Page 119 of Us Defiant Few

Takeshi’s bellow reached her ears, and she momentarily glanced over. He was still grappling with one opponent, but his attention was stolen, completely fixed on her. He tried to cut his way to her, but the man he was fighting drove a hard punch into his temple.

Takeshi was so focused on her that he stumbled to the ground.

No.

She whipped her knife, and the girl jumped out of reach, stumbling as she slightly lost her footing. Khalani immediately launched forward, kicking at her unsteady leg—a move she learned from Takeshi—and the girl tripped, falling to the ground.

She prepared to jab the knife into her heart but hesitated at the girl’s terror-filled eyes.

Her knife stilled, not wanting to take that final step.

But the girl grabbed the weapon, swiping it toward her throat. Khalani caught her wrist and plunged the blade down.

Blood bubbled out of the girl’s mouth, the light slowly leaving her eyes as the scythe clattered to the ground.

Khalani stood, searching for Takeshi through the mayhem.

She finally found him.

He overpowered his opponent, knocking the sword free from his hands and slashing his throat. The man gripped his bleeding jugular with wide eyes, choking on his own blood as rain coated him.

She let out a deep exhale when Takeshi straightened, seemingly unharmed. His ruthless gaze scanned the bedlam and tracked her down, his eyes calming amid the burning chaos. He stepped over the choking man and ran toward her, but a figure rose behind him.

“Takeshi, look out!” she screamed as the man lifted a gun, aiming straight at his head.

Takeshi turned too late.

29

Grief is the disease that holds no cure.

Khalani screamed with pure, unadulterated terror.

But just as the Sinner pulled the trigger, a larger figure swung a sword and severed his hand. The gun fell to the ground, and the bullet sailed overhead.

Patreus drove his sword into the man’s abdomen, finishing the job. Blood spattered across his face, but he took one glance at Takeshi and nodded.

But in the next moment, Patreus’s body jolted, eyes widening as the tip of a spear shoved through his chest.

Khalani’s mouth fell open as Patreus dropped to his knees, still staring at them, his eyes pooling with regret. The Sinner behind him crouched toward his neck, a maniacal gleam in his eyes as he positioned a blade across his jugular. But in the next second, Takeshi threw his knife and struck him in the eye.

She swayed as the Sinner fell to the ground, but her wide gaze was locked on Patreus’s dead body. Takeshi swiftly turned, closing the gap between them.

“You all right?”

She had a small cut on her shoulder, but she was fine. Then, Khalani noticed blood dripping down his arm.

“You’re hurt!”

“It’s fine,” he quickly said, but Khalani noticed the twitch of his jaw. Her hand gently grazed the injured area around his bicep.

She reached for her clothing, about to rip off a piece of fabric, when a feral scream ripped through the air. They turned just as Penny fell to a knee, fending off two opponents. Ferren was nearby, struggling to reach her.

“Takeshi,” she rasped.

“Stay close to me.”

He knew without words what she needed. Takeshi drew another blade from his jacket. Without another word, he surged forward, brutally cutting down anyone in his path, as if the injury were only a minor inconvenience.