Page 118 of Us Defiant Few

Ansel gestured his Sinners forward, the promise of violence and blood transforming their expressions. She stepped back as the horde charged past her, racing toward death. Khalani swallowed, shifting uneasily as they cleared the gate.

Her eyes traced the ground that was slick with more than just rain.

Something terrible flashed across the sky.

“Ansel!” one of the Sinners yelled.

A burning arrow flew from the walls. Everyone glanced up, and she only saw the whites of their shocked eyes before a thick hand encircled her waist and yanked her back.

The flaming arrow hit the oil, setting the whole path on fire.

Terrifying screams blanketed the atmosphere. Dozens of Sinners rolled on the ground, flames licking over their convulsing bodies.

A loud horn blasted, and the hidden Desert Spring warriors roared as they emerged from the shadows, brandishing their weapons.

“Kill them!” Ansel bellowed.

Bedlam erupted as gunshots ripped through the air.

Khalani stared into Takeshi’s eyes, letting the tenacity, heat, and violence buried there ground her. He whipped out his favorite blade and gun, licking his lips as bloodlust transformed his expression.

“One last chance for me to take you from here,” he said.

But when Khalani palmed her gun, he nodded, expecting nothing less.

“Let’s go,” she breathed, running into the fray.

Metal clashed around them, coinciding with the thunder booming over their heads. Charred bodies lay on the ground, and multiple Sinners fought with oozing burn injuries.

One of Desert Spring’s warriors cried out, charging forward with a knife, but he crumpled to the ground as a Sinner blew a hole in his chest.

Even though the fire had weakened Ansel and his people, they were still outnumbered.

One of the Sinners raised his gun, but Takeshi was faster and shot him in the head. Three more rushed them, and Khalani raised her weapon and started firing.

Her hands flinched as their dead bodies fell to the ground.

Through the pouring rain, she stood on her tiptoes, straining to see past the fire, looking for the rest of her family, when a loud whistle drew her attention.

She turned just as a hulking man charged at her, whirling a bloody mace.

Khalani barely ducked as he twirled the sharp weapon inches from her face. But he came swinging again, too fast for her to dodge. Before he could chop her head off, Takeshi threw his body in front of her, blocking the mace with his long blade.

He shoved the man backward and slashed his throat open.

Two Sinners stormed at him, forcing Takeshi to dodge and whip out his other blade for close combat.

Out of the corner of her eye, a glint of metal came slashing down, and she quickly rolled to the right. She straightened just as a girl wielding a scythe swung at her.

Khalani raised her gun, but not quickly enough.

The girl knocked the pistol out of her hand and jabbed the scythe forward.

Khalani jumped back, the sharp metal narrowly missing her gut. She palmed her knife and met the weapon with her own, gritting her teeth as her arms shook.

They circled the weapons down in an arc, and Khalani jutted the blade forward, but the girl turned around, yanking the scythe back down. Before she could duck, the tip of the metal caught her shoulder, and Khalani cried out.

“KANES!”