Page 76 of House of Kallan
“They’re in control,” I said and nodded ahead. “You can see the difference. While the hybrids do move away from an oncoming attack, there’s no fear in them. The kids are screaming in fear. I almost think that their fighting is in self-preservation.”
“Okay, last resort,” the witch said. “Ready?”
Merrik handed me a pair of knuckle chargers that I stuffed inmy pockets in favor of the flickering sword that the fae handed me. I accepted both with thanks.
The distraction that the witch used nearly had the entire battlefield that was probably once a really beautiful backyard, frozen. That gave us time to move through the Silence operatives and spread out among the Voses.
I crouched next to the one that the kid had attacked. He was covered in tiny, burning puncture wounds that sizzled and scorched.
Just as the world caught up, I sprang forward, grabbed one of the hybrids, and pulled him into the stronghold that the Voses had created. Shouts went up when they saw him there, but I already had the transfer of death started. White light surrounded us, as I urged it to move quickly. The hybrid gurgled in front of us as the Vos regained his strength.
When the light died down, the Vos looked at me, both disoriented and startled. “Where did you come from?”
I smiled. “Help has arrived.”
He sighed in relief. “Thanks, virtue. I didn’t really want to die today.”
Nodding, I asked, “Anyone else need an assist?”
A dark look covered his face, and he nodded. “Yeah. She’s back there.”
“Want to bring me another hybrid? Alive, please?” I asked as I turned to find whoever I was looking for.
It didn’t take me long, and she wasn’t alive. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one, which I wasn’t sure the Vos man had known. He choked on a sob as he walked in, staring.
“Get me another,” I said quietly, grabbing the man he’d brought me, somehow being held tightly by thorny vines.
Deciding that the woman was likely dead the longest, I started there. But when nothing was happening, I shifted my attention to the man. He revived with some coaxing. The hybrid screamed with such a sound that I was nauseous.
By the time I was finished, the first Vos was back anddropped another hybrid bound in the same way at my feet. Placing my hands on each, I tried again. And again. Over and over. But there was just nothing left.
“She’s really dead,” the second Vos said.
I nodded. “I’m sorry. We didn’t get here in time.”
“Not your fault,” the first said, hugging the one I revived to him in a vice grip.
“Please don’t think I’m being heartless, but we need to get back out there before there are others,” I said quietly.
Both men nodded, looking at the woman as I stood.
“Can you keep this man like this in case I have occasion to need him?”
“Yes. Although, those vines will constrict slowly until he’s dead,” the first said.
“I’m not sad about that,” I said, giving the woman one last look. I didn’t know who she was, but she needed to be remembered. She died simply for existing. She died because there were assholes in the world who thought they had a right to determine who lived and who died.
I barely missed the falling stone as we stepped out of the little stone and vine safe room we’d been in, but then I was just not there at all as darkness wrapped around me. Hands gripped my arms, and I froze, but somehow, I knew that touch.
“Be careful, Miss Tatum,” Tyrus said.
Sighing in relief, I tried to see him in the dark. “Where’s Bael?”
“At The Harem Project with our humans,” he said, a frown in his voice.
“Good. You good?”
“I’m good. Be more careful,” he said and then I was thrust into daylight again.
