overwhelms me as I watch my family fighting while all I can do is watch.
